On Sunday, October 4, at 11 a.m., we'll gather together virtually as the people of St. James'. We will celebrate our life in Christian community, give thanks for the blessings of our parish, announce the election of new Vestry members, and look ahead to the coming year.

You may need to wait for a moment if you’re a bit early!

If you're having difficulty on Sunday morning:

Online voting for new vestry members began on Wednesday, Sept. 30 and will close at 11:45 a.m. on Oct. 4.

Eligible electors have received an email ballot from the Simply Voting platform with detailed instructions. If you have questions about your eligibility, please email Kay Gregg or call the Church Office at 703-777-1124.

Ears to hear and eyes to see, the Lord has made them both.        Proverbs 20:12

Ask any Loudoun County parent, student, or teacher how things are going, and the first topic to come up will be Distance Learning (DL), one of those gifts from COVID-19 that no one asked for but everyone seems to be adjusting to. Most will offer quick criticism and insist that in-person learning is better for the minds and hearts and social skills of our children. As a high school teacher, I have a senior homeroom, and so I’m keenly aware that my students’ last year of high school is not turning out how they had expected. More than anything, they, and I, want to get back to the schoolhouse to rebuild normalcy. Or so I thought.

 Last week I gave an informal poll to my homeroom: Which do you prefer – DL or Face-To-Face? I was shocked by the result. My class of 26 seniors was split evenly between those who wanted to go back and those who wanted to stay home. When I dug deeper about their preference for DL, their answers varied. Some were funny – like being able to wear PJ’s every day and not needing a bathroom pass anymore. Some were practical like the benefit of having a longer lunch break on the DL schedule. But one of my students surprised me. “It’s easier for my teachers to see me with DL,” she said.

What? How could that be? Most students don’t even turn their cameras on during class, so I’m usually teaching to a checkerboard screen of avatars. But as I thought about it, I understood. This student is on the quiet side and prefers consensus to argument. It would be easy for her to get lost in a large class of dominant personalities. But without a live audience and with the anonymity of the screen, those personalities fade to the background, and she can thrive. DL evens the playing field.

It made me wonder - how many people do we really see? And how many do we miss because life’s glint and glare overshadow them? And so I changed my prayer. Instead of praying that schools would open sooner, I prayed that my eyes would open wider and help me to see all of God’s children in every setting, whether they are at a distance or not.

Join us as we "go live" on Facebook at 10 a.m.

See instructions here or visit 

Visit the St. James' channel on YouTube to see all archived worship services.

We'll begin the year by exploring the story of Creation. To find out more, check out Storymakers’ website.

If you would like to have a kit delivered instead, email Kay Gregg or call the church office at 703-777-1124, and we’ll be sure to get you one. 

In response to increased numbers of people experiencing homelessness in Loudoun during the pandemic, during October we are praying for, learning about, and financially supporting the Loudoun Homeless Services Center.

Located in Leesburg, Loudoun Homeless Services Center is a multifaceted program with services to prevent, support and help end homelessness within Loudoun and surrounding counties. The center provides an emergency shelter program for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness, supportive housing to adults in need, and drop-in services for adults who need to take care of basic daily needs like meals, shower and laundry facilities.

Loudoun Homeless Services Center is a program operated by Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas and Loudoun County Department of Family Services.

If you are able, please give generously. Thank you in advance for your consideration and generosity!

Please consider providing food for St. Gabriel's ministry that serves folks who are food-insecure, do not have transportation, are nontraditional renters, and due to the pandemic have not had work or had their hours severely reduced. All food donations can be dropped off at St. David's in Ashburn on Mondays from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

To assist our parishioners, family, or friends, as well as support community organizations that provide key services (food, shelter, or direct aid), ​St. James' has established a COVID-19 Response Fund.

In addition, Fr. Daniel Vélez Rivera, vicar of St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church (St. James' daughter church), works closely with Catholic Charities to help distribute emergency COVID-19-related rental assistance to people who are non lease-holders.

Grace to Go continues to serve to-go meals every Monday evening from the St. James' parking lot.

If you, a family member, or friend, find themselves in a place of need, please contact Fr. Earl. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you are in need.

In addition, please share this list of non-profits who can assist those in need.

"In case of illness, the minister of the congregation is to be notified."

Email: fr.earl@stjamesleesburg.org

Those requesting our prayers this week: Brianne Bailey and Family, the Lamberty Family, Alice Lynn, Mary Paul, Inez Peebles, Caroline Ennis, the Lynch Family, the Page family, John Marsh, and the Riley family, Mary Bracken, Jennifer Griffith, Tim MacNamara, for other persons: Peter Schweitzer, Ann Stribling, Orma Call, Chris DeWaard, Jay Watkins, Mark and Meghan Roomsfa, Lori Turner, the Schott family, Charlotte, Christian Cutillo, Ruth Guerra, Miline Hughes, Erin Stanton, Barbara Rose, Nancy Hylton, Bridget Steel, Matthew Britto, Dewey, those who are unemployed or underemployed; and those serving in the armed forces at home and abroad. 

Terry Prevost, Junior Warden

Mark Snow, Senior Warden

 St. James’ Clergy and Staff