Our Weekly News & Updates | |
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Friends,
These are exciting days at St. James the Less. New faces are coming weekly, and people are welcoming and encouraging folks to keep coming back. We have just had baptisms and finished another confirmation class so folks can be full members of the Episcopal Church. The trestles have arrived for the pavilion, and we see new movement on this long-awaited project daily. We have our new Bishop, Bishop Elect Canon Mark Stephenson, joining us on December 11 for a day of celebrations and dedications. And if that is not enough, we just received more good news.
On December 4, we already had a joyous day planned. My partner leader from Kumasi, Ghana, Father Nana Kessie is scheduled to preach for us. This week we have learned that my dear friend the Rev. Canon Malcolm Rogers (who preached at our Celebration of New Ministry service) and the acting Bishop of Liverpool, Bishop Bev Mason (Bishop of Warrington, suffragan Bishop of Liverpool) will be joining us as well. And it is the Advent Faire that day as well. It will be another day to remember! It will be a powerful service for the second Sunday of Advent.
But before all of that, we have two big things THIS WEEK.
- STEW SALE: Friday and Saturday, many of us will be busy with our Stew Sale. We have already sold around 300 of our 400 planned quarts, so if you have not ordered yours yet, NOW IS THE TIME. If you signed up to help, thank you in advance! We start the cook early on Saturday, and we begin pick-up at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
- STEWARDSHIP INGATHERING: This Sunday we have our ingathering of our pledges for the coming year. We need your support. We have had a budget decline over the past few years, mostly from significant givers passing away. We have added many new faces and we have maintained and excelled during some pretty rough seas. We are still afloat and flourishing. As mentioned above, so many good things are happening. We are all tightening our belts with the recent inflation worries. Your costs are going up, and so are the church's. Please give as you can, and if possible, consider increasing your pledge for the coming year. This is Christ's church, and we are its stewards. God has and will continue to provide. I hope you will be with us this Sunday and stay for the Stewardship luncheon to follow. We live and walk by faith.
So much good, thank you for your faithfulness. May we continue to see the fruit of our labors. Two bishops in two weeks are pretty cool! (They must know that we are the Center of the Universe™!
Blessings, and hope to see you this Sunday,
Rock+
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Wednesday, November 9, 2022
- *Parking lot may be blocked at the Pavilion with a crane*
- 7:30am-Eucharist Rite II
- Breakfast following
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10:30am-Yoga Class Brydon
- No Chair Yoga today
Thursday, November 10, 2022
- 10am- Book Club on Zoom
- 6pm-Handbell Choir
- 7pm-Parish Choir
Friday, November 11, 2022
Office Closed for Veterans Day
Saturday, November 12, 2022
- 9am- Group Exercise Class
- 2-6pm- PICK UP STEW
Sunday, November 13, 2022
- 8am-Eucharist:Rite I
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9am-Adult and Children's Sunday School
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10am- Eucharist: Rite II (music)
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5:45pm- J2A Youth Group
Monday, November 14, 2022
- 10:30am-Good Grief Group
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10:30am-Yoga Class Brydon Hall
- 7pm-Dream Group
- No Chair Yoga today
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SJTL Christmas Ornament
We are so excited to announce we are selling Saint James the Less Christmas Ornaments. It is crystal with beveled edges. It's gorgeous! We are selling this Parish Fundraiser for $20. To place an order, please complete this form or call the office, 804-798-6336. Orders need to be in by November 26th. You can pay when you pick them up. Your tree will look so beautiful with this addition!
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KNITTERS AND CROCHETERS WELCOME
The prayer shawl group would welcome other hand work lovers to join us. We make prayer shawls to be given to those in need of comfort during times of illness or stress. Father Rock blesses the shawls and distributes them as needs arise. As an additional winter project, we are making hats for the children at the Peter and Paul Center. Since the pandemic, we’ve been working from home. If you would like to join us, we have yarn and patterns available.
Kimette Cannady (634-5514) and Jenny Bruce (798-0922)
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Stations of the Cross
We've put up our next stations of the cross. We hope you will come enjoy our beautiful campus and deepen your faith as you walk the 12 stations.
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Stewardship Luncheon
Our annual Stewardship Sunday is coming up THIS Sunday, November 13th at the 10am service. Please bring your pledge cards as we celebrate and live out our theme, “Do Not Be Afraid.” We will have our luncheon catered following the service. We hope you will join us. No need to bring anything to the lunch, but yourselves.
Children's Offering
We are bringing back the pre-Covid tradition of letting children bring a gently used or new toy to donate to a local organization as an act of Stewardship. They can bring their toy down the asile to donate while everyone is bringing their pledge cards.
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LAST CALL!
Brunswick Stew Sale
Our annual tradition is back! We are thrilled!
We will be selling our famous "Bishop's Blessed Brunswick Stew," available for pick up Saturday, November 12th between 2-6pm. We only have 85 quarts left. They will be $12 a quart. If you would like to reserve a quart for yourself or your family, please do that HERE, or you are welcome to call Kasey and she can set you up. (804-798-6336). You can pay when you pick it up via check, cash or card.
We will be preparing the food on Friday, November 11th and cooking and selling it on Saturday, November 12th. If you would like to be part of the cooking and distribution team, please click HERE to sign up or just let Kasey know.
