Visitation: St. Philip's in Frisco
Bishop Rob Price visited St. Philip's in Frisco on Sunday where he confirmed nine people, received another into the Church, and prayed over a newly baptized baby. He gave the homily at two services and met with the vestry.
The parish marks its anniversary each year with an outreach project to serve the local community. On Sunday, the church celebrated 24 years of ministry by packing125 donated backpacks with needed school supplies. Working with a ministry partner, Cornerstone Assistance Network of North Central Texas, these backpacks will reach high school students in the community to prepare them for the upcoming school year.
Music is big at St. Philip's and the parish is blessed to have music director Scott Rudes who leads the music ministry in a blended style of worship. On most Sunday's parishioners can praise the Lord through traditional hymns as well as more modern praise and worship music. This is all led by a 7-person vocal team and band. The adult choir sings at both services on the fourth Sunday of the month and offers a more traditional style of music.
Rudes is a former principal at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas and brings a high level of expertise and passion to his music ministry at St. Philip's. He began accompanying services on the piano at church when he was 13, and shortly after that began studies in the organ. "God has always provided me with a strong calling to music," Rudes said. "From age 5, I sang in the choir and started my studies in piano. It was the Church that afforded me the first opportunities for music leadership."
There are plenty of strong leaders at St. Philip's including Keleigh Linebrink who has a passion for youth and the meaningful programming that helps them grow. At St. Phillip's she brought back the youth program Happening which is aimed at renewing the Church in the power of the Holy Spirit, and making it easier for young people to respond to its call, and to spread the Kingdom of God. Happening was active in the diocese for many years but had taken a hiatus prior to the pandemic. When Linebrink brought back the programming to her church, she made it open to the entire diocese and is currently helping to plan another one this year. It's put on by teenagers with adult supervision. Her Children also went through Happening and loved it and are now helping to plan the next one. Linebrink said she too went through the program as a teen and it changed her life. Now she wants to help others have the same experience. "I want to pour into the kids the way I was poured into," Linebrink said.
Other leadership news at the parish includes a bittersweet transition as their beloved Rector, the Rev. Canon Michael Gilton, retires and longtime priest at the church, the Rev. Clayton Elder takes on the role. Please pray for the parish, Gilton, Elder and their families during this time of change.
This parish loves service and mission, and is a gift to their community and the diocese. Good things are happening there.