Our Weekly News & Updates |
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Advent greetings!
It feels as if someone through us into overdrive this year and I can hardly believe that this Sunday is already the 4th of Advent. I am so thankful to everyone, Choir, Altar Guild, Ushers, Vestry, Acolyte, etc. who helped make Karl Meyer's service so wonderful. That has been the largest in-door gathering we have had in two years, and that was only possible because of all the support and teamwork to make it so.
This Sunday we celebrate Advent 4 and then turn our eyes to Christmas.
We are slowly getting back to what feels more normal, and I am so thankful that with everyone maintaining our healthy protocols we can be in-person this Christmas Eve and Day. Last year was hard on all of us being apart. We resume our traditional programming; thanks be to God. Start planning to be with us as you can.
At 4:30 we will have our Family Christmas Service. It will be a festive time, with carols and a sermon aimed at younger set. We hope you can bring your children and grandchildren for this family-oriented celebration before dinner.
At 10 p.m. we will have meditative music before our 10:30 p.m. Christ-Mass, one of the most formal services of the year. Bells and Choir will be with us as we await the birth of the Christ child.
Christmas Day is our very casual and comfortable 10 a.m. service looking at Traditions and our joy. Come relaxed, and ready to worship our newborn King.
Blessings,
Rock+
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Tuesday, December 14, 2021
- 10am- Rule of Life Small Group
- 11:30am- ROMEOS (Marcos)
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
- 7:30am-Eucharist Rite II
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Link to watch service
Thursday, December 16, 2021
- 6pm- Handbell Choir
- 7pm-Parish Choir
Sunday, December 19, 2021
- 8am- Eucharist: Rite I (no music)
- 8:45am- Adult Sunday school (Brydon Hall)
- 9am- Children's Sunday school (virtual)
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Link to join
- 10am- Eucharist: Rite II (music)
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Link for bulletin
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Link to watch
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6pm- Journey to Adulthood
Monday, December 20, 2021
- 10:30am-Grief Group
- 5:30pm-Centering Prayer Group
- 7pm- Dream Group
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We hope you will join us this year for one (or all) of our Christmas services. All are welcome and wanted! Come celebrate the birth of our Savior!
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Christmas Eve 4:30pm- Family service
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Christmas Eve 10:30pm- Christ-Mass
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Christmas Day 10am- Nativity of our Lord
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Sunday, 12/26 10am- Lessons & Carols (we will not have an 8am service that day)
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What a gift to gather and celebrate the life of Karl Meyer on Saturday. The eulogies, music and readings were thoughtfully chosen and honored his life so well. Thank you to all the volunteers and participants who helped make this day so sacred. What a special family! |
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For those who chose to get pledge envelopes, please pick up your envelopes on the table in the Narthex, when you come in. If you would like to request envelopes, please let us know and we can get you some. We are grateful for all your generosity! |
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The Stations of the Cross have changed for our Advent Season. We hope that you will bundle up and come take a walk around the property, enjoying each station. What a beautiful way to celebrate the coming of our Lord. |
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The Altar Guild provides beautiful poinsettias during Christmas in honor of loved ones. If you would like to order one in memory or honor of your beloveds, please email Kasey or call to let her know. Please be sure to include your name and the name(s) of your honoree(s). The cost is $25. The deadline for orders is December 19th. |
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ADDICTION RESOURCES ALWAYS AVAILABLE |
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As excitement and anticipation of the coming holidays build for many, others may be struggling with their addiction or the addiction of another. Our town of Ashland, the Center of the Universe, is home to a warm community of people recovering from addiction, including Alcoholics Anonymous, aarichmond.org or 355-1212; Narcotics Anonymous, rvana.org; and Al Anon and Al-a-teen, vaalanon.org. More information is available online, or feel free to reach out to the Church office at (804) 798-6336. There is no reason to struggle alone. |
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The Bishop's Appeal makes grants possible for things possible like providing equipment to congregations so they could stream services through the pandemic. It also feeds those who are hungry, provides meals to children through backpack programs, and fresh food through community gardens and farmer's markets- making a difference in lives of those most in need throughout our communities in the Diocese of Virginia.
