Weekly Announcements
January 5, 2017
With you on the Journey...

When I announced to my mom that I wanted to become a priest she cried and said, "Lisa, can't you just have a normal life." I truly get what she meant now that I have been a priest awhile. My life is not my own, I see it as a gift for God's purpose.
 
The truth is for all Christians our lives are not "normal". As believers we trust our lives to God. Our precious gifts of energy, passion, time, health, money and so on invite our discernment. We are people who wonder, what does God want us to do with what we have to give? And that has never been a question that leads down normal paths.
 
At the beginning of a new year the Vestry invites parishioners to consider making a financial pledge to the church.
 
St. James the Less is a mix of young and old, singles and families, larger financial givers and smaller financial givers and some who cannot contribute at all to our yearly financial needs. All are welcome! Our community is every changing; each year we bury parishioners, baptizes new ones and integrates visitors into our parish life. This means each year we need new givers and givers to increase their pledge to fill gaps.
  • If you have not given in the past, please consider giving this year.
  • If you can increase your pledge, I welcome your increase and will use it well.
  • If you must stay the same or decrease your pledge this year, don't sweat it.
We are a community. And when each of us prayerfully listens to God's leading our parish will never be normal and instead will be extraordinary for God's faithfulness in us together.
 
Look for a pledge packet in the mail this week, and consider making your pledge online at www.stjamestheless.org/giving.
 
With you on the journey,
Lisa+
Announcements
GOD FORBID!
Planning Your Funeral, "God Forbid" You Need It!
Sunday, January 8th | 11:30-1:00 p.m.

Planning your funeral service is a final gift to your family and friends, telling them about the most important part of your life.

You will be surprised at how fun it can be to pick hymns, prayers, readings, and consider the faith that has carried you so far in life. Join with Rev Lisa, Ron Valentine, Josh Langhoff, and Marilee McGowan on January 8th for this workshop! Contact Rev. Lisa for more information.
A Celebration of Jody Galloway's Life
Friday, January 20th | 4:00 p.m.

A Memorial Service in celebration of the life of beloved parishioner Jody Galloway is scheduled for Friday, January 20th at 4:00 p.m. Jody passed away on December 11th.  If you have questions please contact Rev. Lisa.
Living Compass at St. James the Less presents
Get Organized for the New Year
Saturday, January 21st | 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Suggested Donation $10
  • Do you resolve each New Year to get more organized?
     
  • Are you overwhelmed with the amount of stuff you have in your home?
     
  • Are you stick and don't know where to begin?
Well you aren't along and HELP is on the way!

Professional Organizer, Bonnie Hillman Shay, will provide tips and techniques to help you get unstuck and achieve your organizing goals.  Bonnie Hillman Shay is a Professional Organizer and founder of Mariposa Creative Solutions. Bonnie was born hard-wired for this line of work: She has the organizing gene! Bonnie creates order out of disorder, in whatever shape that may take.  Specializing in residential organizing (any room or area in the house), email management, and photo organizing (printed and digital), Bonnie feels blessed to have found her calling, which allows her to work her "magic" on a daily basis.  You can learn more about Bonnie from her website www.MariposaCreativeSolutions.com
Burial Service for Mike McKoan
Friday, January 27th | 1:30 p.m.

Mike McKoan passed away on Christmas Eve. A burial service will be held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church -- Barrington. Located at:

337 Ridge Rd,
Barrington, IL 60010 
In This Issue
First Sunday after 
the Epiphany
January 8th
Sunday Worship

8:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist, Rite I

9:15 a.m.
30 Worthy Minutes

10:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist, Rite II
Readings for 
the First Sunday after the Epiphany
  • Isaiah 42:1-9
  • Acts 10:34-43
  • Matthew 3:13-17
  • Psalm 29
for more readings from the week.
Regular Office Hours  
 
Monday Office Closed
Tuesday
 9a-12p, 1-4p
Wednesday 9a-12p, 1-4p
Thursday 12p-4p
Friday Office Closed 

550 Sunset Ridge Rd. 
Northfield, IL 60093
Office: 847.446.8430
Annual Meeting | January 29, 2017
One Service at 10:00 a.m. followed by a parish pot-luck brunch!
 
You won't want to miss egg casserole made by Christian women, Star Volunteer Awards, Reports on Mission plans, voting on the 2016 budget and meeting our new Vestry Leaders.  Hosted by the Vestry, this annual event fulfills the constitution of our parish governance through the voice and vote of the parish.
 
It takes team work to make the dream work -- please sign up to bring a dish, set up, and clean up on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall or call the office.
We are happy to announce...
Work on the Church Steeple
Has Begun!

