PRAYING SHAPES BELIEVING
A Meditation for You
Welcome to The Season of Creation: Contemplate, Pray, Learn

The Season of Creation, September 1st through October 4th, is celebrated by Christians around the world as a time for renewing, repairing and restoring our relationship to God, one another, and all of creation. The Episcopal Church joins this international effort for prayer and action for climate justice and an end to environmental racism and ecological destruction. This year’s theme is Jubilee for the Earth: New Rhythms, New Hope. In celebrating the Season, we are invited to consider anew our ecological, economic, and political ways of living.

Contemplate Light Dawns on a Weary World, by the Salt Lake Vocal Artists
Pray with Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: Creator God, help us to accept your boundaries so that all created things can flourish. Amen.
 
Read the full devotion by Bishop Eaton here.
Learn more about Season of Creation here.
A Note From Father Rock
St. Francis holds a special place in my heart. Many of you know the prayer attributed to him, "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace..." Last Christmas Eve at the late service we talked about how he introduced the ubiquitous crèche the most of us have in our churches and homes now. St. Francis only wanted Christ to be known and adored. All creation sings praises to our God, even the animals, earth, and sky. This Sunday night we gather to remember Francis and bless animals, who get to love God, too. Hope you and your critter (or a picture if they are skittish) can come out to the front of the Church at 6 pm Sunday. Humans WEAR MASKS! 
 
Here is another famous prayer for St. Francis for you to ponder and maybe pray:
May the power of your love, Lord Christ, 
fiery and sweet as honey,
wean my heart from all that is under heaven,
so that I may die for love of your love,
who were so good as to die for love of my love.
Amen
 
Blessings this Francistide!
Happenings This Weekend
Please join us for the Contemplative service this Sunday, October 4th at 5pm online. It will be a beautiful time of reflection. The link is listed below. The theme this week is on Angels, looking at them from different perspectives. We hope this will be a time of deep grounding for you in your faith.
Please join us this Sunday, October 4th at 6pm in person outdoor on the front steps of the church. We will follow in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi and bless the animals we are gifted with on this earth. These fine companions show us attributes of God that we can celebrate. You can choose to come in person, following all social distancing rules, or watch online (links below). Let us bless these faithful companions.
Staying Connected
Friday, October 2, 2020
  • 12pm- Noonday prayers (online) 

Sunday, October 4, 2020
  • 9am- Children's Sunday School (online)
  • Link to join
  • 10am- Worship (online & in person)
  • Link to watch services
  • Link for bulletin
  • 5pm- Contemplative Worship (online)
  • Link to watch services
  • Link for bulletin
  • 6pm-Blessing Of the Animals (online & in person)
  • Link to watch services
  • Link for bulletin

Monday, October 5, 2020
  • 10:30am- Grief Group (Memorial Garden)
  • 12pm- Noonday prayers (online)
  • 5pm- Prayer for our Country (Memorial Garden)

Join us daily for Noonday Prayer online here. You can follow along with the service on page 103 of the Book of Common Prayer or visit BCPonline.org (Click on "Daily Office" and then "An Order of Service at Noonday")

If you can't join us live-time, no worries. All of these services can be viewed at your convenience afterward on Facebook. All our Sunday morning and Contemplative services will be posted on our YouTube Channel, "St. James the Less Ashland VA." You can access that here.
  • Click here to see the VA & DC Diocese plan for the phased reopening.  
  • Click here for the most current response from Bishop Goff and The Diocese.
  • COVID VA- Download the Covid Virginia app the Governor recommends.
  • Randolph Macon College COVID Dashboard- Link here
Helpful Links
  • Prayer List- Prayers of the People
  • Ask for prayer-Send in your prayer request (please acknowledge if the prayer is private or for our Parish list)
  • Forward Day By Day- Email us if you would like us to mail you a copy of the Forward Day By Day. Please make sure to include your first and last name and US Postal address.
  • Giving to the First Baptist Food Pantry- Here's all you need to know about giving to our neighbors.
  • List of Local Food Pantries- Click here for a complete list of local food pantries.
  • Fall Line Farms- A wonderful organization that supports local farmers. Click here to order food so you can pick it up here at SJTL on Thursdays.
  • Self- Guided Ways Of Worship Brochure- It has wonderful ways of engaging with your own space (and the spaces around the church) to find the Holy, already present, within them.
  • Good Chi Yoga- Barbara Olin is offering her yoga classes, via Zoom, on Wednesday and Fridays. Click the link to email her and let her know you are interested in joining!
  • Father Rock's Blog- Access reading of all of Father Rock's Homilies.
  • Blessings & Dressings- A copy of the SJTL Cookbook
St. James the Less
125 Beverly Rd. | Ashland VA 23005 | (804) 798.6336