Consecration of the Bishop Suffragan of Maryland, September 6

Consecration of the Bishop Suffragan of Maryland will be held on September 6th, at 11:00 AM, at the Church of the Redeemer. Parishes have been asked to bring non-perishable food items that will be donated to two Baltimore area food pantries in honor of the day. Please bring food contributions to St. James' or St. Marks' on Sunday, August 31st, or drop them off in the foyer outside the Parish offices no later than Friday, September 5th. If you would like more information about the Consecration, please visit the Diocesan website at www.ang-md.org.

Breakfast Club - Thank You

Our Parish, along with other churches, assisted Mt. Zion United Methodist Church with the "Breakfast Club volunteers." Ann Herche, Coordinator, Breakfast Club Ministry, at Mt. Zion, reported that this summer the program handed out 2,623 breakfast bags at Lyons Creek, 2,628 at Patuxent, totaling 5,251. The number represents 5,251 meals for children and adults who otherwise might not have a breakfast. There were 57 volunteers to pack and deliver the breakfast bags.

Food drive thank you on behalf of our Boy Scout Troop 840

We would like to sincerely thank all of the parishioners who participated in our Troop's 2nd Annual Doug Anderson Food Drive. This special food drive directly benefited the SCAN Food Pantry right here at St. James', and all of the items collected helped to fill the Pantry's shelves with items that they were very short on. Doug would be so happy with the 375 pounds of food that was collected by the members of the Troop and the parishioners of St. James'. Thank you all again for your continued support of our Troop, and its mission - Sue Gordon, COR/CC, Boy Scout Troop 840.

Fall Festival Photos

Prior to each dinner and festival we need good photos for promoting the event. We currently need good photos of past Fall Festivals. If you have a photo or photos that you would like considered for our postcard and/or poster, please email the digital image to Kelly Richard at akellyrichard@aol.com. If we use your photo we will be sure to include a photo credit with your name.

July Community Assistance Fund

The St. James' Community Assistance Team assisted six families in the month of July in the amount of $1,145 for eviction prevention, a three day stay at a motel for a homeless family, and very large electric bills. We also helped a family with $650 from the South County Churches Energy Assistance Fund. We know that more of our South County neighbors will be struggling with fuel and housing needs come fall and winter. Your generous donations on the first Sunday of the month help us give assistance to our neighbors in need.

Blessing of the Backpacks, August 17th

Blessing of Backpacks will take place on Sunday, August 17th at the 10:00 AM service. Please bring your backpacks (or briefcases or other school/work bags) for a blessing and a tag that you can carry with you.

Sports & Drama Camp Photo Album

You can view photos from the Sports & Drama Camp here: goo.gl/mhmFfX.

Anne Arundel Medical Center's Blood Mobile on August 10th

Please mark your calendar: The Anne Arundel Medical Center's Blood Mobile will be in our parking lot adjacent to St. James' Church on Sunday, August 10th from 9 AM until 1:30 PM; click here for the event flier. Summer is traditionally a very slow time for blood donations but a time of great demand for blood. To schedule an appointment, please simply call the Parish Office OR go to www.mysignup.com/stjames. They accommodate one or two people every ten minutes.

Children’s Breakfast Club - Volunteers Needed!

The Breakfast Club will be packing breakfasts again on Wednesday evenings at 6 PM throughout the summer. The ministry feeds approximately 100 school age children who might not otherwise have breakfast in the summer. If you are interested in helping or would like to learn more about it, contact Nola Myers at noreme@verizon.net. We are looking for volunteers to help pack. It takes about 30-45 minutes and we meet at Mt. Zion. The dates we need help are: July 23 & 30 and August 6 & 13.

AARP Smart Driver Class

The New, Improved, AARP Smart Driver Class will be offered at St. James' Parish on Wednesday, July 30, from 10 AM to 3 PM. This four hour class is designed for drivers 50+. This class reviews new driving practices, rules, and identifies NEW rules of the road. It offers proven strategies to help maintain safe driving practices. A certificate is issued at the end of the class. You may also qualify for a discount on your car insurance, depending on your insurance. The cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. Seating is limited and registration is required. Please call St. James' Parish at 410-867-2838 to register by Monday, July 28. There will be a one-hour lunch break. Please arrive few minutes early to complete the registration process.

Stepping into the Future, starting July 8th 6 PM to 7 PM

Anne Arundel County Community Action Agency's Annapolis Youth Services Bureau in partnership with St. James' Parish announce Stepping into the Future: a group for youth that explores emotional / anger management, communication, self-esteem, and decision making. Sessions are led by Andrew Mueller (AYSB). The group is open to youth age 11-18 (participants may be grouped by age level), and will meet Tuesdays 6 PM to 7 PM starting on July 8th. To register, contact either St. James' Parish at 410-867-2838 or Phyllis Collins (AYSB) at 410-626-1800.

Library Committee trip to Charleston and Savannah, September 29-October 2, 2014

The Library Committee is sponsoring a trip to Charleston, SC & Savannah, GA 4 days – 3 nights Lodging, Sept 29 to Oct 2 - $524.00 per person (double occupancy). Package includes: 3 nights lodging, 3 breakfast, Southern-style buffet lunch at Paula Deen's Lady & Sons, 2 full course dinners, guided tours of Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC, Charleston City Market, tour of Ft. Sumter, Magnolia Plantation Home & Nature Tram Tour, Charleston Harbor Cruise, River Street District, Souvenir gift, luggage handling, All taxes and meal gratuities and motor coach transportation. Cancellation insurance available upon request. For information and reservations contact: Lillie Barrett (301-855-7829).

June Community Assistance Fund

The St. James' Community Assistance Fund team met with nine families in June and helped them in the total amount of $2,617.01 along with an additional amount of $509.67 from the South County Churches Energy Assistance Group (SCCEAG). This assistance was given for eviction prevention, electric and propane bills and gift cards for food and gasoline. A very good piece of news came our way in June: All Hallows Episcopal Parish, although not part of the South County network, has indicated willingness to join with St. James' Parish in our Community Assistance efforts by helping to fund the program. The Community Assistance team appreciates and thanks you for your continued support for our neighbors in need.

Weird Animals VBS Photo Album

You can view photos from the Weird Animals VBS here: goo.gl/QHkQJz.

Summer Note Reading Course

Anyone seriously interested in the Annual Note Reading Course should contact St. James' Parish Music Director, Michael Ryan at mryansings@verizon.net. Class begins in mid July for 5 weeks, 2 evenings per week, all work is done in class, $10 for workbook.