Thank you.
If you are one of the families that has put us ahead of last year’s pace of giving, we are profoundly grateful for your generosity. If you’re planning to make your pledge soon, thank you in advance. And if you’re still deciding whether to give or whether to increase your pledge, please consider the following:
Each of us at St. James’s is traveling our very own spiritual path. But all of us are inspired by
the single voice of God calling us to be Doers of the Word -- that’s why we’ve chosen to call
St. James’s our church home.
The powerful process of growing and doing is what unites us. And it’s in that spirit of unity that we come together each year to support the development, growth, and blossoming of our church—and not by accident, ourselves too.
This year we’re calling it our Season of Unity, when our common desires forge together to propel the church to new heights of doing, serving and healing.
Together, we’re all moving closer to God. Together, we’re creating meaning in our lives and hope in the world. And together we’re all making our church home more comforting, more welcoming and more life-changing.
Celebrate the Season of Unity with a pledge that reflects your desires for yourself and your greatest hopes for our church.
If you haven’t received a letter asking for your pledge, look for it in the mail. If you’re ready to give, you can go to the Giving section of doers.org to make your pledge. Thank you.
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Monday, September 27th
Community Yoga on Zoom:
Yoga for Mobility & Stability: 2:30pm (suitable for beginners)
Yoga Vinyasa: 4pm
Tuesday, September 28st
Tuesday Men’s Bible Study: 7:30 am
Women's Bible Wisdom: 5 pm
Education for Ministry (EfM) on Zoom: 6 pm
Wednesday, September 29nd
Living Faith Bible Study: 10 am
Wednesday Night Worship, Study & Fellowship on Zoom: 5:30 pm - 8 pm
Art & Theology - Why do humans make things?
Evening Prayer at 5:30 pm,
Study at 6 pm, Fellowship at 7 pm
Come for all or part of our evening together
Newcomers Class: 6 pm - 7 pm
New to St. James's? We want to meet!
For more information about these events, go to the Calendar at doers.org.
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This week's eChimes features |
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- Some thoughts on Sunday services
- Blessing of the Animals
- Adult Learning
- The Palestrina Mass
- Daniel Sanez Organ Recital
- St. James's Bluegrass Mass
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- 5 pm Contemporary Service songlist
- Paper Calendar
- Greeters
- All aboard the Wheels Ministry
- Easy to give with Amazon Smile
- In Our Prayers this week
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Some thoughts on
our Sunday Services.
With the launch of the new Sunday Worship schedule, there are now seven services you can attend -- four in the sanctuary, one in the Memorial Garden and two online. Why are we pointing this out? Because it goes a long way to explaining why many of our services are less populated than they were in the past. To put it simply, more worship options means each service will have fewer people. Add in the chilling effect that COVID has had on attendance, particularly among families with very young children, and it’s easy to see why numbers are down.
Despite the attendance drop, though, we feel compelled to meet the wide variety of needs that the times (read: COVID) and worship-styles require. Many of you want to meet indoors as we always have -- at the service times we’ve always offered. So we’ve continued to offer services at 7:45 am, 9 am and 11:15 am. Others of you want to be here but not inside, so we created the 11:30 outdoor service. Still others are seeking a more intimate and informal service, so we’ve added the 5 o’clock service. And many of you prefer the safety and convenience of worshipping online on your own schedule.
All of these services have value. But they can make our congregation feel splintered and disconnected. The truth is, St. James’ers are still worshipping in great numbers but with so many services, it simply doesn’t feel that way.
Like you, we look forward to the day when more of us can be together in one place at one time. In the meantime, we take solace that so many of us are seeking the same God using the same liturgy driven by the same desire for renewal, inspiration and grace -- but we’re doing it from many different places.
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It’s time to feel extra warm and fuzzy.
The annual Blessing of Animals (also known as the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi) will be Sunday, October 3, at the 9 am service. Bring your beloved furry, scaly, feathered and hard-shelled friends to the parking lot next to Michaux House, also known as St. Francis Chapel, so they can receive their deeply deserved blessing. This festive service begins with ebullient music, led by the St. James’s Children’s and Cherub Choirs. It’s the feel-good event of the fall. We can’t wait to see you there.
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Moving Toward a Deeper Understanding.
There are so many Adult Learning options -- each with its own opportunities to deepen your relationship with God and your fellow St. James’ers, so we’ll be dividing them into three categories in the eChimes moving forward: Sunday Small Groups and Bible Study (at 10:15), Wednesday Evening Zoom Gatherings (5:30 to 7:30), and numerous Book Clubs, Bible Studies and other events.
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SUNDAY SMALL GROUP - 10:15 am
Sunday, October 10 - Sunday Small Groups begin
This October and November adult education will be available in small, lay-hosted groups. Connect with fellow parishioners and God as you go deep with the topic of your choice for a limited time!
- Did Jesus really just say that? with Billy Baxter and Bennette Burks
- Contemplative Practices of the Heart with Sarah Eck and Suzanne Hall
- Readings that Charm, Challenge, and Inspire with Anna Evas
- Parenting Group with Emily Stock
- Earth Care, Soul Care with Monica Lewis and Br. Leo Campos
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WEDNESDAY NIGHT ZOOM - 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Evening Prayer at 5:30, class at 6, conversation at 7. Come for all or some.
Wed., September 29 - Art & Theology Part 2: Why do humans make things?
