11.04.22 News and updates from St. James Church

Message of the Moment

Flourishing in Faith

At recent worship services it has been interesting to hear a variety of parishioners talk about the ways they think of flourishing in their faith. Each story has been distinctive and moving. We will hear from a couple more parishioners during this season of giving, so I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of my own thoughts about giving.

Our ingathering (the time when we formally receive pledges during worship and bless all gifts offered) will be next weekend November 12 and 13. If you haven’t already given your completed pledge form to the church office, please place it in the plate during the offertory. There will be a blessing over the offering.

Especially at the ingathering, we give thanks to God for what we have been given and we appreciate the diversity of gifts offered by members of our community. It is generosity (of all kinds) which provides shelter for our souls and fosters spiritual journeys. Our prayer and participation are the vitality of Christ’s Body in this place. Our giving is an outgrowth of that. Our experiences of God which are expressed at St. James feed the whole congregation. As Christians together we can do more for the common good than we could do on our own, and our on-going fellowship teaches us about the enduring nature of the love of God.

However you decide to give, please be generous. Do it for yourself as you also do it for one another. Our faith is rooted in God’s abundant blessings, it flourishes all the more as we experience that love through one another. Thank you.

Yours in Christ, Mother Dawn+

First Things First

Don't forget to Fall Back - this weekend, November 5–6, is the weekend daylight savings time ends. Please set your clock back one hour on Saturday night. You will get an extra hour of sleep before church on Sunday morning.

Children's Sunday School and Chapel are this Sunday, November 6 starting at 9:30 am. The children will also participate in the Youth Weekend service at 10:45 am.

The Readings this Week

Click here to go to the Lectionary Page

Click here for a free PDF download of the Book of Common Prayer

The Lessons appointed for the Feast of All Saints

Calendar

Parish News and Updates

Next weekend, November 12 & 13, is ingathering weekend. Please send your 2023 pledge to the church office or bring it with you as we bless the gifts given for the many ministries of St. James Church.

Breakfast Sunday is next Sunday, November 13. Join us between services (9:30-10:45am) as we share in a meal together. If you are able, please bring your favorite breakfast dish to share!

POCKET CHANGE HELPS BREAKTHROUGH ESS! The week our Pocket Change Ministry is sending a check for $500. to Breakthrough ESS to assist with funding their Residential Payee Program. This vital program helps mentally challenged people manage their basic finances. A number of St. James parishioners, like Mary Druding and Marcia Wilder, have volunteered with this program. St. James can be proud to assist the Residential Payee Program. Thank you generous St. James Pocket Change donors!

POCKET CHANGE SAVING FOR KCSL: The Pocket Change Ministry is now saving for a $500. gift to the Kansas Children’s Service League. KCSL plans to use our gift to assist with their Kinship Navigator program for groceries, cleaning supplies, and Wal Mart gift cards (Note these cards cannot be used for alcohol, tobacco, or fire arms). We look forward to helping KCSL’s deserving clients with their essential purchases.

From the Creation Care Committee: The Gwich’in people have called the lands in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge their home for over 10,000 years and the Episcopal Church has supported the efforts to protect these lands for decades. Without further protection, the Biden Administration is mandated to open this area for oil development in 2024. To learn more, please visit www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations/action-alerts and scroll down to find the action to Protect the Arctic Wildlife Refuge.

St. James/St. Stephen’s Book Club started The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian on October 13. They meet in person at St Stephen’s every Thursday at noon. New reading fans are always welcome. Questions, contact Mary Sloan.

Annual Thanksgiving Dinner

We will gather on November 24th in the Guild Hall to give thanks for God’s creation. Watch for a sign-up at the church to let us know how many people to prepare for.

Membership Connections with Realm

We invited members on Monday and Tuesday to join Realm. If you did not recieve your email invitation, check for spam/junk folder. If it isn't there, please check with the office. We can double-check to be sure we have the correct email address for you, and resend the invitation. If you share an email address with someone, only one person can sign up as the email address is your log-in.

You will be able to see church events, links to online meetings, and the online directory. (As more members join and update their settings, you will be able to see more people in the directory. The default is to keep people's contact information private, but you will be able to change your setting to allow other invited members of St. James Church to see your contact information, just like the paper directory.)

