Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 18

Isaiah 35:4-7a

Psalm 146

James 2:1-17

Mark 7:24-37

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Presider/Preacher: The Very Reverend Samuel Colley-Toothaker

Deacon of the Mass: The Reverend Deacon Nancy Key

Director of Music: Ms. Sherah Moore-Burdick

Latino/Hispanic Missioner/Tech. Services: Nelson Serrano Poveda

CORRECTION: Tech Services Assistant: Kourinthia Burton

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8:00 am - Spoken Eucharist in Cathedral

9:00 am - Kids & Family Service in Cathedral

10:30 am - Eucharist in English in Cathedral

10:30 am - Eucharist in Spanish in Chapel

6:00 pm - Bilingual Service in Chapel

6:00 pm - Healing Eucharist in Chapel

Dear Cathedral Community,

You may have noticed this summer that Deacon Terrance Goodpasture has not been serving at St. James Cathedral; this was a result of disciplinary action of Deacon Terrance pursuant to Title IV of the Canons of The Episcopal Church.  As a result, Deacon Terrance has been restricted from exercising his ministry until further notice. Due to the nature of our canonical process in The Episcopal Church, and out of respect for Deacon Terrance's privacy, I will not disclose the nature of the disciplinary action in this communication. If you seek additional information regarding Terrance’s situation, I would invite you to have a conversation with Dean Sam.

I encourage you to join me in continuing to pray for Deacon Terrance as he does his work towards reconciliation.

Blessings,

+David

Thank you to those who have helped create and share the Sunday takeaways. I have received many positive comments from members of the congregation who have appreciated the goodies, magnets, crosses, and other reminders of our appreciation for our St. James community.

On Sunday, September 12^th, we will mark our return to the Cathedral with a special reception after the 10:00am service.

Beginning September 19^th, we will offer Coffee Hour after the 10:00am service. 

The post-service “coffee hour” is a beloved tradition in many congregations. People come to coffee hour for more than a cup of coffee; they come to make connections and build a community. Recently, in a poll of Episcopalians performed by Barna regarding what people missed about church during the pandemic, 24% of those responding reported they missed Communion and 23% reported they missed coffee hour! (Episcopal News Service)

If you feel called to share your love of baking or hospitality with the Church, choose your Sunday and call Karen Boone at 284-5020 or email her at karenboone@cusd.com.  You can host by yourself or pair up with a buddy or two. Karen has a list of instructions she will share with those hosting.

Sundays Available:

Ever wanted to work behind the scenes to help prepare the Sanctuary for worship? Being on the Altar Guild is unique and spiritual ministry; one that gives you the opportunity to be an integral part of the worship at St. James.  Altar Guild is open to everyone – men and women, young and old; and we need YOU!  We are looking for new members, especially as we expand our worship services. If you are interested, or would like to find out more about this ministry, please speak to Carol Gavette or one of the other members of the Guild that you see preparing for the services. We would love to welcome you to this extraordinary group dedicated to supporting the worship at St. James.

The Altar Guild is having a Polish Party on Saturday, September 11th – lots of polishing needs to be done before our first Sundays back in the Cathedral and the Chapel. This is open to everyone – no prior experience necessary!  It’s a fun (and productive) way to get to spend time with the Altar Guild members and to share in the preparations for our move back into our Sacred Spaces.  Join us at 10:00 in the Kitchen of the Cathedral. If you have extra rags….bring ‘em along! See you there.

Please join us on Saturday, September 4th at 8 a.m. (and every first Saturday thereafter) at Yosemite Falls Cafe, across Cedar Avenue and 1/2 block north from us for our monthly men's breakfast. Questions? Call Kim at 999-5218 or Richard at 439-5002.

With the increased caution due to spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in major metro areas of California, masking and social distancing is mandatory yet again on campus during services. We thank you for your consideration of your health and that of others.

We want to see how you're spending your summer. Send us photos of you camping, barbequing, volunteering, lounging by the pool, or whatever else you're doing these sunny days. Are your pets sporting new summer couture? Celebrating a birthday/ anniversary? Finally spending time with family after a long year apart? We want to celebrate with you!

