St. Andrew Pastor to Study Celtic Spirituality

A Sarasota pastor became one of only five in Florida to receive an endowment from Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment.

The Rev. Philip A. Garrison, 65, of received $43,048 from the endowment fund, according to a new release.

“I’m totally humbled and surprised and pleased by the fact that St. Andrew was given the grant,” Garrison told Patch. “It’s really wonderful.”

The fund is part of Lilly’s National Clergy Renewal Program to allow congregations to send pastors off to “an extended time of renewal and reflection” through travel, study, rest and reflection, according to the foundation. 

“The intensity and demanding character of pastoral work in most congregations is difficult for many to appreciate,” said Craig Dykstra, senior vice president for religion at Lilly Endowment. “They write and preach sermons, make hospital visits, administer the business of their churches, preside at weddings and funerals, and counsel parishioners. And they are expected to be there, to be available at both the best and the most difficult times in people's lives.” 

Overall, only 158 were awarded across the country. The endowment’s program began in 2000 and invites Christian congregations to apply for grants up to $50,000 of support.

Garrison will travel with his wife Patricia Garrison to Ireland to study Celtic spirituality.

“The first part has to do with the curiosity I had about Celtic spirituality, and my wife’s heritage is Irish and she’s never been there, and would love to go,” he said. “It’s the ideal time to learn about Celtic spirituality.” 

The second part of his mission is to share information with his congregation, who is older, he said. 

“We’re going to be looking for Celtic wisdom about aging with grace and beauty,” he said. 

He’s also learning Final Cut Pro so he can put together a multimedia presentation of his travels and studies in Ireland.

This is the first time the congregation applied for the endowment grant, he said. 

Garrison has served St. Andrew since July 2006. He was born in Ohio and was a child of missionaries to India where he grew up. He came to Sarasota with his wife from northern Wisconsin where he was serving a church and she was a college professor, he said.

He’s appreciative of not only the grant, but also of the congregation here.

“They are a vibrant community of faithful people who love life and are deeply concerned for people in need in the community and issues related to justice, and I really appreciate that,” he said.

Because the award is really given to the congregation, Garrison will invite the Rev. Linn Possell to the church for retreats about spirituality and aging over the next year. Possell is based in Orlando as a consultant and speaker for the Older Adult Ministry for the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ.