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Weekly e-Epistle
from
St. James' Mill Creek
Wilmington, Delaware
April 3rd, 2022

We'd love for you to join us!

We would be pleased if you joined us in person or online from the comfort of your home for church services via Facebook Live at 9:30am.


Here is a PDF of this Sunday's bulletin for you to enjoy.
This Sunday we will hear the following words from the psalmist:
 
“The Lord has done great things for us,
      and we are glad indeed.”
 
These words are prayed by someone who is at a transition point, of sorts, in their life. They’re looking back, remembering where the Lord was with them and hoping (knowing?) that the Lord’s promises will be fulfilled again. And yet, here they rest, not knowing when that time will be.
 
The psalmist reminds us that in those moments when things aren’t the way we hope they’d be, it’s good to look back and remember those times when things were good and trust that the way things are is not the way things will always be.
 
Tying into this, the prophet gives us these words from the Lord:
 
“Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43: 18-19)
 
We can’t know what life will look like in a time when our parish and our Church comes more out of Covid. We can’t know what the new Creation will look like, either. We trust, though, in the goodness of God and the faithfulness of Christ. Our hope is when what is new springs forth we will see it, and we will know it.

Pastoral announcement
 
We received word that former parishioner Debbie McCusker passed from life to life this past Sunday, March 27th with her family by her side. Even though Debbie and her family, husband Jay, and children Amanda, Andrew, and Angela moved to Maine and then North Caroline years ago, many of you will remember them and Debbie's late parents, Edward Betley and Shirley Adams Betley.


Holy Week at St. James’ Episcopal Church
 
Palm Sunday - April 10 - 9:30 AM
We begin in the Carriage Circle with the Liturgy of the Palms where we celebrate Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. After processing into the church we will hear together a dramatic reading of the Passion Gospel.
 
Maundy Thursday - April 14 - 7:00 PM
On this night we remember Jesus washing the feet of his disciples and the institution of the Lord’s Supper. Following the service we will strip the altar in preparation for Good Friday.
 
Good Friday - April 15 - 12:00 PM
We gather with our fellow churches from across the Mill Creek Ministerium to sing hymns, say prayers, and hear meditations on the Seven Last Words of Christ from the Cross.
 
Easter Sunday - April 17 - 9:30 AM
A festival service of hymns and a celebration of the Holy Eucharist breaks our Lenten fast as we celebrate the resurrection of Christ and His victory over the powers of this world.
 

Easter Memorials

Making a donation for Easter flowers not only beautifies the church as we rejoice in the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, this is a fitting way to remember loved ones who have passed on and/or to celebrate the people and events in our lives.
 
Below you will find a form for your use in making a memorial contribution. Envelopes will also be inserted in the Sunday service bulletins through Palm Sunday. Contributions may be mailed or placed in the offering plate. Please note that they must be received by Palm Sunday in order to be listed in the Easter bulletins. Thank you!
The Garden Committee Announcement


The Garden Committee is beginning with clean up. If you are interested in volunteering that would be great. All are welcome!

This is the schedule from now until May. If you have any questions please email or call Lynn Morgan at 302 593 4431 or gnurse33@verizon.net

               3/30 1pm – 4pm Clean up
               4/6 1pm – 4pm Clean up
               4/18 9am – 10am Garden Committee Meeting
                        10am – 12pm Weeding and Clean up
               4/30 9am – 10am Plant Blue Salvia
               5/2 9am – 11am Weeding
               5/16 9am – 11am Weeding
               5/29 Weeding
6/13 Weeding and then every two weeks after that Monday.

Serving those in need with dignity and respect…
 
We are grateful for your support that enables us to
serve lunch at the Emmanuel Dining Room
and provide clothing, food, and other items
needed by those being served at the Hope Center.
 
EMMANUEL DINING ROOM
Providing a daily lunch to those in need in Wilmington
 
Our next date for providing lunch for Emmanuel Dining Room will be Thursday, March 31, 2022 and we will continue to deliver our lunch items and extra bottles of water. We hope we will be able to serve our guests in the dining room sometime this spring. For now, we offer “take-away” lunches. We will be serving meatball subs, fruit, chips, cookies, and a bottle of water again this year. When possible, we’ll also offer a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as a snack/extra meal (for now--made by youth and adults in their homes.)
 
