WSJP flower arranging demonstration, November 20th

Ladies! Mark your calendars for the Women of St. James’ Parish meeting on November 20 after the 11:00 service. Sande Wolf will present a flower arranging demonstration for the women present. Everyone in attendance will make a small arrangement to take home just in time for the holidays! Since we will need to know how many to provide supplies for, please e-mail Peggy Horn or Wendy Crawford to let us know to expect you.

Come to the Adult Forum, 10am Sundays

Come to the Adult Forum, 10 a.m. each Sunday in the Library for a stimulating discussion at the moment centered on Francis Collins' book, "Belief." Last week we discussed a selection from Desmond Tutu, on a subject dealing with evil and suffering, especially in the context of South Africa; this week we will be discussing a selection from Elie Wiesel. Come put your toe in the water and just listen or...join in the discussion. Contact Dean Lewis for more information - deanlewis47@gmail.com.

Advent Conspiracy study, beginning November 22nd

The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love. So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists. And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

*What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?*

Welcome to Advent Conspiracy. A four week study that will take place Tuesday evenings begin November 22 from 7-8:30pm. To sign up please e-mail Amanda+ at amanda@stjameslothian.com by November 8th.

It's Time to Update the Parish Photo Directory!

Join us this fall as we update the faces of St. James' and St. Mark's! All parishoners are invited to the parish all on

• Sunday, October 16th from 10am-1pm
• Sunday, October 23rd from 10am-1pm

to have your photo taken for the new directory (no vendors involved - we're doing our own directory in-house!). Having an updated Photo Directory not only helps in our efforts to be more welcoming, it also helps parishioners connect with one another.

Planning for the End of Life

On September 18th, The Rev. Charles Cloughen from the Diocese of Maryland preached at St. James' and St. Mark's on end-of-life planning/preparedness. You can access the Diocese of Maryland's guide/workbook Planning for the End of Life at the following link: www.ang-md.org/forms/planning-for-the-end-of-life.pdf.

Blessing of the Animals – October 2nd

There will be a “Blessing of the Animals” service on October 2nd at 4:00 p.m. at the parish. Everyone and their pets are welcome to attend! Please remember that all pets should be either on a leash or in a carrier.

Foyer Groups Now Forming at St. James' Parish

Foyer Groups are a fun and easy way for parishioners to gather together on a regular but informal basis for purely social reasons – to enjoy one another’s company, to strengthen bonds of community, to meet new members and just to get to know other people who share a common interest in Grace but with whom they might not otherwise interact. Foyer Groups provide a means to develop new friendships and deepen old ones and are a way to make our parish feel smaller and warmer.

There is no program or presentation – just casual fellowship and a refreshing meal. Groups are made up of singles, couples, young people, retired folks - a cross section of the parish - and meet once a month in the home of one of the members of the group. The focus is on Christian fellowship, a refreshing meal and relaxed conversation. The groups are put together randomly so that everyone has the opportunity to get to know others in the parish who may be outside their normal circle of acquaintance.

The St. James’ Parish Foyer Groups are now being formed and will begin meeting in October. For more information, or to sign up for a Foyer Group, please click here.

Messiah Sing-Along Sponsors Needed

Sponsors are now being sought for our 25th Annual Messiah Sing-Along on Sunday, November 27th. Our sponsors make it possible for all donations collected at the Sing-Along and the December Salvation Army Carol Sing to be added to our parish-wide Thanksgiving Offering, all of which is donated to the Salvation Army in support of their ministries in the community. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, there is no cost to St. James' Parish for these events; sponsors will be recognized in the printed program. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact St. James' Parish Music Director, Michael Ryan - mryansings@verizon.net.

Acolyte Training, September 24-25

Come brush up on your acolyte skills, teach others the tricks of the trade, and learn the importance of this ministry!!! We will meet at the church at 9am on Saturday, Sept. 24th. We'll have a surprise for the acolytes after church on Sunday the 25th. If you’d like to serve God while serving your church, this is the ministry for you! Sign up today outside Amanda's office.

Calling all lectors: (and anyone else interested in reading Scripture during worship)

Proclaiming God’s Word stands at the heart of our worship. Please join us Saturday, September 24th at 9am for a training/refresher course on the public reading of Scripture. We will meet in the choir room. Anyone of any age who is interested in this ministry is encouraged to attend!

EfM Registration for the 2011-2012 School Year

If you would like an opportunity to dig deeper into the Christian faith, study the Bible, Church history, and theological ideas, and reflect on connecting faith with life experiences, Education for Ministry (EfM) might be the way for you.

This program, originating from the University of the South, is lead by trained mentors and follows the academic year, meeting every week beginning in September and ending in May. At its core, EfM is a seminar group of 6-10 students and 1-2 mentors, who, together, review course materials and relate Scripture and Tradition to our lives by methods of Theological Reflection.

Now is the time to consider registering for the coming school year! EfM at St. James' meets on Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 7:30. There is a fee for tuition each year - scholarships are available. If you are interested or for more information, check the EfM website (www.sewanee.edu/EFM) or contact the mentors (Marjie Mack and Linda Stewart).

Library Committee Trip to Niagara Falls, October 17-21, 2011

The Library Committee is sponsoring a trip to Niagara Falls, Ontario, on October 17-21, 2011. The travel package includes:

* 4 nights lodging in Niagara Falls, Canada.
* 4 breakfasts and dinners.
* All day tour of Niagara, including Niagara-on-the-lake.
* All day tour of Toronto, featuring Casa Loma.
* Maid of the Mist boat ride and tour of the Falls.
* Visit to the Welland Canal and the beautiful Floral Clock.
* Much much more.

Cost is $595.00 per person (double occupancy). For more information and reservations please contact Lillie Barrett - GaryLillie@aol.com.

Welcome to our new deacon, the Ven. Kerry J. Smith

We welcome our new deacon, the Ven. Kerry J. Smith, Archdeacon for the Diocese of Maryland and his wife, A. Kelly Richard. Kelly and Kerry have been members of our parish in the past until Kerry was ordained a deacon. Following his ordination, he was assigned to Christ Church, West River and All Saints Parish, Sunderland before leaving to serve as one of two chaplains to Bishop Sutton. Kerry will continue serving as Archdeacon and chaplain to Bishop Sutton while serving as deacon at St. James' Parish.

An Anonymous Note of Thanks

A note of thanks from an anonymous member of the community to whom we had given assistance. It reads as follows: "Thank you for helping us with our BGE in March. Most churches would only give us a promise to pay until we were able to collect the balance needed. A few churches, like yours, had faith in us that we only needed assistance until we get things under control. We were able to get enough money together for BGE to work out a payment plan. Thank you for believing in us. Please find a donation enclosed to be used to help someone else in need. God bless you."

Summer Choir Starts June 26th

Our first Sunday of Summer Choir will be June 26th with rehearsal in the church at 9 a.m. followed by the Service at 10 a.m. NO ROBES! Anyone who attends St James' Parish is welcome to participate on any Sunday. If you have been thinking about giving Choir a try, this is a perfect time to explore this joyful and rewarding ministry. For more information about choir activities, please contact St. James' Parish Music Director Michael Ryan at mryansings@verizon.net.