Our Weekly News & Updates |
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Gearing up for the next snow storm that is supposed to hit us Sunday, I am pre-writing this on Friday. Because it is weather I cannot know what is to come. (I may be good, but I am not that good.) And it got me to thinking about things that pass, and things that don't. |
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I was looking at pictures from the last snow, and this image struck me. It reminded me how some of the things that are so huge in our lives, are the least permanent. A snowstorm. A power outage. An illness. These things become all consuming and must be dealt with in the moment. That is the nature of life. There are cycles and seasons, and some are consumed in the immediate. It screams NOW, NOW, NOW. A crying baby gets in the way of retirement planning.
In life, though, it is imperative for us to focus on the things that are not fleeting, to focus on the permanent, the long-term. And as religiously minded folks, dare I say the eternal? In the coming weeks we are going to be asking some long-term, permanent type questions. It may be easy to get distracted and say, "How can we think about the long-term when so much bad is happening, like _________. We can fill in the blank with pandemic, meetings suspended, etc. But I am going to call us to a place of vision and wisdom.
A wise person plants a tree under which they may never sit or digs a hole for a pool in which they will never swim. We do these things today for a tomorrow we may never see because they are the right things to do. The storm may be raging, but the eternal withstands the storm. I thought of my picture, "How beautiful the snow is!" But in glancing again, I thought, "How beautiful the setting is!" One is fleeting, and one established. We are called to manage and handle both.
Pray for our Vestry as we need to make some tough decisions in the coming weeks. It appears our budget for the coming year will be tight, as most non-profits are right now. But we still need to keep in mind caring for the immediate and preparing for who we need to be to minister to Ashland in the years to come. Either/Or will not cut it. We are up to the task, but we all need reminders now and again. Both/And. Today/Tomorrow/Forever. That is the nature of our work, and it always will be.
Blessings, friends. I pray you are safe, warm, and dry when this finds you!
Rock+
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Tuesday, January 18, 2022
- 10am-Book Club
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Link to join Zoom
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
- 7:30am-Eucharist Rite II
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Link to watch service
- 8am-Coffee Hour on Zoom
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Link to join Zoom
Sunday, January 23, 2022
- 8am- Eucharist: Rite I
- 9am- Children's Virtual Sunday School
- 10am- Eucharist: Rite II (music)
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Link for bulletin
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Link to watch
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Right after service- Virtual Coffee Hour
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Link to join Zoom
Monday, January 24, 2022
- 10:30am- Grief Group- VIRTUAL
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Link to join Zoom
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We are excited book club has started again. We meet virtually on Tuesdays at 10am. We are meeting for 6 weeks via Zoom. The link to join the group is HERE.
If you would like to call in, dial 1 301 715 8592 and enter Meeting ID: 821 8112 3575, Passcode: 298264
The book is Everything Belongs by Richard Rohr. It is $15 on Amazon. (HERE is the link). It’s going to be another WONDERFUL book club! Amazon does have a few used copies that are less, but the shipping may take a little longer. You can look at the local libraries or they do have a free version on Hoopla if you like to listen to the book. We hope you will join us!
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Since we are not meeting in person for our Wednesday morning Eucharist service, we will have Coffee Hour following the virtual service at 8am. We hope you will grab your favorite hot beverage and join us for this time of connection. We look forward to seeing you!
To join the meeting click HERE. If you would like to call in, dial 1 301 715 8592 and enter Meeting ID: 825 6722 4007 & Passcode: 808819 |
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We will be holding a virtual coffee hour after our worship hour on Sunday. Please join us directly after the service by joining the link HERE. If you would like to call in, dial 1 301 715 8592 and enter Meeting ID: 891 1435 5992 & Passcode: 842530
We hope you will join us for a time of community and connection!
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Grief Group is such a special place. If you would like support from the weight of what you are carrying, please join this thoughtful group of folks who gather virtually on Monday mornings at 10:30am. The link to join the meeting is HERE.
If you would like to call in, dial 1 301 715 8592 and enter Meeting ID: 876 0720 2870 & Passcode: 440919
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Shrine Mont is so excited about camp this summer, and hope that you are too. We want to encourage you to sign up for camp as soon as possible, so they have good counts for staffing and other preparations for the summer. In the hopes it will encourage you to SIGN UP NOW, they've created a discount code that is good for one week only. Enter "EARLYBIRD" at checkout to get $25 off of your total tuition. The link to the parent portal to sign up is HERE. They can't wait to see you this summer at CAMP!
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YOUTH VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY |
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A PIVOT DUE TO INCREASED COVID CASES |
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Just a reminder that we are not meeting in person right now due to the uptick of Covid cases right now. We honor our community by keeping our community safe.