Speaker: Dr. Jim Watkins, Affiliate Professor of Theological Aesthetics, Nashotah House
Register once in advance for the Wednesday Zoom gatherings here.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. This link will be emailed each Wednesday to all registered attendees.
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OTHER ADULT LEARNING OPTIONS
Sunday Bible Study
Most Sundays, October 3 to December 19, at 10:15 am Parkinson Room. The Rev. Doug Wigner will be focusing on the Gospel According to Luke.
Intentional Spirituality Group
First Sunday of the month, 10:15 am Peterkin Parlor, with Brother Leo Campos and
the Rev. Hilary Streever.
Interfaith Dialogue: Sukkoth and Hospitality
Monday, October 4 at Congregation Beth Ahabah
Pizza and fellowship at 6:00 pm in the Main Lobby; Program 6:45 pm
We are excited to join Congregation Beth Ahabah for interfaith dialogues throughout the program year. This fall, Congregation Beth Ahabah invites us into their sukkah (booth) for a conversation about Christian and Jewish understandings of hospitality.
Numerous Book Clubs and Bible Studies
The Tuesday Reader, Brown Bag Book Group, Tuesday Men's Bible Study, Women's Bible Wisdom, Living Faith Bible Study, Thursday Men's Bible Study Breakfast
Go to Adult Learning on doers.org then click on the Adult Learning Program Summary. It’s all there.
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“Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul;
it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.”
- Martin Luther
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The Palestrina Mass
Sunday, Oct. 3, 11:15 am
The Parish Choir will sing some of the most beautiful sacred music ever composed, Missa Aeterna Christi Munera (Mass of The Eternal Gifts of Christ) by Palestrina.
"He is the real king of sacred music and the eternal father of Italian music." -Giuseppe Verdi
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594) was the long-time director of papal choir at St. Peter’s in Rome, where he composed hundreds of masses and motets considered to be perfect models of sacred music. The feeling imparted by his music, of solemnity, meditative thought, and divinity, transcends the bounds of language. Join us as we celebrate the gifts of Christ and let Palestrina’s divine sacred music calm the agitations of our souls. To read more about Palestrina, click here.
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Organ recital featuring Daniel Benjamin Sanez
Friday, Oct 15 at 7 pm
St. James’s is delighted and honored to present an Organ Recital by Daniel Benjamin Sañez, Director of Music and Liturgy and Principal Organist and Choirmaster at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. He’ll be playing selections by Bach, Langlais, Cochereau, Marchand, Vierne, Franck and Pärt.
Admission is free.
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The annual St. James’s Bluegrass Mass
Sunday, Oct 17, 8:45 am
The Bluegrass Mass is one of the most cherished musical days of the year here at St. James’s. So make sure to mark your calendar for October 17 at 8:45 (after all, you don’t want to miss the prelude.) Our renowned West Gallery Choir and the Guitar Ensemble, along with guest artists Charles Arthur (mandolin, dobro and banjo), Molly Sharp (fiddle), and singer Tarran Turvey will fill our Sanctuary with some serious pickin’, fiddlin’ and twang.
The music will include classic bluegrass songs--which has roots in traditional English, Scottish and Irish ballads and dance music--plus a Bluegrass Mass setting by Mark Whitmire. This is a wonderful service to introduce your friends and neighbors to St. James’s. Even though this is a 9 am service, remember that the Prelude begins at 8:45 am.
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It’s easier to sing along when
you know the songs.
One piece of feedback we’ve received about the new 5 pm services is that folks want to know the songs better so they can sing along with more passion and energy.
So here’s a link to a Spotify playlist featuring our 5 o’clock songs performed by Michel and Kim. Listen at your leisure. Then sing with abandon.
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Do you have room on your fridge?
St. James’s is bringing back the paper calendar that so many of you have hung on your refrigerators, bulletin boards and other spots in your home. The calendar condenses the whole month of activities into a single page so you can quickly reference what’s doing with our congregation of doers.
The calendars will be available in the Narthex or you can arrange to have one mailed to you. Just send a note to Weezie and she’ll put you on the mailing list.
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We’re looking for smiling faces and welcoming hearts.
Welcoming people (visitors and existing parishioners alike) is an essential part of the Sunday worship experience. If you’d like to be the friendly face and the helpful presence that makes people feel welcomed and confident, please become a Greeter. All the positive energy you put out will come back to you ten-fold. To sign up, click here.
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All aboard the Wheels Ministry.
This is one of the easiest and most satisfying ministries available to St. James’s’ members. You provide transportation on Sunday mornings to gracious and grateful Westminster Canterbury residents who attend the 11:15 am worship service.
Training for driving the WCR van is provided. Our goal is to engage 8 to 10 drivers so each Wheels Ministry member only has to drive once every two months.
Open your heart, then open the doors of the church to people who otherwise can’t get here.
If you are interested in volunteering and/or leading the team, please contact Mary Brown at mbrown@doers.org.
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Support St. James’s without it costing you a penny.
There’s an easy way to support St. James’s while you’re doing something else. When you're shopping on Amazon (which is probably often these days) go to smile.amazon.com, instead. Once you’re there, designate St. James’s as the program you’re supporting, then a percentage of every purchase you make on Amazon Smile will go the church. Easy-peezy.
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Click here to see the names of those we're remembering in our prayers this week.
We do our best to keep this list current, but if you want your name added or removed, please contact Mary Brown or call her at 804-355-1779, ext. 313.
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St. James’s Episcopal Church | DOERS.ORG | (804) 355-1779
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