Baptism

For both adults and children, Baptism is one of the two primary sacraments of the church, along with Holy Communion. Baptism is a wonderful opportunity for the community to gather and celebrate the person's adoption as a child of God, and his or her initiation as a member of the church.

At St. Philip's, we offer the sacrament of Baptism five times a year: the Sunday we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord in January, the Sunday after Easter in March or April, on Pentecost in June, in August, and the Sunday after All Saints' Day in November.

In order to be prepared for the sacrament, and the service itself, we ask that all candidates for Baptism (if old enough), and their sponsors, parents or godparents attend a class the Sunday prior to the Baptism itself. You can find the exact dates of the classes and the dates for Baptism by contacting .

Communion Discovery

For those of you who were raised in the Roman Catholic church, you may remember experiencing a period of instruction prior to receiving your first communion. Here at St. Philip's, anyone who is baptized may receive communion. But we also understand that some parents may want their children to learn more about the sacrament of Holy Communion prior to receiving it for the first time. To that end, we offer the Communion Discovery class.

These lessons are designed to give the children an understanding of, a reverence for, and a love for the Sacrament of Holy Communion. It is open to any child who has been baptized, and is entering 1st grade or older.

This class takes place over the course of one Sunday (12:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.) and one Saturday (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) in the Spring. Once they have completed the instruction, we will recognize them in a special service. You may obtain the exact dates of the classes and/or register your child by emailing or calling her at 972-527-5777.

Confirmation

As its name suggests, Confirmation is an opportunity for Christians of all ages to confirm the promises they made, or that were made for them, at Baptism. In this sacramental rite, individuals (ages 12 and up) make a mature, public affirmation of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop.

Candidates for Confirmation are asked to complete a process of instruction prior to receiving this sacramental rite. For those youth entering 6th grade, instruction for this sacramental rite takes place on Sunday mornings, during the 11:00 a.m. service, over the course of a school year. For anyone older than 6th grade, the class is offered every May. It takes place from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.

If you are interested in being confirmed, contact Lori Corcoran for more information.
If your child is interested in the Confirmation Preparation Class, contact Sheryl Holton.

Holy Matrimony

Holy Matrimony is Christian marriage, in which a man and a woman enter into a lifelong union, make their vows before God and the Church, and receive the grace and blessing of God to help them fulfill their vows. A wedding day marks the beginning of a new life as a married couple.

At. St. Philip's, we believe that it is our responsibility to prepare you not only for the wedding day, but also for this new life together. All couples that desire to be married here are asked to complete a course of preparation which includes two meetings with one of our pastors, three meetings with a licensed professional counselor, and partnering with a married couple who serve as mentors throughout the process. We also ask that at least one of you must be a member of our church.

If one of you has been divorced, there are extra steps involved, which require more time for preparation. However, it is possible to be remarried in the Episcopal Church. Please contact the Main Office at 214-387-4700 for complete details.

Burial

Experiencing the death of a loved one is always difficult. It brings with it shock, grief, sorrow and pain, as well as the need to make decisions and take care of the details. We are prepared to support and assist people as they go through this time.

We can help plan and perform funerals or memorial services. We can also provide prayer, support and encouragement to the family and friends of the deceased.

Holy Orders

While every Christian is called to the ministry of the priesthood of all believers, some may be called by God to serve as a deacon, priest or bishop. Ordination authorizes individuals to exercise pastoral oversight within the church, preach and administer the sacraments.

The journey leading up to ordination begins with a discussion with the and continues with a process established by the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas.