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.

Ledo's Pizza Night Fundraiser, June 6th

Christian Formation is sponsoring a Ledo's Pizza Night fundraiser. You can have lunch and/or dinner and help raise money for Christian Formation. All you need to do is dine in or order to go on Monday, June 6th at Ledo's Pizza in Edgewater. We get a percentage of their above normal profits. It is a fun way to earn money for our youth and feed our families at the same time. You do not need the flyer so please pass the information on to your friends, coworkers and family. For more information, please contact Nola Meyers.

Schwan's Home Delivery Foods Fundraiser

The children of St. James’ are sponsoring a fundraiser with Schwan's Home Delivery Foods. Food delivery will be on June 11 in the parking lot of the church. Phone orders may be made until June 10 by calling 1-888-724-9267 and giving them the campaign #35024 so that we may get credit for the purchase. Catalogs will be available for you to review in the Parish Hall along with order forms. If you choose to turn in the order forms to Sharon McGlaughlin, she must have them by June 4 at the latest.

Message from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has sent us the following statement: "Thank you for your contribution of $1,500 representing proceeds from the Lenten dinners at St. James' Parish. We appreciate your choosing the CBF to receive these funds. Your gift will support CBF's field education programs, on-the-ground restoration activities, and our work to urge the State and Federal governments to allocate more funds to Bay clean-up and pollution prevention. This is so special! Thank you very much."

Graduation Sunday, June 5th

Join us June 5th at 10am for Graduation Sunday! We’ll announce the recipient of the Senior Leadership Award, recognize all graduates, and celebrate with the EfM graduates!

Raymond George Kostanecki Scholarship

Scholarship Applications for the $2,000 Raymond George Kostanecki Scholarship Award are available in the parish office. The deadline for submission is May 31 and requires not only the application but a letter saying why the scholarship is wanted and needed for tuition, two letters of recommendation (other than relatives and clergy), a list of activities and work in and outside of school. The award was established by a $25,000 gift given by Dorothy W. Kostanecki in loving memory of her husband. For information, call the parish office at 410-867-2838.

St. James' Historic Photo Galleries

On Easter Day, I released photo galleries on the St. James' web site history page. There are four galleries: St. James' Church, St. Mark's Chapel, Churchyard and Other Buildings, and Artwork. These galleries resulted from an extended effort searching through parish photo archives and library committee albums, scanning selected photos, and labeling/categorizing them. The resulting images span a period from the 1890's to the present.

Please, if you have any information about any of these photos that would make the labeling more accurate or informative, e-mail me at stjameslothianweb@gmail.com.

- Rick Downs

Trip to Stratford Hall, May 17th

A Trip to Stratford Hall (the home of four generations of Lees of Virginia and birthplace of Robert E. Lee) is being sponsored by the Library Committee on Tuesday, May 17. The bus will leave St. James’ at 8:00 a.m. and return around 4:30 p.m. We will have a tour of the Great House and then lunch at 11:30 a.m. After lunch you can enjoy the gardens, outbuildings, and the Gift Shop. After we leave Stratford Hall, we will be stopping at the birthplace of George Washington and leave for home at 2:30 p.m., arriving at St. James’ around 4:30 p.m. The total cost of the trip is $70 which includes the tour of the home, bus, taxes and gratuity. For reservations call Lillie Barrett at 301-855-7829.