Let us know who is featured in the photo and where you are or what occasion is being celebrated. These photos will be featured here in the Midweek Missive and on our Cathedral social media accounts. So keep that in mind when sending in your pictures.

Dean Sam is continuing his home visits with the below time ranges available for your convenience.

If you haven't already, please call the office at 559-439-5011 or click the button below to send an email to Denise, Cathedral Administrator to set up your home visit.

A group of parishioners are coming together to explore the use of visual arts at St. James.

Are you an artist in our community or an individual who would like to explore our traditions and inspire a spirit of joy and passion in our worship through the arts?

Join this group from our parish and help us discuss how the arts can enrich our liturgy and our church. You do not have to have any experience creating art, just a desire to help tell a story or begin a dialogue to build relationships and enrich our community. Consider being a voice in developing and shaping guidelines for art at the Cathedral. If you are interested, please call Denise Grayson, Cathedral Administrator at 559-439-5011 or send your contact information to admin@stjamesfresno.org.

Contact Aaron Schuelke, Junior Warden, if you are interested in working on the Buildings and Grounds Team. There is much to be done, and you can make a difference. You can reach him at jrwarden@stjamesfresno.org.

With continued in-person services, we are in need of Sunday ushers and greeters who can commit to regularly perform this duty. Ushers at St. James provide a ministry of hospitality and assistance to all worshippers, giving extra attention and help to visitors or those with special needs. Hospitality is paramount in our Christian faith, where to welcome strangers and regulars alike is akin to welcoming Jesus himself into our midst. If you are interested, please sign up below.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we were not able to record or stream the service for Sunday, August 29. We will be back to streaming next Sunday, September 5. Thank you for your continued patience and we look forward to having you back virtually!

St. James offers Sunday worship each Sunday at 10:00AM on our YouTube Channel, Facebook Page, and Website. Archives of these services are available.

Don’t forget to download the digital service program to your device so you can follow along during the service. If possible, for our creation care work, please do not print the program.

To help us improve our digital church experience, please evaluate your experience of our "live stream service," by taking a moment to complete a short survey following Sunday's service.

Beginning with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on September 1 and ending with St. Francis Day on October 4, the Season of Creation is a time-set-apart to express gratitude for God's good creation, care for creation, and call for justice. Learn more at www.seasonofcreation.org 

We encourage you to join us on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM. You can join by the Zoom link here or in person in the office conference room following the 6:00 PM Mass. The Zoom meeting ID is 861 7933 7084.

The clergy of St. James remain deeply committed to offering pastoral care and support to members of the Cathedral Congregation especially during this difficult time. If a pastoral need arises for you or someone you know in the congregation, and you want to contact the clergy, please either email us at clergy@stjamesfresno.org or call the Cathedral office at (559) 439-5011 and select option 5 to leave a message for the clergy.

This week we lift up in our prayers St. Raphael's, Oakhurst.

The Episcopal Church has launched a fundraising campaign to support Episcopal Migration Ministries as it and other refugee resettlement agencies prepare to welcome and assist thousands of Afghans who fled their home country after the Taliban took control this month.

UP Wild Church, a ministry of the Diocese of Northern Michigan, brings people of all ages and backgrounds into the woods of the Upper Peninsula for spiritual experiences. As it enters its third year, it is attracting a growing number of people who are drawn to its mix of outdoor adventures, community, quiet reflection and environmentalism.

COVID-19 vaccination mandates are gaining steam across The Episcopal Church, with two dioceses now requiring vaccination for all clergy and staff, and others issuing similar requirements as the delta variant spreads rapidly among unvaccinated people.

In the 12 days since a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Aug. 14, and the subsequent drenching rains of Tropical Storm Grace, Episcopalians there and their ministry partners across The Episcopal Church continue to help devastated communities.

If you have any feedback, comments, or questions for the Midweek Missive Editors, please email us. Submissions to the Midweek Missive are welcomed and must be submitted to midweek@stjamesfresno.org by Tuesday at noon.