Bridging cultures

For the past year or so, six Saint Philip’s parishioners and staff have met monthly with a similar group of parishioners and staff from St. Andrew’s-Glendale—a thriving multicultural, bilingual Episcopal church northwest of Phoenix.

The goal has been to build fellowship and explore opportunities for joint ministry. In December, volunteers from both parishes traveled to Naco, Sonora to deliver Christmas presents and food boxes to families associated with the Naco Wellness Initiative. (Click here for that story and click here to read the thank you letter from the Executive Director of the Naco Wellness Initiative.)

This fall, volunteers hope to travel to Nogales with The Rev’d Canon David Chavez, canon for border ministries in the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona. He recently recorded an Easter message about this work.

Two members from the original group have moved away, so the volunteers would welcome a few new people to this small partnership. If you are open to prayerfully practicing how to connect across cultures, please reach out to Saint Philip’s members, Deacon Leah Sandwell-Weiss at lsandwellweiss@gmail.com or Jane Prescott-Smith at janeprescottsmith@gmail.com.