Hear Ye Hear Ye - Library Trip to Byers' Choice

The Library Committee is sponsoring a day trip to Byers' Choice, Chalfont, Pennsylvania on December 11. We will be leaving St. James' at 7:00 AM and arriving at Byers' around 10:30 AM. You will have approximately 2 hours at Byers'. We will leave for lunch at the Cock n' Bull at Peddlers Village at 12:30 PM. After lunch, you will have free time to tour or shop at Peddlers Village. We will leave for home at 5:00 PM, arriving around 8 PM. Cost is $120 which includes bus, lunch, and gratuities. For reservations, please contact Lillie Barrett at garylillie502@gmail.com.

Workshop: History of St. James' Parish, December 1 and December 2

We will take an opportunity to explore the History of St. James' Parish, reflecting on the parish history, as experienced by different people entering at different points in their personal and our corporate lifetime. This workshop will focus more heavily on the lived experience of the members of the congregation than on specific events, although those too are very important and will be captured on a large scale! Saturday's session will start at 9 AM and be done by noon; Sunday's session will start at 2 PM and be done by 5 PM.

2018 Thanksgiving Food Baskets, THANK YOU!

Thank you to everyone who donated time and treasure to help make this year's Thanksgiving holiday basket ministry a success. We were able to provide dinners to 75 families!

Wreaths Across America at St. James' Parish

This is the third year St. James' Parish will participate in the Wreaths Across America program. Worcester Wreath Company donates seven wreaths to every location, one for each branch of the military, and for POW/MIAs. However, the hope is that every veteran receives one, and for that we are accepting donations. We were able to get every veteran buried in the St. James' Parish churchyard a wreath the last two years and are hoping we can continue that tradition.

St. James' Parish is in need of 115 wreaths to place on gravesites in the churchyard. If you are interested in sponsoring a wreath, please place a check or cash in any collection plate and be sure to mark it for "Wreaths Across America." Donation amounts are: $15 (for 1 wreath); $30 (2 wreaths); $75 (5 wreaths); or $150 (10 wreaths). All donations are tax deductible, and the deadline to donate is December 2.

Please also join us for a wreath ceremony on December 16th after the 11 AM Service. For additional information or to volunteer to help, please contact Ashley at Artemis914@aol.com.

Thanksgiving Day Service

The Thanksgiving Day Eucharist will take place in St. James' Church on November 22, at 10 AM. The offering received from the Thanksgiving Day envelopes will be presented to the Salvation Army at the Carol Sing on December 6 to be used to purchase toys and gifts for needy children. Please join us on Thanksgiving morning!

Workshop: Images of Ministry, November 17 and November 18

We will explore a way of thinking about the different expressions of ministry that every church does in varying degrees, and we will create a graphic depiction of the Images of Ministry that are prevalent at St James' in the early Winter of 2018. Saturday's session will start at 9 AM and be done by noon; Sunday's session will start at 2 PM and be done by 5 PM.

Workshop: New Member Ministry, November 10 and November 11

Every congregation wants to experience the benefits of growth, but Evangelism, or New Member Ministry can sometimes be a bit challenging for many Episcopalians. This workshop will offer some helpful perspectives on the process (yes, there is one!). It will also give us an opportunity to see how we think St James' adds up, and what we can do about it. Saturday's session will start at 9 AM and be done by noon; Sunday's session will start at 2 PM and be done by 5 PM.

Salvation Army Stockings

Salvation Army Stockings are now available. These stockings benefit local area children who are in need. This is a great opportunity to make a difference in a child's life - and we need YOUR help! You can pick up stockings from the box in the foyer between the Parish Hall and the Education Building. Please leave your filled stockings there along with any extra items (placed in a grocery bag). Please do not include any fruit or candy and do not wrap the items (they will just have to be unwrapped before they can be given to the children). And, don't forget to label your stocking (or bag!) so we know for whom it is intended (boy, age 6-8 years; girl, age 10-12 years, etc.).