If you drove past the church in the last couple of days, you may have noticed that the steeple looks a little different! Repair work, made possible through the Dawn of a New Day Capital Campaign, has begun! If you gave to the campaign, thank you so much for making this possible.  

Looking For A Pledge Card?
Our Annual Pledge Campaign Begins on January 1st

The Vestry, Finance & Stewardship Committees along with the Rector have determined to begin the Annual Pledge Campaign for 2017 on January 1st. Pledge Packets will be sent out at the end of this week -- look for yours!  Pledge cards will also be available in the office.

If you prepay for the year - God Bless You - that is a huge gift to the budgeting and financial management of the parish. December is a busy month for our bookkeeper Joanne Straughn. Please help her out by making it clear if your checks are for 2016 or 2017. This matters to your personal bookkeeping and we do not want to make a mistake!

Pledge Online

Visit www.stjamestheless.org/giving to make your pledge online!
Vestry
Vestry Meeting 
Reports from the most recent Vestry meeting are being made available to you by clicking the individual links below:

Vestry Minutes
Vestry Financial Report
Dedicated Accounts Report
Outreach
Grove Books
Please donate your old books and magazines to the residents at The Grove of Northbrook. Just drop them off in the Levi's Table basket inside the rear double doors of the church and we'll take them to the nursing home.
This Calendar of St. James the Less
This Week

Thursday, January 5
-
7:30 p.m., Choir Rehearsal

Friday, January 6 -
 9:30 a.m., SJTL Prayer Group
Sunday, January 8 -
-
-
-
-
-


 8:00 a.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite I
9:15 a.m., 30 Worthy Minutes
10:00 a.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite II
10:00 a.m., Godly Play
11:00 a.m., Fellowship
11:30 a.m., God Forbid, a Funeral Planning Workshop
Tuesday, January 10 -
-

 9:30 a.m., SJTL Knitting Group
10:30 a.m., Staff Meeting
7:00 p.m., Vestry Meeting
Looking Ahead

Friday, January 20

 4:00 p.m. Jody Galloway Memorial
Saturday, January 21 9:00 a.m. Get Organized in the New Year
with Professional Organizer Bonnie Shay
Sunday, January 29 10:00 a.m. Annual Meeting
Parish Staff Contacts  

Rev. Lisa Senuta, Rector | lsenuta@stjamestheless.org | (847) 446-8430 x 201
Rev. Ron Valentine, Deacon | chaplain@stjamestheless.org | (847) 446-8430 x 208
Josh Langoff, Director of Music Ministries | ljlanghoff@comcast.net | (847) 446-8430
Virginia Hunt, Administrative Assistant | virginia@stjamestheless.org | (847) 446-8430 x. 200
kClare McKellaston, Director of Children and Youth Ministries  |  kClare@stjamestheless.org  
Coty Colson, Communication Coordinator | coty@stjamestheless.org | ( 847) 446-8430 x 202
Joanne Straughn, Bookkeeper | bookkeeper@stjamestheless.org | (847) 446-8430 x 202
Katie Synek, Senior Warden | vestry@stjamestheless.org

ST. JAMES THE LESS PRAYER LIST

(For the week commencing Sunday, January 1, 2017)
      
From the Chicago Diocesan Cycle of Prayer :  We pray for Congregations in the Aurora Deanery: St. David in Aurora; Trinity in Aurora; Calvary in Batavia; and in our Companion Dioceses of SE Mexico and Renk, South Sudan for San Juan Evangelista in Acayucan; St. Matthew Cathedral in Renk
For the Diocese of Toliara, Madagascar: We pray for Bishop Todd & Rev. Patsy McGregor, and all the clergy and people of the Diocese of Toliara, Madagascar.  We pray too for the people suffering from famine as a consequence of the two year drought.

