Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 16

Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18

Psalm 34:15-22

Ephesians 6:10-20

John 6:56-69

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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

Tech. Services: Kourinthia Burton

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Ever wanted to work behind the scenes to help prepare the Sanctuary for worship? Being on the Altar Guild is special 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.

The Altar Guild invites you to our upcoming meetings. If you are interested in the Altar Guild, please come and see what we do and if you would be interested in joining. If you have any questions, please contact Carol Gavette (559-387-6902 or carolgavette@sbcglobal.net) or speak to any member of the Altar Guild – or just show up – we will be happy to have you! We would love to welcome you to this extraordinary group dedicated to supporting the worship at St. James.

Saturday, August 21 – Altar Guild Meeting @ 12:30 PM in the Fireside Room – Open to all Guild members and anyone interested in the Altar Guild – come see if this is a Ministry that you would be interested in sharing.

Saturday, August 28 – Altar Guild Training Session – Two Sessions: 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM in the Cathedral  Open to all Altar Guild Members and anyone interested in joining the Altar Guild.  Both sessions will cover the same information. A good time to brush up on the procedures and learn about the Altar Guild.

MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE CONCERT A SUCCESS!

On Sunday, August 15, 2021 at 4 pm and 7 pm, St. James Episcopal Cathedral held two showings of a classical concert Make a Joyful Noise in the Chapel of Holy Innocents as a fundraiser in support of buildings and grounds. Musicians included Cactus Harris, Sherah Moore-Burdick, Joe Camaquin-Vigil, Aaron Burdick, Brigid deJong, Christian Cabral and collaborative pianist Matt Horton. The paintings of watercolorist Kay Sermon were on display. A lovely reception with champagne and strawberries was held after each showing. All did an incredible job, and we thank everyone who made this possible. The final amount raised was $2,700. We look forward to having more art shows in the future and hope you will participate!

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.

I would like to invite you to consider becoming involved with hospitality at St. James. I am a lifelong Episcopalian. Two congregations contributed to my raising: St. Timothy’s, a small mission church in Gridley, CA and Trinity Episcopal Church, the Cathedral for the Diocese of Northern California. What both of these congregations have in common is the extraordinary efforts they made to make people feel welcome. From the homey coffee hour tables of St. Timothy’s to the coordinated newcomer ministry of the Cathedral, I have great models of hospitality. I am excited to build on that foundation with all of you at St. James. I will be looking for volunteers to help with the following:

Coffee Hour: Once restrictions are lifted and we can return to socializing, I will be seeking teams of volunteers to provide refreshments after the 10:00am service.

Events: We will one day return to hosting Cathedral events and Diocesan events on our campus and I will need volunteers to help decorate and to prepare and/or serve food.

Welcoming Newcomers: Beginning in the fall, we will begin a coordinated ministry to newcomers that involves welcoming them on Sunday, sitting with them during the service, taking them to coffee hour and introducing them around, and following up during the week. This program is called “Invite, Welcome and Connect” and some training will be involved should you feel called to this ministry.

You may have noticed that we have been providing a small token on Sundays to those who attend the 10:00 am service. Until we can gather for coffee hour, these takeaways are designed to extend a welcome and some hospitality in the meantime. If you feel called to provide 30–40 items one week, please contact me! Hopefully we will transition to coffee hour soon!

As you can see, there are a number of ways you can get involved in hospitality at St. James, and we need you to do so. If you are interested in participating in some way, please email Denise Grayson, Cathedral Administrator at admin@stjamesfresno.org, and your name will be forwarded on to me.

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.

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.

The CDC recommends everyone 12 years and older should get a COVID-19 vaccination to help protect against COVID-19. Widespread vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the pandemic. Getting your child or teen vaccinated can bring you one step closer to enjoying the activities you miss. Children 12 years and older are able to get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.

Effective April 8, 2021, all individuals 16+ years and older are eligible to receive the vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine approved for those 16 and 17 years of age--those that are 16 and 17 years of age need parental consent before receiving the vaccine.

These clinics are for individuals interested in receiving the vaccine. To schedule an appointment, click on the button below. Bring proof of registration and any required forms (walk-in accepted at certain sites).

For second doses: Don't forget your white vaccination record card.

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.

Take some time to appreciate the outdoors this week. Go for a walk, play with your kids, play sports, or go to the park. Find ways to enjoy challenging weather such as snow, rain, and heat. Enjoy God’s beautiful creation.

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 896 1414 2873 and passcode is 368674.

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. Clare of Assisi, Avery.

The Episcopal Church’s three dioceses in Wisconsin announced Aug. 18 that they are launching a formal process “to explore ways to deepen cooperation and coordination” among the dioceses.

Episcopal Migration Ministries and its affiliates are mobilizing to respond to an expected increase people fleeing from Afghanistan to the United States after the Afghan government fell to the Taliban on Aug. 15, expediting the end of the 20-year American war in the country.

Haitian Episcopalians have spent the hours since the Aug. 14, 7.2 magnitude earthquake searching for family and friends while assessing the damage to their churches, schools and communities as their ministry partners across The Episcopal Church have anxiously awaited their news.

Episcopal dioceses and congregations are responding to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the United States, especially in Southern states with low vaccination rates, by implementing new face mask requirements at worship services and promoting vaccination campaigns.

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.