Host
After retiring from the restaurant business, Patrick Wilson decided to settle in Myrtle Beach. Before making the move, he and Tom felt the need to reconnect with their faith and attended a Catholic church. However, they never felt truly welcomed there. Once they moved to Myrtle Beach, they decided to try worshiping at a local church again, but unfortunately, the warm welcome they were hoping for still eluded them.
When Patrick and Tom found their way to St. Philip Lutheran Church in 2020, they were immediately embraced by a sense of belonging from the congregation. From the moment of their first visit, they were greeted by three different families, which left a lasting impression on Patrick. He found the worship experience at St. Philip to be deeply meaningful. The service's flow, the sermon, the music – all of it converged in a way that truly fostered an atmosphere of worship.
Although Patrick didn't initially fill out an attendance sheet, Tom did, and this led to a visit from Pastor Jason shortly thereafter. This encounter was special to Patrick because it revealed the genuine care and happiness the pastor felt about their attendance at St. Philip.
Feeling genuinely embraced within a faith community inspired Patrick to seek out opportunities to serve. It was during this time that he recognized how his lifelong culinary and managerial skills could be put to use in helping provide meals for the homeless. Through his involvement in serving these meals, Patrick crossed paths with Shanna Cisson, the organizer of the kitchen for these meals. Shanna's sincere and welcoming demeanor made Patrick feel appreciated in the kitchen. When Shanna eventually moved on, Patrick felt a calling to step up and become the coordinator for the homeless meals hosted at St. Philip. He takes on the role of greeting the homeless guests as they await their meals, ensuring they know they are genuinely welcome.
In addition to his involvement with the homeless meals, Patrick has chosen to serve as an usher and is also assisting our Financial Assistant with some of her responsibilities. Patrick holds deep gratitude for the wonderful friends who have become a close-knit community around him and Tom. He reflects, "They are practically family; in fact, they are family."