News from St. James' Episcopal Church
Sunday, December 13, 2020
|
|
Special Ornaments
An Advent Reflection by parishioner Carolyn Briles
|
|
One of my favorite Christmas ornaments isn’t really mine at all. It’s my husband’s. But when the time came for the generational transfer of ornaments, my mother-in-law entrusted the ornament to me. It came in a mismatched shoe box, carefully packed in tissue paper with an extra sheet wrapped around the surface for good measure.
The treasure was a pearl-colored, glass ball with Scott’s name printed on it in red glitter. Mrs. Ferguson, his third-grade teacher, had made it for him, and after all of the years, the glue still held enough glitter to read his name. This wasn’t one of those kid’s ornaments made as a craft with cotton balls for snow, not a popsicle stick frame with his picture in it to mark the year. This work of art was a work of love, and my mother-in-law had cherished it.
Now that I have kids of my own, I understand why. In a chaotic world that can brush care aside, someone had taken the time to call her son by name and to celebrate him. Someone had taken the time to lift him up, to say that he was valued, and hoped for, and loved.
This Advent season as we wait for Christ, we at St. James' will have that same opportunity. We are decorating Christmas trees, one inside the church and one outside, with some very special ornaments. Join us in celebrating someone you love. Stop by the church and write their name on an ornament for the trees. Let it be your prayer for them. Let it be your offering that says – You are valued, and hoped for, and loved – the same message that Christ came to give to us.
|
|
Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord!
Advent Calendar of Events
|
|
Sundays, 10 a.m: Lighting of our Advent Wreath during our Sunday Morning Worship Services.
Sundays, 11:15 a.m.: Virtual Coffee Hour with a Discussion of the Sermon of the Day and how the subject/topic of the sermon affects our lives.
Sundays, 5:00 p.m.: Online Compline Service led by St. James’ families. Compline is a beautiful short service in the Book of Common Prayer. It's a simple way to close the day and have quiet time together before the work/school week begins. Join us on Facebook Live at facebook.com/stjamesleesburg
Any day:
-
Hang an ornament on the beautiful Christmas Tree outside the front of the Church and/or put an Advent Prayer Ornament in a box under the porch on Wirt Street.
- One box will be labeled for donations of ornaments for the Advent tree. They should be purple or blue or maybe ‘frosty’, something with a prayer or message, but should be in keeping with Advent. The ornaments placed in the box will be hung on an Advent Tree stationed at the Altar for Sunday Worship.
- The other box will have red ornaments and gold pens for the outdoor tree. You can decorate, write a name, prayer or wish on them. If you're able, place them on the tree, or put them back in the box and we will hang them.
-
Donate a poinsettia in thanksgiving and joy to honor someone you love: email Kay Gregg, our Parish Administrator or call 703-777-1124.
- Make a pledge to St. James’ Episcopal Church.
|
|
Join us for Advent Lessons & Carols this Sunday! |
|
Join us as we "go live" on Facebook
at 10 a.m.
to see our worship services.
|
|
CAROLS FOR THE SEASON
A Virtual Concert
Performed by organ, trumpet, flute, voice and cello
Mark Snow, Steven Cooksey, Corey Rotz, Frances Averitt, and Alan Saucedo
Tuesday, December 22, at 7:30 p.m.
A wonderful way to help usher in Christmas!
Stay tuned for details!
|
|
Christmas Worship Schedule |
|
Christmas Eve
-
5:00 p.m.: Children’s Christmas Eve Service (note change in time!)
-
6:00 p.m.: Leesburg Community Ringing of the Bells
-
8:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Christmas Day
-
10:00 a.m. Christmas Day Service
|
|
Be a part of Christmas worship! We have two requests for your participation in the virtual services:
- As we gather together for our traditional singing of "Silent Night" by candlelight, we'd love to see your light shining ! Take a video of yourself and/or your family lighting candles (please use "landscape" mode!) and send to ara@bagdasarian.com by December 17.
- Families! Your young people's drawings of Angels, Shepherds, Sheep and Manger Animals are needed for our illustrated Christmas pageant. Text your images to 703-554-7263 or email to Kara.L.Laughlin@gmail.com.
|
|
Time for virtual Sunday School! |
|
Join us before church on Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
For Grades K-5
|
|
Compline | Sundays at 5 p.m. |
|
We will have a different family lead compline each of the Sundays of Advent and Christmas through Epiphany. If your household would like to lead compline, please text or call me at (703) 554-7263. We will offer two ways to connect--via Zoom and streamed on Facebook Live.
