St. Philips Greenville - Blog

“Breath, Eyes, Memory” -Wizdom Powell, PhD, MPH GUest Speaker at 10th Annual black history program

2/15/2020

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church
Tenth Annual
Black History Program
Saturday, February 22, 2020 – 2:00 pm
31 Allendale Lane, Greenville, S.C.

About Our Speaker
Dr. Wizdom Powell, PhD, MPH is director of the Health Disparities Institute and associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Connecticut Health. Formerly, Powell was an associate professor of Health Behavior at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health and research associate professor in UNC’s Department of Social Medicine. Powell also served as associate director of the Center for Health Equity Research, a faculty member at UNC’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and director of the UNC’s Men’s Health Research Lab.

In 2011-2012, Powell was appointed by President Obama to serve as a White House Fellow to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. In this role, she provided subject matter expertise on Military Mental Health–PTSD, suicide and military sexual trauma. Her community based research focuses on the role of modern racism and gender norms on African American male health outcomes and health care inequities. In addition to being a White House Fellow, she is an American Psychological Association (APA) Minority, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kaiser Permanente Burch, Institute of African American Research, and Ford Foundation Fellow who received a Ph.D. and M.S. in Clinical Psychology and M.P.H. from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. She serves as chair of the APA’s work group on Health Disparities in Boys and Men and co-chair of the Health Committee for President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative in Durham County.

In recognition of her public service to boys and men, she received the American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Professional Service Award. In 2015, she received the prestigious Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Prizes for Outstanding Artistic and Scholarly Achievement by Young Faculty. Powell was awarded a 2017 academic writing residency at the Bellagio Center from the Rockefeller Foundation. Most recently, she was selected as a Health Innovator Fellow by the Aspen Institute.

Black History Program Set for FEB. 16, 2019

1/23/2019

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church Black History Program and Reception features Dr. Theodore R. Johnson, Senior Fellow, Brennan Center for Justice on Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 2 PM.

Dr. Ted Johnson, a renowned public policy scholar, will talk about the importance of Black History Month. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, POLITICO, WIRED, National Review, New Republic, and other national publications.

His academic lectures and media engagements include appearances at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, UCLA’s Hammer Museum, University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and TEDx.

Plan to join us at St. Philip’s Church in Greenville!

864-271-1382 - 31 Allendale Lane - Greenville, SC 29607 - stphilipsgreenville@gmail.com

Lecia Brooks to speak at Black History Month Program

1/8/2018

Our Black History Month program will be Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Our featured speaker this year is Lecia Brooks, who leads the Southern Poverty Law Center’s outreach (Birmingham, AL) efforts on key initiatives and social justice issues. As outreach director, she frequently gives presentations around the country to promote tolerance and diversity. She also serves as director of the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, Ala., an interpretive center designed to provide visitors to the Civil Rights Memorial with a deeper understanding of the civil rights movement. She joined the SPLC staff in 2004 as director of Mix It Up at Lunch Day, a Teaching Tolerance program designed to help break down racial, cultural and social barriers in schools. Previously, she worked for 12 years in a number of capacities for the National Conference for Community and Justice in its Los Angeles office. She is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University.

We will begin by viewing the 30 minute version of a documentary by Sandra Jaffe titled, Our Mockingbird, which is based on Harper Lee's 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Our Mockingbird highlights the experiences of teens from two Birmingham, Alabama high schools -- one all black and one all white -- who collaborate on a production of the play, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Gov. School president to inspire youth at Black History program

2/12/2017

It's Dr. Cedric Adderley's wish that young people today will find their passion and pursue it, even if no one else in history has ever achieved that same goal.

Encouraging young people to do that is something that Adderley, president of the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, said he always does. "I want to see every student achieve whatever they can perceive," he said. "As an educator, I take it as a personal responsibility to motivate them to achieve beyond what I've done and beyond what others around them have achieved in life."

On February 25, Adderley will expound on his message to today's youth while serving as the keynote speaker at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church's Black History program. He intends to speak about the importance of celebrating Black History Month and the fact that Black History is American history. He also hopes to inspire the youth in attendance to pursue higher education and advanced professional opportunities, "not simply because of my achievements, but because of the necessity to continue educating themselves for the future." Adderley is an accomplished composer and a music educator.

Adderley, who grew up in Columbia, has for more than 25 years taught and served at all levels of education and in roles from elementary to the collegiate level. Prior to accepting the position at the Governor's School, he was the dean of the College at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.
Adderley said that now, more than ever, students need good role models and mentors.
"They will only be successful if we are able to guide them toward options that are available to them and inspire them to recognize that what may be impossible today can surely be possible tomorrow," he said.

Adderley said he is young enough to not have been involved in the Civil Rights Movement but old enough to remember varied degrees of segregation. "There were challenges along the way that didn't allow me the same opportunities that many other students growing up across town had," he said. "But there were opportunities made available to me because of the great work of many of our Civil Rights leaders coming out of segregation into integration during the early 1970s."
Adderley said he had the support of a very strong community, parents who were both educators, and very strong roots in the church. "That allowed me opportunities to see individuals who could be successful in spite of roadblocks that may be have been in the way," he said. And Adderley said, "by taking advantage of some of the opportunities that were available to me, I was able to excel in the arts and excel academically, even when some of the support systems weren't in place."

