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.

Fall Dinner - We Need YOUR Support!

St. James' Parish will hold the annual Fall Oyster and Country Ham Dinner and Festival on Saturday, October 13, from 1-5 PM. The menu will once again feature fried oysters, country and honey-baked ham, potatoes au gratin, homemade coleslaw, green beans, rolls and biscuits. The event will also feature a bake shoppe, garden shoppe, antique car show, attic treasure sales, and a book stall.

Sponsored by The Women of St. James' Parish, the dinner is one of the largest fundraisers for the Parish with the proceeds supporting the WSJP’s generous financial pledge to the parish. Please donate your time and talents to support the event. Financial donations to help offset the cost of food for the dinners are appreciated and can be given to Peggy Tucker, Lillie Barrett, or Lesa Easer. We also need donations of baked goods, attic treasure items, plants, books and DVDs (see announcement in the newsletter for details).

For more information, to volunteer to help, or to make a financial donation, please contact Lesa Eser at lesaeser@gmail.com or Lillie Barrett at garylillie502@gmail.com.

The Order of the Daughters of the King - Discernment Class

The All Saints in Prayer Chapter of The Order of the Daughters of the King welcomes all women from the Episcopal churches in the greater Annapolis area. There is a 12-session discernment class for women who are interested in learning more about the Order during which they reflect and discern their calling to join the order. Following the discernment class, those who desire to become members are invited to participate in an ordination service and make their vow. The vow is a restatement of our baptismal and confirmation promises. An informational meeting will be held at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, Annapolis, MD, at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, October 2, 2018, to answer questions about the Order and the upcoming discernment class.

We find the Order of the Daughters of the King to be a haven in a busy world – a place to be together in Christ’s love. We invite you to join us! For more information, please contact chapter president Pam Roth at rothsbythebay@verizon.net or Pamela Blyth at pamblyth@aol.com.

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.