St. Philip

Welcome and Mission

The parish's home page introduces the community as part of a Family of Faith with St. Peter Church in Conneautville, 'a great community with two wonderful places to worship.' Their stated commitment is to live and love like Christ — 'loving God, loving others, and making disciples.' Founders, longtime parishioners, newcomers, and visitors are all welcomed. The published mission statement places the parish under the patronage of St. Peter and St. Philip the Apostle and commits the community to evangelization, education, charity, service, proclaiming the Word, and celebrating the Eucharist, in union with the Diocese of Erie and the Universal Church.

Parish Staff and Clergy

The parish is led by its pastor, Rev. Chris M. Hamlett, who was most recently reappointed pastor of both St. Philip (Linesville) and St. Peter (Conneautville) effective July 19, 2025, through July 31, 2031. Day-to-day operations are supported by Secretary Jayne Denne and Finance staff (David Hineman and Finance Secretary Maureen Vorisek). Liturgical music at St. Philip is coordinated by Lynn Niemi, while the companion St. Peter site is led by Becky Matczak. Father Hamlett's appointment is published on the Diocese of Erie's clergy roster.

• Rev. Chris M. Hamlett — Pastor (814) 683-5313
• Jayne Denne — Secretary (814) 683-5313
• Maureen Vorisek — Finance Secretary (814) 683-5313
• David Hineman — Finance
• Lynn Niemi — Liturgical Music, St. Philip
• Becky (Betty) Matczak — Liturgical Music, St. Peter

Parish Office and Contact

The main parish office is located at 401 S. Mercer Street, Linesville, PA 16424, and is shared with the St. Peter, Conneautville community. The main phone line is (814) 683-5313 and the general email address is [email protected]. The mailing address for the Diocese-listed St. Peter parish (c/o St. Philip Parish) is the same Linesville address, underscoring how intertwined the two worship sites are in practice.

Faith Formation — Conneaut Area Religious Education (C.A.R.E.)

Religious education for St. Philip and St. Peter parishes has been combined with the program at Our Lady Queen of the Americas into the Conneaut Area Religious Education (C.A.R.E.) cooperative. The program coordinates sacramental preparation together — including First Communion and Confirmation — and offers an Adult Bible Study on Monday evenings at 6:00 p.m. Families are encouraged to register children for in-person classes and to consult the parish bulletin or C.A.R.E. contact (Amanda Sovisky, [email protected] or 814-382-7252) for current-year schedules. Recent sacramental milestones publicized on the parish website include Confirmation celebrated in April and First Communion celebrated in May.

• C.A.R.E. — joint faith formation with OLQA
• First Communion prepared through C.A.R.E.
• Confirmation prepared through C.A.R.E.
• Adult Bible Study — Mondays at 6:00 p.m.
• Teen Conference — Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio

Parish Ministries and Organizations

The Ministry page on the parish website lists four active organizations inviting parishioner involvement. The Altar & Rosary Society gathers the first Wednesday after the first Sunday, following the 9:00 a.m. Mass, and is led by President Gladys Mickle. St. Philip's Helping Hands coordinates volunteer outreach in five areas: Visitation/Respite Care, Home Services, Transportation, Bereavement, and a Prayer Line. The Food Pantry at St. Philip is open the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month and always welcomes donations — it is headed by Maureen Vorisek. The Knights of Columbus council (open to confirmed Catholic men over 18) meets the 2nd Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Monsignor Tolland Park, Conneaut Lake.

• Altar Rosary Society — 1st Wed, after 9 a.m. Mass (Gladys Mickle)
• St. Philip's Helping Hands — Visitation/Respite, Home Services, Transportation, Bereavement, Prayer Line
• Food Pantry — 1st & 3rd Wednesday (Maureen Vorisek)
• Knights of Columbus — 2nd Monday, 6:30 p.m. at Monsignor Tolland Park, Conneaut Lake

Outreach and Charity

St. Philip runs two distinct outreach arms. The on-site Food Pantry distributes groceries on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month to local residents in need. The Helping Hands ministry extends the corporal works of mercy into parishioners' homes and neighborhoods through visits, respite care for caregivers, transportation assistance, and bereavement support, plus a prayer line for anyone who calls. The parish's commitment is summarized in its mission statement: 'Through evangelization, education, charity, service, proclaiming The Word of God and celebrating the Eucharist, the mission of our parish family is to call forth and develop the unique and various talents and gifts of individuals.'

Sacraments

The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates the seven Catholic Sacraments, in conjunction with the Diocese of Erie. Sacramental preparation happens through the C.A.R.E. faith formation program, the parish office, and one-on-one consultations with Fr. Hamlett. For marriage, couples are asked to meet with a priest one full year before the desired wedding date. Baptisms are scheduled by contacting the rectory and include a follow-up Visitation Ministry visit. Reconciliation is offered every Saturday afternoon and by appointment; Anointing of the Sick is available on request. The parish's published bulletin is the best source for the latest sacramental schedules and registration windows.

• Baptism — by appointment via the rectory
• First Communion — through C.A.R.E.
• Reconciliation — Sat 3:15–3:45 p.m. or by appointment
• Confirmation — prepared via C.A.R.E.
• Marriage — meet with a priest 12 months in advance
• Anointing of the Sick — on request

Visiting and Contact

Visitors and seasonal travelers — drawn to the Pymatuning Reservoir area in every season — will find a warm welcome at both St. Philip in Linesville and St. Peter in Conneautville. For questions, to register as a parishioner, to request sacraments, or to volunteer with Helping Hands or the Food Pantry, the parish office can be reached at (814) 683-5313 or [email protected]. Bulletins are posted on the parish website and serve as the primary schedule reference for Holy Day Masses and special events.