For those who are sick:  O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers; mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servants the help of your power, that their sickness may be turned into health, and our sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
Debra High Altschul (parishioner)
Carole Alwardt (resident of The Grove)
Mary Arnieri (friend of Miriam Berry)
John Beatty (parishioner)
Glen Bennett Jr. (friend of Linda Jensen)
Al Berggren (parishioner)
Daniel Berry (son of Miriam Berry)
Elisa Berry (daughter-in-law of Miriam Berry)
Bessie & Jim Brahos (friend of Miriam Berry)
Brad Burgess (friend of Debby & Ron Valentine)
Bill Burke (parishioner)
Glen Burrington (father of Lisa Senuta)
Debbie Carpenter (sister of David Mason)
Sandra Carpenter (sister of Shari Noble)
Don Corfield (uncle of Yvonne Watson)
Gerry Cox (father of Rev. Patsy McGregor)
The David Family (friends of Lynne Pike)
Silvio DeBartelmaise (friend of John Roberts)
Connor Dolge (friend of Jack & Patricia Kessie) 
Emily Fifield (friend of Amy Berry)
Kathleen Foley (friend of Donald and Nancy Whiteman)
Bill   Fox (parishioner)
Anne Marie Glowacki (daughter of Linda Jensen)
Anna Hasch (mother of Anita Ruesch)
Rev. Hery (priest in the Diocese of Toliara)
Marcia Hines (friend of many parishioners)
Helen Janovic (mother of Shari Noble)
Ken Killion (friend of Kathy Smith)
Courtney Koshgarian (friend of Peggy Greene)
Gail Kotin (parishioner)
Ileene Kotin (mother of Gail Kotin)
Bob Kuhn (father of Maureen Burke & Mary Saunders)
Howard Leane (resident of The Grove)
Peter Lindsay (cousin of Jody Galloway)
Holly Madigan (friend of Sandy & Bert Getz Sr)
Gerald Marusarz (resident of The Grove)
Deli Merkin (friend of Katie Synek)
Karen Mills Hensley (daughter of Mike Mills)
Phil Montross (parishioner)
Jane O'Reilly, parents, Beth & Sean, & siblings, Maggie & Patrick 
                                       (Jane is the great-niece of Kathleen Cleven)
Cynthia Patterson (parishioner)
Mac (Macrae) Patterson (parishioner)
Joanie Phillips (wife of Gary Phillips)
Joe  Pryzbilla  (friend of Ron Valentine)
Emily & Rob Ramirez (daughter and son-in-law of 
                                     Colleen & Cory Schipfer)
Eric Ramos (resident of The Grove)
Donald P. Rand (friend of John Roberts)
Emily Roane (twin sister of Kathy Roane)
Lucy Roe (friend of Jack & Patricia Kessie) 
Ann Roome (former parishioner)
Jill Ruesch (cousin of Anita Ruesch)
Patti Ruff (fiancée of Barbara Stutz's son)
Cynthia Sampson (resident of The Grove)
Cory Schipfer (parishioner)
John Sivright (friend of John Roberts and others)
Sally Smith (friend of Debby & Ron Valentine)
Kathy Stutz (daughter-in-law of Barbara Stutz)
Trevor Synek (parishioner)
Jamie Trotter (parishioner)
Jung Lan Tusa (friend of Gail Kotin) 
Nancy Wais (friend of Sarah Schneider)
Elena Walke (friend of Jack & Tricia Kessie)
Tom White (son of John and Linda White)
Gregory Zovodnik (resident of The Grove)
Beth    (friend of Kathleen Dewey)
Bill & family   (uncle of Sarah Schneider)
Dean   (friend of Marilee McGowan)
Helen   (friend of Amy Fahey)
Janet   (friend of Kathleen Cleven)
Jim   (nephew of Peggy Mason)
Karen   (friend of Katie Synek)
Kathy   (friend of Marilee McGowan)
Kelly & Josh    
Laura & Phil   (friends of Nancy Whiteman)
Lexi's grandmother   (friend of Sarah Schneider)
Mike   (friend of Lynne Pike)
Peggy   (friend of Lynne Pike)
Rob   (friend of Kathleen Dewey)
Sherry   (mother of Kathleen Dewey)
 
For those who have died:   Father of all, we pray to you for those we love, but see no longer: Grant them your peace;  let light perpetual shine upon them; and, in your loving wisdom and almighty power, work in them the good purpose of your perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
 
Mike McKoane (parishioner, who died on Christmas Eve)
Randy Teague (who died recently, father of Coty Colson)
Lillian M. Castner
Judith L. Chandler Stronach
The Rev. Patricia Sutton
Joan Elizabeth Edwards
Cassia V. Sholten
George Ash
Mabel Edwards

For those who are grieving:  Gracious God, surround all who mourn this day with your continuing compassion.  When grief seems never-ending, take them one step at a time along your road of death and resurrection in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.
Prayers may be added to this list by completing the Prayer Request Card, which can be found in the pews and Parish Hall, or by emailing Sue Babbs at suebabbs385@gmail.com.
 
We invite you to join the Prayer Group which meets on Friday mornings, or the Prayer Network which receives email notifications and prays for needs as they are shared with us.  Contact Sue Babbs or Rev Ron Valentine for further information.
Have and Announcement of Upcoming Event?
Please send Weekly Announcements to Coty Colson at coty@stjamestheless.org byTuesday at noon.  Please include the following information: 
  • What is the "why" of this announcement? (For example, if you're setting up a service project, why do you feel excited about this event and why should others join you?)
  • Details of the event or announcement (i.e. Location, Date, Time)
  • Your contact information.