New Castle County HOPE Center
for Individuals and Families in need of temporary housing and support services.
 
What started as temporary housing during the cold weather of 2020-2021 has grown into a permanent center that provides housing and support services for individuals and families who are without adequate housing in New Castle County.  New Castle County (NCC) purchased the former Sheraton Hotel on Airport Rd (now named the New Castle County HOPE Center) and kept the hotel management staff to keep the facility running.  Working together, many non-profit organizations including Family Promise provide various services and support for individuals and families to obtain emergency and more significant housing and medical, psychological, and job skills opportunities as well. The hotel can accommodate 400 and suites and adjoining rooms are given to families and enable households to stay together. Housing is coordinated through the Delaware Housing Alliance. 
 
If you know of anyone who needs this housing, please ask them to call 1-833-FIND-BED (1-833-3463-233) and leave a message.
 
How can you help?
Review the list below and see where you might be able to help.
 
Current items needed:
 
•      Hygiene items such as deodorant, shampoo, and soap (regular and travel size)
•      Non-alcohol hand sanitizer
•      Tide pods or other laundry pods
•      NEW Underwear, and socks - all sizes, children through adult
•      New or gently used t-shirts and light jacket
·       New books for adults and children
·       Gift cards - Target, Acme, Wawa
 
Please drop the items off:
 
·        Monday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the parish hall porch 
Please place your donations in the bin labeled Donations for HOPE Center on the porch of the parish hall. Liz will bring in the bin and any donated items at 12:30 p.m.
·        On Sunday, there is a container in the foyer of the church.
 
We take the donations to Friendship House about every two weeks.
 
Thank you,
St. James' Outreach Ministry
Prayer Team

One Sunday of every month, the members of the prayer team hold a “virtual” ZOOM prayer service (focusing on the prayer requests shared by parishioners through calls or emails to the church office 994-1584 or to individual members of the prayer team.) We lift up these prayer requests and other concerns of the parish, community, and world.

Also, weekly we share the prayers and petitions that have been given to us and they are lifted in the daily prayers of the team members. All are welcome to provide their prayer requests and participate in these services.
 
For those who have an immediate prayer need or would like to receive the ZOOM codes and join the prayer team service, we invite you to email your prayer needs/requests to Carolyn Mack at cdmack37@gmail.com or call 302-565-8675

NOTE: Our next ZOOM prayer team will be Sunday, April 3rd at 5 p.m.
St. James' Pastoral Care Team

St. James' Pastoral Care Team continues to support our parish family and our community.
 
If you or someone you know is in need, we: 
 
·    send cards, make phone calls, and pray with you and/or for you.
·    For now, in an abundance of caution, our home, hospital, and Eucharistic visits are on hold.
 
Please call the office (302-994-1584) and leave a message. Someone will get back to you. Messages are retrieved daily, seven days a week.
 
Please let us know if you need us or someone you know needs us. We will not know if you do not tell us.
“Blessful” Meditations

We all know that life can be a little stressful and hectic sometimes. We hope that by reading this short bible passage and watching a relaxing video will help you take a moment and reflect on God’s gifts.  

Psalm 86:5

“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”

Prayer for Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Lent


O Lord our God, you sustained your ancient people in the wilderness with bread from heaven: Feed now your pilgrim flock with the food that endures to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


Find more Morning Psalm and prayers please visit
https://delaware.church/psalms-and-prayers/
COVID-19 Restrictions

 
Our firm desire is to worship our Lord in beauty, holiness, AND safety! Please be assured that the St. James' leadership team has worked hard to have meaningful worship while at the same time making our environment as safe as possible for everyone.
  • Church entry time will be 9:15 a.m.
  • Please sanitize hands before entering the church.
  • Face masks are required. 
  • At communion, please wait until you are back in your seat to consume your wafer.

For Access to the News of the Diocesan Publications
St. James' Mill Creek
2106 St. James Church Road
Wilmington, DE 19808

302.994.1584