Adderley strives to instill a level of pride in his two young sons, the students he has worked with, and the students at the Governor's School and convince them that they, too, can succeed despite road blocks in their pathway. A key, he said, is to take advantage of whatever opportunities and support available to them. Doing so empowers them to "achieve beyond their wildest expectations." Adderley said he doesn't want any student to give up or fail because of a perceived handicap that they may have by not being a child of privilege or because of the number of challenges that lie ahead of them. Adderley was a trumpet player but earned his master and doctorate degrees in composition. Had he not pursued a career in education, he likely would have studied law or considered a career in the health profession. "I chose a career in education because of the ability it provided me to have an impact on various communities and to have an impact on the success of others," he said. "I was fortunate to have a number of strong, committed educators who allowed me both academic and professional success. A career in education allowed me to have that same impact on other students."

The Governor's School has 242 students in its residential programs. Students at the school have earned over $28 million in college scholarships with every student earning at least a partial scholarship. "Considering the potential of our student body, they could earn far beyond that amount with each successive graduating class," said Adderley, whose goal includes staying on the cutting edge of providing students with "the tools they will need to be successful not only in artistic careers but also in life." His wife, Meisha, also has a career in education. She is a music educator, serving students in Spartanburg County School District 1.

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church's Black History Program will begin at 2 p.m.on Feb. 25.
The church is located at 31 Allendale Lane, Greenville.

-Article from the Greenville News

Update- Breast Cancer Screening

7/19/2016

St. Philip's is pleased to have welcomed the St. Francis Mobile Mammography Unit on Thursday, July 14th. It gave non-insured and under-insured women a chance to receive a breast cancer screening. A special thank you is offered to MiGina Mathis, the Community Wellness Nurse; the wonderful medical personnel of the mobile unit; and the St. Philip’s volunteers.

Charleston Strong Article

7/12/2016

A little over a year ago a young, white male walked into a predominantly black church for a Wednesday night service/prayer gathering. He sat with a group of black worshippers for over an hour. After some time, he chose to shoot the ten people there, killing nine of them. This event shook me. It shook a community. It shook a city.

For someone who is not familiar with the church, there are two important pieces of this setting that I need to shed light on. First of all, Wednesday night services at the church tend to be more casual services than your traditional Sunday service. There are common prayers and scriptures that stay true to the rituals of a Christian service but there's a different vibe in the air of a Wednesday night service. The gathering tends to be more unstructured and revolve around the current mood of the facilitator. If the priest or elderly woke up thinking about grace or forgiveness or doubt, that's typically what gets brought up in Wednesday night services. They've always felt more raw to me. Less rituals and routines and more feelings and desire, which I find more beneficial in helping to understand and learn from one another.

The second important aspect for you to understand is the culture of a black church. In my later childhood years my mother decided to take us to a new church on the other side of town. I remember the feeling I got when my family of six walked into this predominantly black church. First, I remember thinking that I was incredibly underdressed. Think Kentucky derby hats, dresses and suits: bright, bold and exquisitely matching. I'm pretty certain we were in jeans, which immediately gave me anxiety and a rush of awkwardness. I tried to sit as quietly as possible as the congregation loudly sang hymns from the 'African American hymnal.' I wasn't even aware that an 'African American hymnal' existed until that day. So this young girl in jeans and a t-shirt (Me) sat quietly and tried to stay as undercover as possible praying for the service to end so I could tell mom that it was a little weird she brought us to this church across town. Then something happened that I will absolutely never forget.

The priest announced that it was time for the 'peace'. The time of peace in the church is the time that the congregation wishes each other 'God's peace' or 'peace be with you.' This tends to be just your direct neighbors in the pew, so no more than 2 or 3 people. You shake Bob's hand or Lisa's or Kate's and say 'God's peace' or 'peace be with you'. Simple, awkward, and routine for a Sunday service. Since there are 6 people in my family, and we usually take up an entire pew, I've gotten used to selfishly keeping the 'God's peace' between my siblings, my parents and myself. This all changed on that day at St. Philips.

"Peace be with you. And also with you" rang out and prompted the peace of the congregation. Per usual, I turned towards Cassidy (my twin sister) and said 'peace be with you, loser'. Just as I started to lean towards my older sister, Jessica, I noticed that the entire congregation was filing out of their pews. What were these people doing?! One by one, the people of St. Philips’ church began walking around to each pew and each person. Before they could say any words of peace they had their arms wrapped around you in a hug. While wrapped in their arms they'd say, 'Peace be with you my child.' There was one woman in particular that I remember from that day. Her name was Annette and she was a larger than life lady who wore a bright lime green hat that matched her patterned bold pink dress. She swallowed me in her hug like a boa constrictor wraps around their prey. She loudly said, 'God's peace baby. Y'all better be staying after the service for some lunch because Aunt Annette cooked something special for today.' Random side note: under no circumstances should you ever refuse the offer of a large black woman's home cooked meal.