Thanks to a challenge grant, donating online is more important than ever. The Jessie Ball duPont Fund has generously offered to match online gifts up to $25,000 in November and December. Please help us, if you are able, by donating online HERE. It will double the difference in the life of a person struggling right now. (Rules: Donations must be made online by individuals, not organizations. The match is capped at $500 per transaction, but you can make as many transactions as you like.) Thank you for your incredible generosity! |
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ADVENT CHILDREN'S UPDATES |
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CHILDREN'S CHURCH
During the season of Advent we will have Children's Church during the Sunday 10am service. Children are welcome to begin the service together and then they will go to Brydon Hall for a special craft and games and will return to the service at Communion. This will be distanced and masked to provide the safest experience for our families. We hope you will join us in person for this! Here are pictures from this past week.
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SUNDAY SCHOOL VIRTUAL
Sunday school will be held virtual this Sunday at 9am.
*There will be no Sunday School or Children's church December 26th or January 2nd.
Family Facebook
Don't forget to join our family Facebook page. We share weekly information about special events and ideas. We look forward to seeing you all there!
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Have you ever wanted to develop daily practices that would enrich your life? Come learn how to make that happen. Father Rock will be leading a small group in person on Tuesdays at 10am in Brydon Hall for 3 weeks, November 30th- December 14th. We would love to have you! If you aren't able to make it- that's okay too. We will be recording it so that you can be part of this online, if that is your preference. The link to watch the first two classes are below. We hope you will join us in any way you are comfortable. |
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Would you like to be on Vestry or know someone you think would do great at it? We would love to hear from you if so! Email Father Rock with any suggestions or questions you might have about the positions. |
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If you or your family would like to sponsor the flowers in the Sunday service, you can email Kasey to reserve your date. There are no flowers in the Advent season, but as we look forward to the 2022 calendar you can make sure you remember holidays and birthdays with the gorgeous flowers the Altar Guild does. The cost is $35 and the money goes to support purchasing the flowers and all the things that the Altar Guild provides for this awesome community. |
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Are you hoping to add some Saint James the Less "swag" to your collection? Looking for the perfect Christmas gift? We have a online website, through The Supply Room, that allows us to order items with the SJTL logo on it. There are all kinds of shirts, jackets, and bags that you can get with Saint James the Less on it. Click HERE to see the many different options. |
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OUTREACH
"We rise by lifting others." -Robert Ingersoll
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Serving and Giving Opportunities this holiday season |
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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: Pork & beans, beef stew (smaller cans), shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste
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Adult Clothing: Women's bras (C and larger cup, 38 and larger band), men & women's sweatpants and sweatshirts, men's athletic shoes & work boots (size 10 and larger), men's jeans, boxers, and undershirts (size M or L)
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Children's Clothing: Girl's winter coats (sizes 8 & 10), boy/girl fall and winter clothes (seizes 10 and larger)
ACES is open on both Mondays and Wednesday from 8:30-1130am. Thank you for your continued support!
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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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PETER PAUL
Peter Paul is in need of these supplies on behalf of their students. The collection boxes are in our hallway.
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School Supplies: glue, scissors, folders, erasers and pencil pouches
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Laundry supplies: Travel size detergent or 4 pods, rolls of quarters
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Hygiene items: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, chapstick, Vaseline, pads, tampons, face wipes and wash clothes
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Meals-to-go: pop-top food- soup, beans, canned meat, tuna packets, water (reusable bottle), crackers, chips, fruit cups
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Winter weather items: hand warmers, fleece blanket, hat, gloves, thick socks
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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 and Lila, Shirley Dols, Jack, Pam Bowers, Lin Varner, Connie Geisenderfer, Paul Robb, Jonathan Smith, 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, 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.
We ask your prayers for those who grieve.
We pray for persons in financial need in Metropolitan Richmond: For the homeless and the hungry, for the provision of safe, affordable housing and low cost nutritious food, for the personal safety, dignity, and well being of those who are unable to work.
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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Advent 3- December 12, 2021 |
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December 14
Hilda Kelly
Harrison Woodbridge
December 15
Deklan Cauthorne
Aiden Freeman
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December 16
Whit Miller
December 18
Rebecca Fox
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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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