Please make sure you pick up your stew order on Saturday between 2-6pm.
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Creation Care Task Force
As the need to address eco-anxiety and grief increases, the Creation Care Task Force of the Episcopal Diocese of Va. is offering a free webinar presentation “Preaching Exilic Hope in the Climate Crisis” at 4 PM, Dec. 8. While targeted for clergy, lay leaders are certainly welcome. Please click here for registration information. Please click here for prayers that help us focus our minds and hearts on God.
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Rule of Life Class
We will be holding our Rule of Life class again this year on Thursdays, December 8, 15 & 22 at 10am in person. Have you ever wondered what it would look like to deepen your daily practice of connecting with God? In this hour long course we will give you practical ways of seeking God in life.
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Advent Faire
Santa Shop is BACK! We will be bringing back the Santa shop for our children this year. During the Advent Faire on December 4th, the kids will be able to shop for family members privately in our little Santa shop and wrap their gift to take home and put under the tree.
BUT we need your help with donations. Do you have any sweet trinkets, household items, or ornaments that you can donate? Please bring them to the office or drop them in the Sunday School room. We also need bags and tissue paper to help with wrapping these gifts. Any and all donations are helpful! If you have any questions, please email Miriam.
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Young Adult Virtual Bible Study
We are thrilled that Abby Thompson & Miriam Smith will be holding a Young Adult Virtual Bible Study on the Psalms on Wednesday evenings at 7pm. HERE is the link to join the Zoom. If you need to dial in, please call (301) 715-8592 and enter Meeting ID: 813 9756 3505 and Passcode: 829494.
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Bishop Consecration
You are invited to the Ordination and Consecration of the Rev’d Canon E. Mark Stevenson as XIV Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia, Saturday, December 3, 11:00 a.m. at The Saint Paul’s Baptist Church, 4247 Creighton Road, Henrico, Va.
Attendance at the Ordination and Consecration is open to all members of the Diocese, but registration is required for all participants, including laity. Here is the link for laity registration if you would like to attend. There is no limit how many we can bring, but EVERYONE must register.
We are looking for Choir Members to join in the united choir. Reggie has this information if you would like to do that. Also, we have been invited to have a Banner Bearer carry our SJtL banner in the service. Please reach out to the office if you are interested. It will be an unforgettable day!
Also, they are looking for ushers for the Consecration service. If you would like to be an usher, let us know and we will get you connected! What a special thing we get to be part of.
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Each week we will feature a different ministry here at St. James the Less.
Let me introduce you to our INCREDIBLE Facilities Guild. These folks take incredible care of our property- mowing, fixing things that are broken, helping us to be amazing stewards of this property and building. There is so much that they do that goes unseen. We are so grateful for their service. If you would like to be part of this ministry, let us know. We can get you the training you would need to be part of this essential team.
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Sign up to bring meals for the Clinic Volunteers HERE
- Help stock our Emergency Food Pantry (outside the clinic)
- Send in your Pop Tops for McDonald House
- Bring in Hygiene or laundry items for Peter Paul
- Donate to ACES (see below)
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Pantry: Pasta sauce, Canned meat (tuna, ham, salmon, chicken, etc.), Beans (with pork, baked, white beans, black beans, etc.), Hot and cold cereal (healthier brands preferred), Personal care items (soap, toothpaste, shampoo, lotion, deodorant, toilet paper, etc.), Cleaning products (laundry soap, dish soap, etc.)
Adult Clothing: Men's boxers and boxer briefs (all sizes), Men's shoes (all sizes), Men's underwear, Men's jeans, Men's extra large winter clothing (sizes 2x, 3x, 4x), Women's underwear (all sizes)
Children's Clothing: Girl's underwear (sizes 8 and 16), Large kid's socks, Baby wipes (we are completely out)
ACES is open on both Mondays and Wednesday from 8:30-11:30am. Thank you for your continued support!
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Empowering Neighbors
A new local community service non-profit organization by the name of Empowering Neighbors, Inc. is looking for volunteers to staff a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance office in Ashland for the upcoming tax season. See the FAQ document for more information.
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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, our Bishop, the Bishop Elect, The Rev. Canon Mark Stevenson and family, Rock+, our priest, and Dawn+, our Deacon. 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, Glenn, 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, Meghann Batten, Michael Fox, Bill Blakemore, Dennis Folsom, Paul Robb, Debra Bernard, Smith family, Court Warfield, Andrea Alexander McCallum, Tom Ficklin, Janet Taylor, Jessica and family, Joy Stevenson, David Turner, Kim Keene, Brad Rose, Wendy Vaughan, Sara Reece, Richard Rennolds, Andy Newchok, Jim Smith, Joe Beane, Pam Bowers, Bettilee, Iana Mason, Diane Wood, Bill Mercier, Shirley Miller, Jonathan Smith, Mary Ann Kinser, Aubrey Fletcher, Rebecca Hottman, and Allison Provencher.
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 governments and governing bodies of Metropolitan Richmond: For the Mayor and City Council of Richmond, the City Administrator, and all city employees.
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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Proper 27
November 6, 2022
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November 9
Jack Mark
November 10
Katie Lewis
November 11
Linda Feeley
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November 12
Rick Roberts
Tracy Hughes
November 14
Georgia Sehlhorst
Colin Grande
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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. | | | | | |