So after the service we walked into the church’s small foyer area and were lovingly ambushed by the church's members. Still to this day it's the best fried okra, Mac and cheese, fried chicken, and collards I've ever eaten in my life. The car ride home was quiet, as we suffered from food coma symptoms. We were full; full from southern home cooked food, full of love, and full from a delivery of God's peace that I didn't know existed. This fullness continued throughout our time at St Philips. I'd like to think I've experienced what might be considered 'God's peace' many times in my life, and I can tell you that Aunt Annette's hugs are one of those gifts of peace.

I tell you this story because there is great value in understanding the culture of the black church community in order to wrap your head around the June 16th tragedy. Because I'm certain that there was an Annette in that pew. I'm sure she stood up and she wrapped her arms around that boy and she wished him God's peace, just like she's done many times in her life. Because Annette is not a rarity in the black church, she's the foundation. She's the strength, love, forgiveness, and hope that are rooted so deeply in the black church. And when that boy killed those nine beautiful, black people in the Emanuel AME church a year ago there was only one reaction I should have expected to arise from that community. The people of the AME church are loving. The people of the AME are forgiving. The people of the AME church are strong. And that's how Charleston became strong. The Emanuel AME church made Charleston strong.

Viktor Frankl, in his memoir about his time as a prisoner in a concentration camp, wrote 'Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.' This was a hate crime against you and your community. The real tragedy is the familiarity of these events. That hate crimes continue to happen in every community. You chose your freedom by responding with love, forgiveness and strength. May we all choose that path. It's the path that will lead to the burial of hate.

Excluding Christmas and Easter with the family, I have not walked into a church on a Sunday in years. I can't seem to find a church community as welcoming, loving and forgiving as St Phillips. I am humbled and grateful to have been raised in that community. Thank you for making Charleston strong. Thank you for making me strong. Stay strong. Thank you for guiding us, AME.

'Peace be with you my child.'

Written by: Tristan Connett
For more information about this article, contact the church.

Update- Project 6/24 of 2016

7/12/2016

Project 6/24 is now officially done for this year! St. Philip's Church paired up with Triune Mercy Center to collect non-perishable and personal items for the homeless. This year we collected 72 bags! Thank you to everyone who helped in making this project a success.

For more information about Triune Mercy Center, visit their site at http://triunemercy.org/

Contact Cody Fuller at the church with any questions!

Part Time Organist Needed

7/9/2016

Here is an opportunity to earn or supplement your income by becoming a part-time organist at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church 31 Allendale Lane, Greenville, South Carolina. St. Philip’s is small, but big in welcoming, caring, and giving back to the community. We are looking for a professional organist who will fill the position of part-time organist on Sundays from 10 am – 12:30 pm.

You will need to provide your own transportation.

For more information, please contact:
Reverend John Zellner at jcz427@gmail.com or call (864) 271-1382.

Free Breast Cancer Screening- July 14, 2016

7/9/2016

Greenville, SC – St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Greenville has teamed up with Bon Secours St. Francis Health System’s Pearlie Harris Center for Breast Health to offer free mammograms in hopes of saving lives. The St. Francis mobile mammography unit will stop at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church at 31 Allendale Lane on Thursday, July 14th from 9 am – 3 pm.

The free screenings are offered to females who are uninsured or underinsured, age 40 and older and are due for their annual screening mammogram and females who are 35 – 40 years of age and needing a baseline mammogram. Women with insurance can also receive a screening; they just need to bring their insurance card. Females seeking a mammogram must be able to walk up the stairs of the mobile unit and stand unassisted.

Please call (864) 675-4101 option 1 to schedule an appointment and request booking on the mobile unit at St. Philip’s. Appointments are required.

The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be nearly 250-thousand new cases of breast
cancer diagnosed in the United States this year. Nearly 40-thousand people will die in 2016 from breast cancer. Survival rates have improved over the years due to early detection, new personalized approached to treatment and a better understanding the disease.

About St. Philip’s Episcopal Church

St. Philip's Episcopal Church was first established in 1914 as a mission church. Giving back to the
community is an important component of the church’s mission. St. Philip’s is one of seven
congregations founded for African-Americans in the Diocese of Upper South Carolina. St. Philip’s is
known as the “Miracle Church.” In 2002, the congregation, with the support of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina, began construction of a new sanctuary based on the Habitat for Humanity premise.

Contact:

Lizz Walker Communications

864-414-3413

lizzwalkercommunications@charter.net

Project 6/24

5/30/2015

Project 6/24 is now underway until the Sunday before 6/24! St. Philip's Church has paired up with Triune Mercy Center to collect non-perishable and personal items for the homeless.Triune Mercy Center is a non-denominational church that works alongside the homeless in Greenville, SC. Bags are available to fill at the church. Please help us to reach our goal of filling 75 bags! For more information about Triune Mercy Center, visit their site at http://triunemercy.org/

Contact Cody Fuller at the church with any questions!