No one is required to join Realm, and we will continue to share news in other ways (ie. bulletin inserts and the eTower) but it is a great tool for communication, event updates, pledge/contribution records, and updating personal contact information.

Click HERE for the Realm Guick Guide

Children and Youth

Children's Sunday School & Children's Chapel are this Sunday, Nov 6th starting at 9:30 am. We are learning about Creation using Godly Play and the sign of the cross in Children's Chapel. We will also be partaking in Youth Sunday at the 10:45 am service. Questions? Contact Chelsea, formation@stjameswichita.org. All children (ages preschool - 5th grade) are welcome!

Fall Youth Weekend is November 5-6. This is a special occasion when the children and youth of St. James participate in leading worship and we celebrate the youngest members of our congregation and their ministry among us. The Fall Youth Weekend is November 5-6. If you want to confirm your participation (or your child's participation) in the service, please contact Chelsea at formation@stjameswichita.org, or talk to any children's or youth mentors. The Spring Youth Weekend will be May 3-4.

Lauren Schmeidler, a long-time member, is our new Nursery Coordinator! She is trained in CPR and Safeguarding God's Children. As a long-time volunteer in the Nursery, she is excited about this new opportunity. The nursery is open each Sunday from 8:15 am - 12:00 pm and special events for newborns to five years of age. We are still looking for volunteers to assist Lauren, contact Chelsea.

Prayers

Parish Prayers for the Week of November 6

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer:

Pray for the Church of England

In the World Council of Churches Cycle of Prayer:

Oceania: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia (Maohi Nui), Kanaky, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

In the Kansas Cycle of Prayer:

Pray for Good Shepherd, Wichita

St. James Church prays for these individuals as well:

Our seminarian, Maddy Bishop;

Those serving in the military:

J. David Anderson-Lusk, Will Corkins, Maureen Tanner

Those who have recently died: Dan Dye; Astrid Ankenbrand; Diana Samuelson

And those who have died in Novembers past: Roberta Adams; George Armantrout; Hugh Auchterlonie; Helen M. Canzoneri; Christine Clawson; Charles Daily; Dallas Elliott; Shannon Faure; Arlene Grey; Marilyn Groves; Bob Hall; Rod Hansen; Lea Jordan; Frances P. Linde; Myrl Martin; Wayne Mason; Martie McClure; Jayne Milburn; Marilyn Milligan; Lee Osmond; Tom Tatlock; James Thomas; Jeanette Thornton; Dave Utermark; Mary Louise Webster; Richard Williams

Those in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness or any other adversity:

Josh; Monica; Rhys; Kai; Tammy; Ken; Ron D.; John R.; Marge Rine & family; Janet R.; Phil S., Celia B.; Sylvester; Darwin P.; Sharon & Jerry; Jan. M., Edna & James; Janet R.; Martha F.; Andy S.; Pat; Peggy S.; Gary; Deb H.; Bill and Jeri; Jayne P.; Barbara H.; Suzy R.; Helen B., Bill and Carolyn, Dave W.; Carole; Bob and Sue; Pam M.; Dal; Gus; Joan J.; Martha L.; Betty; Sage; Joseph B.; Jerry M.; Joy J.

For the sake of privacy, we do not list the last names of those who are on our prayer list because of trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or adversity. We do our best to include last name initials in the event that two parishioners with the same first name exist.

If your prayers have been answered, let us rejoice with you. Please contact the office to let us know we can remove your prayer request. If you have prayers you would like added to the prayer list, please contact the office at office@stjameswichita.org or 316-683-5686.

Loving, Liberating and Life-Giving

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Diocesan News

Spiritual Life: 2022 Calendar of Retreats

Spiritual Deepening for Parish Life

Saturday, November 19, 2022, 9:30 am-2 pm

St. Andrew's, Emporia

Learn contemplative prayer methods to bring to parish meetings and other groups to form spiritual community, support discernment, and shape prayer groups.

Advent Quiet Day: Let it Be, the spirituality of Mary of Nazareth

Saturday, December 3, 2022, 9 am - 2 pm

Grace Cathedral and Bethany Garden

The Canon for Spiritual Life and Clergy Care is offering quiet days and retreats around the diocese throughout the year. A complete list is kept on their website. If you would like to invite her to create something for your parish, minster or convocation please reach out.

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