Join us at 5 this Sunday via this Zoom meeting:
Meeting ID: 815 4227 0147
Passcode: 987130
We look forward to this time together! -- Kara Laughlin
|
|
YOUP! Virtual Game Night: December 16 |
|
YOUP! Virtual Game Night is almost here!
Who: All middle and high school youth (and teens home from college!)
When: Wednesday, December 16 from 7-8:30 PM
Bring: a drink, a snack, a hand-held device to play the game and your witty responses!
Meeting ID: 966 6533 0403
Passcode: U4nq9z
|
|
Honduras Water Mission: Emergency Flood Relief |
|
For many years, St. James' and its parishioners have taken an active role in a mission to provide clean water to people in Honduras. This mission has grown to become Partnership for Clean Water and Education (PCWE).
This week, PCWE is conducting an online auction to support emergency flood relief following two back-to-back hurricanes that have done major damage to many of the water systems that St. James' parishioners helped build in the mountains of the Copan region of Honduras.
The list of participants from St James' over the years is long and includes Troy Harry, Henry and Kim Stribling, Don Scheuerman, Jan Joseph, Paul Reimers, Wayne Newell, Fred Williams, Chris Cuellar, and many more.
Included in this auction are two tables by our own woodworking artist Wayne Newell!
Please consider supporting this important and long-standing ministry! Browse auction items or you can make a direct donation in support of this relief effort.
|
|
December Monthly Mission Partner:
St. James' Episcopal Church
|
|
This Advent, we wait in stillness for the time we can gather once again…we prepare for what God has in store for St. James’ future…and we prayerfully hope to play a part in bringing peace, health, and the good news of Christ to our community and to our world.
To help focus our giving and our prayers on the continued vitality of the ministries and missions that we carry out in Christ’s name, we are designating St. James’ as the December Monthly Mission Partner.
As part of our Advent commitment, each week of December we will gather – at a distance, but still together -- to give thanks to God for the gift of our parish life.
We invite you, if you are able, to make a special gift to St. James’ this month through the Monthly Mission Partner program. Join us in prayer and in gratitude as we prepare for the light of Christ to illuminate our way forward.
|
|
In need of prayer? In need of care? |
|
"In case of illness, the minister of the congregation is to be notified."
The Book of Common Prayer, p. 453
Please let us know when you are in need of prayer and care.
Whom should you call?
The Rev. Earl Mullins
Emergency Number:
410-409-9386
The Church Office
703-777-1124
|
|
When should you call?
- When you become seriously ill, are dealing with a newly diagnosed disease or condition, or are hospitalized for treatment, surgery, or rehabilitation.
- When you are experiencing a spiritual, physical, emotional or financial crisis.
- When you become concerned for the person who usually shares the pew with you because he or she has not been in church for a while.
- When you experience one of life's many transitions: a birth, a death, a job loss/change, a move, an empty nest, retirement, etc.
- When you need prayer and care, but don't want to "bother" anyone with your troubles -- please contact us anyway; you will not be "bothering" us!
|
|
Those requesting our prayers this week: Jeff Brannock, 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: the Kevin and Margaret Sullivan Family, Heidi, Peter Schweitzer, Ann Stribling, Orma Call, Chris DeWaard, Jay Watkins, Mark and Meghan Roomsfa, Lori Turner, 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.
|
|
St. James’ Vestry
Carolyn Briles
Katherine Bucklin
Chris Cuellar
Andy Durot
Jim Ferry
Tom Horne
Karen Knobloch
Mary Lou Leipheimer
Steve Mayo
Wayne Newell
Rebecca Page
Jane Roth, Secretary
Maddie Reece, Youth Representative
Treasurer
John Forcier
|
|
St. James’ Clergy and Staff
Interim Rector
Dr. Steven Cooksey
Director of Music/Organist
Dr. Stephen Knobloch
Corner Chorale Music Director
Walter Litzenberger
Assistant Choir Director/Organist
Parish Administrator and Registrar
Janet Stayrook
Preschool Director
Adan Cortez
Lead Sexton
Francisco Ramos
Sexton
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