Please remember that stockings must be returned to the church no later than Sunday, December 2. For additional information, please contact Nola Meyers at noreme@verizon.net.

2018 Holiday Food Baskets, November 17

St. James' Parish and Friendship United Methodist Church will be distributing groceries for 70 Thanksgiving dinners to be given to needy families in our community on Saturday, November 17 from 7-11 AM. This is a great family service opportunity! Youth should plan to participate from 8:30-10:30 AM. Donations of frozen turkeys (10-12 pounds) are needed as well as cash contributions to purchase the other food items for the Thanksgiving baskets. Frozen turkeys need to be placed in the St James' Parish freezers no later than Wednesday, November 14 so we will know how many additional will need to be purchased. For additional information, or to volunteer to help, please contact Cindy Carrier at bccarrier@comcast.net.

All Saints Sunday Prayers for the Deceased, November 4

On All Saints Sunday (November 4), St. James' Parish will have a combined 10 AM service which will combine several liturgical elements important for that day and our common life as a community of faith. We will observe the culmination of the Stewardship Campaign with the Pledge ingathering – an opportunity for each person or family to place their pledge card on the altar; we will reaffirm our own Baptismal Covenants (in lieu of the Nicene Creed); and we will use Eucharistic Prayer D, which incorporates the Prayers of the People within the Eucharistic Prayer.

One feature of that will be the reading of the Necrology, or remembrance of those of our extended community who have died since the last All Saints Sunday, November 5, 2017. Please notify the church office of the full Christian Name of your friend or family member whom you would like to be included by Monday, October 29.

Workshop: Congregational Life Cycle, October 28 and November 3

Congregations, like individuals and organizations, experience different stages of the Life Cycle, and evolve different cultures and behaviors at each step. We will explore two different Life Cycle models, both of which have proven to be very valuable in thinking about congregational life, and (especially) the type of leadership that is necessary at different places in the life cycle. Saturday's session will start at 9 AM and be done by noon; Sunday's session will start at 2 PM and be done by 5 PM.

Parish Leadership Workshop, November 14

The 2019 Annual Parish Celebration will be held on January 27. At that time, three members will be rotating off the Vestry and will be replaced with new parishioners. There is also at least one partial term vacancy on the Vestry. In addition to a Vestry Open House at the November 19 meeting, a Leadership Workshop has been scheduled in order to provide information to those who might be interested in learning more about what it is like to serve in a leadership position on the Vestry or as the parish representative to the Southern Maryland Regional Council or the Diocesan Convention.

The workshop will be held in the Parish Library on Wednesday, November 14 at 7:00 PM, with an additional session scheduled in response to demand. Interested persons need attend only one of these sessions. Please give prayerful thought to a call to serve. For additional information, or to register for one of the workshops. please contact the Rev. John Keydel at jkeydel@gmail.com or 410-867-2838.

Workshop: Congregational Size & Culture, October 20 and October 21

The first Perspectives on Congregational Life workshop on Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21 will address the topic of Congregational Size & Culture - the well proven observation that different sized congregations develop different kinds of culture, and we will explore many of the implications of these different sizes and cultures. Saturday's session will start at 9 AM and be done by noon; Sunday's session will start at 2 PM and be done by 5 PM.

Flu Shot Clinic, October 28

St. James' Parish wants you to stay healthy this winter and will offer the opportunity to get your flu shot on Sunday, October 28 between 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM. We urge you to take advantage of this opportunity by signing up on the Parish Life Bulletin Board or calling the Parish office. We need a ballpark figure so that CVS knows how much serum to bring. With a Medicare card or most health insurances, the shot will be free. Standard and Senior (65+) doses will be available.

Blessing of the Animals, October 7

There will be a Blessing of the Animals service Sunday, October 7 at 4:00 PM near the labyrinth at St. James' Church. Everyone and their pets are welcome to attend! Please remember that all pets should be either on a leash or in a carrier.