Our column last week addressed all the people needed for one Mass to be said at St. Philip. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, however, is not the only way in which people serve God in our parish. We have parishioners who work to promote various Pro-Life issues: providing articles for us in the bulletin, publicizing prayer vigils at abortuaries, serving the elderly at Rosemont Assisted Living by weekly prayer services on Wednesdays. Others serve in prison ministry in our area by visiting the incarcerated in nearby prisons and assist those who are dealing with grief issues in our monthly Grief and Compassion meetings. 
 
We have a large, vibrant child Continuing Christian Education (CCE) program which includes at the least twenty-two catechists plus assistants and administrative personnel.  We serve as many as two hundred children each year and provide First Sacraments (Reconciliation and Communion) for those prepared in the second grade as well as a Confirmation class of nineteen older teens to be confirmed in 2020. Our Youth Group includes about 45 young people. Activities are offered for all our middle school and high school young people. 
 
Our high school youth group participates in the excellent annual Archdiocesan Youth Conference (AYC).  Before Hurricane Harvey we read in our bulletin about the very successful mission trip our teens made to South Carolina to serve the poor there.  All of these programs for our parish youth need adults (trained in child safety) to teach, help, drive and mentor these young Catholics throughout the year.  A newer ministry to our parish was our Little Parishioners Playgroup.  These little parishioners gathered to play, learn, and share in the joy of being a child of God.  They had a lesson taken from the Bible, snacks, and playtime all while learning about and how to love God .  Can you help provide a program like this for our little ones this spring?
 
To encourage our spiritual development, we have parishioners who lead groups that provide opportunities to strengthen our personal walk with Jesus Christ. The Disciples of Jesus and Mary is a spiritual formation program. The DJM’s can help you grow in wisdom and understanding of who God is calling you to be, your plan of life, and how to live your calling.  The DJM members devote their skills to creating a beautiful and reverential sanctuary in the liturgical seasons of Advent-Christmas and Lent-Easter each year. They publish a helpful article in the Spirit and Truth parish newsletter every week. 
 
Our Eucharistic Adorers and Holy Face Prayer Group spend individual hours in the day chapel from Friday morning after Daily Mass until 4 pm when we offer closing Benediction.  These adorers pray for many families, our parish and communities, our country and our Church. The Holy Face Prayer Group began twenty-five years ago at St. Philip. They spend an hour in Adoration praying vocally for the intentions of the people of St. Philip, our priests and our pope. They pray for the conversion of sinners throughout the world and many other intentions.  They pray for you! 
 
We have active organizations that provide fellowship and service to our parish and community. The Knights of Columbus -- a service organization for Catholic men -- have fundraisers to support financially our St. Philip youth, Mary’s Blessings ministry to the poor, scholarships for high school graduates in CCE, and young mothers and infants through Birthright of Humble. They serve in full regalia at parish functions such as First Communions, Confirmations and special bishop’s Masses. 
 
The Women’s Guild, a service organization for women of the parish, fundraises to provide the Church linens and clergy vestments, altar cloths, and many of our sacristy items needed for the sanctuary. They host annual bake sales to support these causes as well as provide scholarships to CCE students. They assist with providing the weekly flower arrangements for our Sunday Masses.  The Women’s Guild works closely with the pastor to provide for our liturgical celebrations.  The Altar Society is a branch of the Women’s Guild which is devoted exclusively to washing and ironing the linens used on the altar each week and washing the altar server albs, The Guild cares for the altar during the liturgical season of Ordinary Time.  This women’s group have a devotion to our Lord in service to his altar.
 
Our parishioners who are 55 years of age or older develop friendships within the parish as members of our group known as “ Prime Timer’s” whose members plan trips and social activities.  This group supports our seniors within our Church community. They offer a wide variety of daytime excursions throughout the greater Houston area and provide transportation as well for most events. Another enjoyable group at St. Philips is our adult Bible Study group which studies God’s Word and how God wants us to live today. They meet on bi-monthly to study the Bible.
 
Our parishioners have a long-standing and generous desire to help the poor. Fulfilling Our Lord’s mandate to care for the sick and poor, approximately fifteen members of our Mary’s Blessings Ministry spend time and effort assisting our Huffman area poor. Huffman’s First Baptist Church coordinates with us. We support their food pantry. They provide space to our four teams who meet and assess individual requests for help, focusing especially on single mothers with children. Our Mary’s Blessings Ministry goes back to 1977!
 
All of these groups represent the community of St. Philip the Apostle.  They offer a rich and rewarding social and spiritual environment  for all our parish members.  Our parish is fully immersed in the Catholic experience of loving God and neighbor.  We image the “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church” established by Jesus Christ himself which reaches across the entire globe. The Good News of Jesus is now spread through our cherished Catholic values and committed Christian witness and participation in our neighborhoods and communities.
 
Each of these groups always welcomes new members to ensure that our parish and universal Catholic faith remains alive and active, proclaiming the Word of God as our Lord instructed us.  Prayerfully consider the spiritual and social groups that attract you. Then reach out by calling them using the parish roster listed at the back of our Sunday Spirit and Truth newsletter each week. There is room for all of our parishioners to participate in one or more of these parish ministries. Let’s be known as a Catholic parish where “the many serve the many”! So inquire, pray and take action to be an active part of our lovely Catholic community!