SCAN Food Pantry Needs Volunteers

The SCAN Food Bank is looking for volunteers with pick-up trucks to transport food from the Anne Arundel County Food Bank in Crownsville to the SCAN Food Pantry at St. James' Parish. Volunteers are also needed to assist with unloading the food items and stocking the pantry. You will be called approximately every three or four months to help for two hours during a weekday. For more information or to sign up to help, please contact Don or Lucy Arthur at donlucyarthur@verizon.net.

The Blessing of the Animals, October 4th

The Blessing of the Animals will be on The Feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, Sunday, October 4 at 4 PM on the grass just north of the Churchyard (north of the main driveway). Please plan to come and bring your pets. It is a wonderful way to thank God for all his creatures. We request that all pet sized animals (dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, etc.) be kept on leash, or in a carrier or cage while on the grounds of St. James' Church. Larger animals (horses, donkeys, llamas, etc.) should be attached to their humans in whatever manner is appropriate. Please keep your animals with you and under control.

Youth Bible Study IS BACK!

Middle School and High School students are invited to dive into the Bible, enjoy fellowship, have pizza and hang out with Bill+ and Miss Sharon. We will begin on September 28, from 6:30 - 8:00 PM in the High School Room, in the Education Building. We will meet on the fourth Monday of each month except for December.

Adult Study Forum - Sunday mornings at 10:00

The Adult Forum meets in the Library each Sunday morning from 10 to 10:45. We have just begun discussing the book, "Dear White Christians: For Those Still Longing for Racial Reconciliation" by Jennifer Harvey and will continue doing so for the weeks to come. Please join us! Please Note: The Bishop is also holding a forum in Baltimore on this book each Wednesday evening through October 28th.

Messiah Sing-Along Sponsors Needed!

Sponsors are now being sought for our 29th Annual Messiah Sing-Along to be held on Sunday, November 29th. 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 which include a reception held after the Sing-Along and the Carol Sing pot-luck supper. 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 at mryansings@verizon.net.

Community Assistance Fund - August Activity

With your continued support we were able to help five families in the month of August with eviction prevention and BGE bills in the amount of $1,150. One single mother with two very young children needed help with her August rent knowing she would be homeless in September. We helped her with her rent and gave her resources to explore where she might go with her family in September. She was extremely grateful for the assistance and we pray she was able to get the assistance needed to care for her family. Your continued support of this ministry is appreciated by many.

Fundraiser for Ghanian Mothers' Hope, October 25th

Come "Paint with the Queen" on October 25th from 2:30-5 PM to benefit the ministry of Ghanian Mothers' Hope. Enjoy painting your own glass creation at this fun Drinkable Arts Paint Party that will be held at St. James' Parish, Lothian, Maryland. Tickets are $40 per person and includes all supplies, several glass types and four patterns to help you create your custom glass! For additional information, please contact Jeanie LesCallett at jeannie.lescallett@drinkablearts.com. To register online, visit www.drinkablearts.com/event/2092/Paint-with-the-Queen-GMH-Lothian-MD.

Fall Worship Schedule Begins September 13th

8:00 AM Holy Eucharist, St. Mark's Chapel
9:00 AM Holy Eucharist, St. James' Church
10:00 AM Sunday Church School, Education Building
11:00 AM Holy Eucharist, St. James' Church
5:30 PM Holy Eucharist, St. James' Church

Family Day Picnic & Kayaking

On Sunday, September 20th, after the 11 AM service, we will be heading over to West River Camp to enjoy some grilling and kayaking/canoeing. What a better way to celebrate than to spend the afternoon eating and being on the water. Bring some food to share and a kayak if you have one (or you can rent one from West River Camp). We have a pavilion reserved for us, so come and join the fun, bring the whole family. There are other self-led activities besides kayaking. All those under the age of 18 must have parental supervision. Please sign up by Sunday, September 13th by calling the Parish Office at (410-867-2838) so that we can notify West River Camp of the number of people attending and how many kayak/canoes we will need.

St. James’ Community Yard Sale

We are hosting our first community yard sale September 26th, from 8 AM - 2 PM. We are looking for people interested in renting a space. All rental spaces fees will go to St. James' Community Assistance Team. Spaces are $25 for a 10x10 spot with 1 table. Space is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. The deadline for renting a space is September 20, 2015, or until we run out of spots. At this time we are not accepting donations to be sold, but are looking for individuals who want to rent a space. For more information please email Ashley at Artemis914@aol.com.

Fall Festival Planning & Preparation

Mark your calendars! The Fall Festival will be held on Saturday, October 10th from 1–5 PM. The Festival featuring the Country Ham and Oyster Dinner is one of the largest Parish fundraisers held during the year. We need everyone's time and donations. The profit from the Festival goes to the operation of the Parish. It also funds special events and receptions as well as contributing to several outreach ministries. The WSJP will be contacting volunteers but, in addition, there are sign-up sheets on the Women’s bulletin board in the Parish Hall. Please take a moment today to sign up. If you have additional questions, contact Kelly Richard at akellyrichard@aol.com.

Blessing of the Backpacks, September 20th

On Sunday, September 20 at the 9 AM service the backpacks of children, youth, and college students can be brought up to the altar at the end of the service for a blessing. Each backpack will receive a laminated tag showing that it has been blessed.

AARP Smart Driver Class

The AARP Smart Driver class for ages 50+ will be offered at St. James' Parish on Wednesday, September 2. You will learn defensive driving techniques, proven safety strategies, and review new traffic laws and rules of the road. There is NO driving test! Upon completion of the class, you may also receive a discount on your car insurance from your insurance company. The cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non AARP members, and is payable in cash or check made out to AARP at the time of registration. Registration begins at 9:30 with the class starting at 10:00. There will be a 1 hour break for lunch. Class will resume at 1:00 and will conclude at 3:00 o'clock. Registration prior to class is required. Please bring your AARP card, if applicable, and your driver’s license. Please call 410-867-2838 during normal business hours to register.

Community Assistance Fund - July Activity

In July, the St. James' Community Assistance Team was able to help seven families with their BG&E bills and lot rent in the amount of $1,800. We were only able to meet with people two Thursdays out of the month due to a shortage of funds. Your donation to the Community Assistance Fund means a lot to our neighbors in need. The people who received our assistance are always grateful. This month we got a special “Thank you” from one of our clients and a special angel figure from another.

Cleaning out the North Barn

Can you help? We want to clean out the North Barn like we did for the South Barn. We have chosen Saturday, August 15th and will meet at the North Barn at 8 AM. A large dumpster will be there waiting for us. All we have to do is pick stuff up and put it in the dumpster. Please bring gloves, a hat and recommend safety glasses too. If we can get 6 to 10 people it will go very quickly and easily be done by 11 AM. Thank you!