We follow Hanover County Public Schools for the office and Wednesday Eucharist cancellations. If the schools are closed, the church is closed.
Thank you for your flexibility in these times. We are so grateful to be in loving community like this.
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SJTL CHILDREN'S SUPPLY DRIVE |
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We are collecting supplies for SJTL Children's Church for 2022. Please click HERE for an Amazon wish list. You are welcome to purchase off here or to contribute craft items (glue, pens, crayons, etc) you pick up locally. We appreciate you!
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CHILDREN'S FACEBOOK GROUP |
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We wanted to invite any and all of our SJTL members to join our Children and Families Facebook Page. (You can do that HERE) They have super cute updates that lift the spirit. Everyone could use some Good News! |
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OUTREACH
"We rise by lifting others." -Robert Ingersoll
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Emergency Food Pantry
Right outside our Saint James the Less Free Clinic we have a food pantry. It is available 24/7 and used a great deal as immediate needs come up. Please donate non-perishables to this. It would be an incredible blessing to our community.
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ACES is in need of the following items:
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Pantry: Instant potatoes, apple sauce (small sizes), toothpaste & toothbrushes
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Adult Clothing: Women's bras (C and larger cup, 38 and larger band), men's jeans
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Children's Clothing: Boy/girl fall and winter clothes (seizes 10 and larger)
*They ask we not donate spring and summer items just yet due to space.
ACES is open on both Mondays and Wednesday from 8:30-1130am. Thank you for your continued support!
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Peter Paul wishes to thank you for the much needed supplies for the children. The Center greatly appreciates all your thoughtfulness. Teachers will be able to hand our plenty of items to students returning to the after school program in 2022. Thank you again for your donations! |
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POP TOPS
We are still collecting Pop Tops for Ronald McDonald house. Hang on to them or bring them by when you can. This is a valuable resource that goes to help families with children in the hospital here in Richmond.
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Lord, we lift up this nation struggling with itself these days, reeling from this pandemic and its repercussions. Encourage us to faithfulness, righteousness, and compassion for all God’s Children. We lift up Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael, our Presiding Bishop, Susan, Jennifer, and Porter our Bishops, Rock and Becky, our priests. May they be strengthened and encouraged as the work with us to proclaim your Good News in this world. We pray for Joe, our President, Ralph, our Governor, and Steve, our Mayor, and all our elected officials. Guide them to lead us to the common good.
We ask your prayers for peace; for goodwill among nations; and for the well-being of all people. Remembering especially Gus Miller, Erin Yagla, Meredith Moon, Madge Carter, Meghann Batten, Mark Longaker, Michael Fox, Bill Blakemore, Chambers Cromwell, Dennis Folsom, Carter, Shirley Dols, Jack, Pam Bowers, Lin Varner, Connie Geisenderfer, Paul Robb, Debra Bernard, Rev. Dr. Susannah Metz, Smith family, Alex Gillette, Pam Gillette, Sally Budd, Sarah Chamblee & family, Loisanne Rockwell, Wiley Hughes, Jimmy Smith, Jeff Lawrence, May and family, Debbie Hill, Brian, Llelwyn Schofield, Schuyler, Harry Hassell, Melanie Fischer, Court Warfield, Deborah Leggott, Alice Cobb, The Rev. Richard Simpson, Beth Renswick, William Jonathan Smith, Scott Heron, Wagner family, William Major, Meredith Roemer, Eric Truitt, and the Diocesan Search Committee for our new Bishop.
We ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison. We also ask your prayers for those serving in the diplomatic corps, the military, and as missionaries: Kemper Jones, Greg Ericksen, Matthew Thomas, Philip Morison, James Ashley, Andrew Brunson, Jordan Fox, and Katherine Murphy.
We ask your prayers for those who have died, especially Lila Snipes Slappey, Michael Campbell Woods & Betsy Moore.
We ask your prayers for those who grieve.
We pray to overcome in Christ’s name the heritage of racism: To proclaim in word and deed the establishment of a beloved community in Metropolitan Richmond.
For all those who seek peace in the world and for ourselves, that we may bring about God's Kingdom here on earth. For our enemies, and for those who wish us harm.
Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored.
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January 16, 2022
Second Epiphany
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January 18
Barbara Olin
Jennifer Rose
Yancey Jones Jr.
January 19
Dale Hill
Danah Massey
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January 21
Mark FitzHugh
January 22
Kelly Criste-Cook
Carolina Lugo
January 24
Cameron Bajcsi
James Bajcsi
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Saint James the Less Episcopal Church
125 Beverly Road
Ashland, VA 23005
(804) 798-6336
Staff:
Miriam Smith- Christian Formation- Children & Youth Director
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Weekly E-News Deadline: If you have an announcement to be shared with the parish, please get the information in no later than noon on Monday. |
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