Messiah Sing-Along - Sponsors Needed!

Sponsors are now being sought for our 32nd Annual Messiah Sing-Along to be held 4 PM on Sunday, November 25. 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. Sponsors will be recognized in the printed program. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact St. James' Parish Music Director, Marie Harrison, at stringsandivory@gmail.com.

Adult Choir Rehearsals Resume September 19

St. James' Parish offers two adult choirs – the Chancel Choir and the Celebration Choir – both are comprised of volunteer singers. No special musical ability or great singing voice is required to participate in the choirs! The Chancel Choir sings at the 11 AM service and features traditional music. The Celebration Choir sings at the 9 AM service choosing more contemporary praise music. Both choirs enjoy singing spirit-filled music that blesses them and lifts up the congregation!

Fall Choir rehearsals will resume on Wednesday, September 19 at 6:30 PM (Celebration Choir) and at 7:30 PM (Chancel Choir). For more information about choir activities, please contact Parish Music Director, Marie Harrison, at stringsandivory@gmail.com.

Sunday Church School Resumes September 23

Sunday Church School is held each Sunday during the school year at St. James' Parish immediately following the 9 AM service. You can register your youth online at stjameslothian.com/#/cf_registration. Once you submit the form, you will receive a confirmation email. All children and youth, ages 3 to 18 are invited to attend Sunday Church School! For additional information about the Sunday Church School program, please contact Sharon McGlaughlin at sharon.mcglaughlin1692@gmail.com.

EfM Group Starts in September!

The Education for Ministry (EfM) program will again meet as a wonderful joint group open to participants from both St. James' Parish, Lothian, and Christ Church, West River. EfM enables participants to dig deeper into the Christian faith by studying the Bible, Church history, and theological ideas, as well as reflecting on ways to connect our faith with our life experiences. EfM is a nondenominational program of the School of Theology at The University of the South, and is sponsored by the Diocese of Maryland. The registration fee is $375. For more information, please contact Shelly Collinson at nofrenchyvonne@hotmail.com.

Recognition Coffee Hour, September 2

On September 2, after the 10:00 AM service, there will be a festive coffee hour recognizing Michael Ryan's 30-year ministry as Music Director. All are welcome!

Reading Camp Photos

See all the Reading Camp photos on Facebook on our page Reading Camp South County and enjoy! See our wonderful teen and adult volunteers, as well as all the activities. Maybe you might want to help in some capacity next year—praying, gathering books, helping with food, donating money, teaching, teen reading buddies, games, arts and crafts? Contact Paula Davis at southcounty.md.readingcamp@gmail.com for more details.

Safeguarding God's Children Workshop, July 19

This training is being offered at St. James' on Thursday, July 19, from 7:00-9:00 PM for Reading Camp volunteers and all volunteers who work with children and youth. Any parishioner is welcome to attend since this workshop provides participants with the information they need to protect the children they know and care for in their personal lives and in the ministries in which they serve. The program is based on the philosophy that if every adult can protect just one child, they will forever change one life. If we can all change one life, together we will make a difference in this generation of children. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Nancy Horkan at nhorkan@comcast.net no later than July 15 so that we will know how many handouts to prepare.

Episcopal Night at Camden Yards - Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays, July 27, 7:05 PM

Enjoy an evening of baseball, fellowship and old-fashioned fun at Camden Yards on July 27. Game starts at 7:05 PM! All are Welcome! (yes, we really mean ALL) Invite you long-time church members, newcomers, friends, relatives, neighbors, copier repair guy, and anyone else who would enjoy an afternoon of baseball. Click here to purchase your tickets online or download a single page PDF flyer with ticket purchasing instructions.

St. James' Parish Teachers' Retreat. Saturday June 30, 2018

If you are a current teacher, have been a teacher in the past, or have always wondered if teaching in the Sunday School (or the adult programs) is for you, we invite you to attend a one-day teachers' retreat to discuss, explore and help set priorities for the 2018-19 program year. The event will discuss Christian Formation for all ages (Sunday School, Youth Programs, and Adult Classes). Kate Riley, Youth Missioner for the Diocese, will be joining us to present new material and facilitate this important event. Please RSVP by June 27 at stjamesformation.rsvpify.com; we need at least 15 people to make this a productive event! We will provide a continental breakfast and lunch.

SUMMER Schedule Means SUMMER Choir!

Music is an important part of our worship experience, and we make every effort to provide it to our congregations during the summer months. Beginning on June 10, just show up in church at 9 AM on any given Sunday and practice an anthem to sing for the Service at 10 AM. Everyone is invited to participate - either on a regular or a one-time basis. This is a great time to try singing in the choir... and, it's fun! Music is selected depending on the group we have on each Sunday. Everyone is welcome to participate!

The 5:30 Service Lives On!

Rumors to the contrary notwithstanding, the 5:30 Sunday Evening Service has NOT been cancelled, but will continue as a casual and creative opportunity for worship. In addition to continuing its trademark relaxed style, we will also use it as an opportunity to utilize various liturgical forms, possibly drawing from the Celtic, New Zealand and other forms of eucharistic ministry. Sound interesting? Come and participate!

Outreach Committee - Children's Breakfast Club

In 2011 Mt. Zion UMC began its Breakfast Club Ministry for the purpose of providing bagged breakfast meals to children in our southern end of Anne Arundel County. These children attend Lothian and Tracy’s elementary schools, and often the only meals they get during their day is through the free or reduced breakfasts and lunches provided at their school. We are excited that The Breakfast Club has now become a ministry of four churches in our community. We anticipate feeding about 200 children Monday through Friday for seven weeks, beginning June 11.

Funding for the Breakfast Club Ministry comes from special church offerings, personal and business donations, and church monetary donations. All donations are appreciated, and we are praying that you see this as an important ministry to which God is calling us. For more information, to volunteer to help pack lunches or assist with scheduling volunteers, or to make a financial donation, please contact Nola Meyers at noreme@verizon.net.

Church Calendar & Scheduling Rooms

To schedule a meeting, confirm a room for a meeting, or rent the Ticknor Parish Hall, please always check the parish website www.stjameslothian.com first to see if the date and room are available. Then email your request to calendar@stjameslothian.com, and it will be added to the calendar on a first-come basis. A printed copy of the current Church Calendar is posted on the door opposite the Parish office.

New Handicap Ramp at St. Mark's

The handicap ramp at St. Mark's was recently replaced through a generous gift from Mr. S. Hamilton Chaney. Mr. Chaney is our neighbor at St. Mark’s in Tracys Landing as he owns and operates Herrington Harbour Marina Resorts & Yacht Centers. Our thanks and appreciation to Mr. Chaney.

Graduation Celebration

We will be celebrating our graduates at the 9:00 AM service on June 3rd. If you or your loved one is graduating from high school, college, or graduate school this year, please email their name to The Rev. Anne Nicholson at anicholson@stjameslothian.com.