Ancient Worship ~ Open Minds ~ Come Inside ~ Make a Difference



The American Jesuit, James Martin, wrote this prayer following the shooting in Las Vegas last year.

Almighty God,
I come before you,
once again,
Faith, 1792, by Felix Lecomte, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
after another shooting.
I am sad, God.
So I ask you 
to receive into your loving care the souls of those who were killed, 
to care for those who were wounded or hurt in any way, 
to console the family members and friends of those who died or were wounded, 
to strengthen the hands of the rescue workers, medical professionals and caregivers
I pray too for the shooter, as I must as a Christian.
All this makes me inexpressibly sad, God.
But I know that the sadness I feel is your sadness.
It is the same sadness your son expressed
when he wept over the death of
his friend Lazarus.
 
 
Rainbow over the Pyramids
The First Sunday in Lent

5:30 pm Saturday, February 17
8:30 & 10:45 am Sunday, February 18
 


   
 
Noah's Ark Icon, St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, Amsterdam
Join us for Weekly Services of Holy Eucharist
12:15 pm Wednesday (chapel)
5:30 pm Saturday *
8:30 & 10:45 am Sunday *
*Nursery available
 




 
 
ESS In Need of Lunch Volunteers for their Community Kitchen. If interested please contact Jacquette Thompson, 269-4160 ext. 134.
 
Bags of Blessings on February 22nd. We are focusing on the items that we seem to run out of at the end of the day- trial sized SHAVING CREAM, DEODORANT, CHAPSTIX - Dollar Tree is a great resource. You can still donate the other trial sized items you may have been collecting in the bin near the deacon's basket.
 
Get Mad for Lent! 
It's not yet March but bracket madness has begun. Check out our Lent Madness  brackets (on the bulletin board in the hallway) including saintly match-ups that lie ahead this Lent. Visit  www.lentmadness.org  daily to cast your vote (one per day) for the saint you want to win. View our  Lent Madness poster updates on the bulletin board. And if you pick the winner of the Golden Halo, you will enjoy an Easter lunch celebration (date TBD) with Mother Sarah.
     
The Joy of Cooking! 
If you haven't yet experienced the
JOY  of cooking one of our Wednesday night community meals, you're missing out! See Mother Sarah for dates still available to sign up this spring. Or write your name in an open slot on the bulletin board outside the kitchen and look for a follow-up email with next steps. (I guarantee you've never had so much fun crafting simple, creative cuisine for fifty! And I'll be your sous chef/shopper should you wish!) Email [email protected] for more details.
 
I love you, Mom! 
Did you send Mom something sweet this past week? Chances are, you might not have considered how God's motherly love is coming your way every day. Curious about how that divine motherly energy wants to sweeten your Lenten reflection this year? Join others at St. James who are reading Juliana Claassen's  Mourner, Mother, Midwife: Reimagining God's Delivering Presence in the Old Testament   and pray with these fruitful images of divine love at work in human history, as nurturing today as they've ever been! We'll discuss over lunch (which will be provided) immediately after the 10:45am service next Sun. February 25 th . RSVP to  [email protected] 
 and read up so you can join us!
 
God's Spirited People will continue our Lenten exploration of the Book of Isaiah (starting with chapter 6).
 
ESS' Night on the Red Carpet, 
will be on March 4th at Noah's Event Venue.
Individual tickets are $80 each or a table of 10 is $900. St. James will have 2 reserved tables. If you would like to reserve your seat at St. James table you must sign up on the ESS bulletin board in the hallway. The tickets for the table are $90 each. Questions? Contact Mary Klocke at 634-1486
 
   
Blood Drive this Sunday, Feb 18th.
You can sign up online at
www.redcrossblood.org. Appointment times are from 8:30am-1:30pm. Please consider donating as winter is a time when blood supply is always low.

 
Small Group Wednesday
starts THIS Wednesday
 St. James' newest project begins on Wednesday, Feb 21st. Please sign up today, there are more details on the Adult Education bulletin board in the hallway or on our website: www.stjameswichita.org (click Adult under the Education tab). Join us for the Community Meal starting at 5:15pm and the small groups are from 6-7pm. Locations for each class will be posted on the Adult Ed. Board and announced at the meal.
Small group topics: 10 Commandments , Civil Rights Conversation, Experiencing God with our 5 Senses, The Sacred Enneagram, and Spirituality in Children.    
 
 
    

 
The Altar Guild invites you to pick up a  Lenten folder, and return it with your offering, which supports their ministry. 
 
 
 

Coffee Hour
On most Sundays we offer coffee and fellowship after each of our worship services in the lounge. If you're one who enjoys baking or hanging out at any good gathering, would you do us the kindness of signing up to provide coffee hour treats one Sunday? There is a sign-up sheet available in the hallway near the lounge.
 
 

Announcements may be sent to [email protected]. 
 Be sure to include "parish announcement" in the subject line. 
 Written announcements may be left in the offering plate.

Word for the Week ~  Promise
God gives us the responsibility of doing something ourselves about the "faithless fears and worldly anxieties" that are holding us back in whatever way. We don't have to do this alone. We have God's promise of holding our hand and of helping us.

 


 
 
Click above for the e-newsletter from the Diocese of Kansas
 
 
links
Important links  
 
Click on any of the topics below.
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Amazon shoppers? St. James can benefit through Amazon Smile 
Go to smile.amazon.com and designate St. James Episcopal Church, Wichita, KS as your charity of choice when you order.  
 

poem
An American Jesuit, James Martin, wrote this prayer following the shooting in Las Vegas last year
Almighty God,
I come before you,
once again,
Faith, 1792, by Felix Lecomte, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 
after another shooting.
I am sad, God.
So I ask you
to receive into your loving care the souls of those who were killed,
to care for those who were wounded or hurt in any way,
to console the family members and friends of those who died or were wounded,
to strengthen the hands of the rescue workers, medical professionals and caregivers
I pray too for the shooter, as I must as a Christian.
All this makes me inexpressibly sad, God.
But I know that the sadness I feel is your sadness.
It is the same sadness your son expressed
when he wept over the death of
his friend Lazarus.
I am tired, God.
I'm tired of the unwillingness to see this as an important issue.
I'm tired of those in power who work to prevent any real change.
I'm tired of those who say that gun violence can't be reduced.
All this makes me tired.
But I know that the tiredness I feel is your tiredness.
It's the same tiredness that Jesus felt after his own struggles against injustice
that led him to fall asleep on the boat with his disciples.
I am angry, God.
I'm angry at the seeming powerlessness of our community to prevent this.
I'm angry at the selfish financial interests who block change.
I'm angry that these shootings happen at all.
But I know that this anger is your anger
It's the same anger Jesus felt when he overturned the tables in the Temple,
angry that anyone would be taken advantage of in any way.
Help me see in these emotions your own desire for change.
Help me see in these feelings your moving me to act.
Help me see in these reactions your pushing me to do something.
Because I know this is the way you move people to action.
And I know that you desire action.
For Jesus did not stand by while people were being hurt.
He plunged into their lives.
So help me to answer these questions:
How can I help?
How can I fight against gun violence?
How can I urge my political leaders to enact change?
How can I help people understand that this is an issue about life?
I am sad over the loss of life, tired of excuses for the loss of life,
and angry that we are paralyzed by the loss of life.
So
Turn my sadness into compassion.
Turn my tiredness into advocacy.
Turn my paralysis into the freedom to act.
Help me
to be compassionate,
to advocate
and to act,
as your son did,
Almighty God.