Weekly e-Epistle
from
St. James' Mill Creek
Wilmington, Delaware
April 4th, 2021

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.
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Easter Services

If you are interested in attending the Easter Service in person, please email or call the office if you would like to reserve a spot.
Email the office manager at office@stjamesmillcreek.comcastbiz.net or call the office at 302 994 1584.
Vestry Candidates for 2021-2022

Annual Meeting is April 25th
 
 
Cathy Coppol – Running for 1st Term
Margaret Russ – Running for 2nd Term
Ian Prescott – Running for 2nd Term
Bruce Vrana – Running for 2nd Term
Susan Winward – Running for 2nd Term

One service at 9:30am (followed by ZOOM meeting). 

St. James’ Family Promise Host Week Special Announcement 
 
For everyone’s safety, Family Promise will continue to house families at one location, the Hospitality Center at Jesus House, to reduce contact for guests and volunteers. Guests will still receive all the same case management services they would have received previously, just not at the Day Center. Congregations are still needed to provide support in the form of evening meals, and other supplies, including breakfast and lunch.
 
April 4th Host Week -

The St. James’ host week starts the week of April 4th. We need volunteers to supply dinner to our guest families. There is 1 family in the network, however that may change as we get closer to our host week. We will keep you updated as we know more. If you are interested, Dave Perry will send an email shortly or you can contact him directly to sign up.  
 
At this time, we are not looking for other donations. Breakfasts, lunches, and other supplies will be purchased after the coordinators have been in contact with the families to determine their needs. 
 
If you would like to participate but do not feel comfortable venturing outside, monetary donations or gift cards to restaurants that deliver are always welcome and will be used to purchase dinners, breakfasts, lunches, and other supplies.
 
As always, many thanks to our volunteers. You are the reason we are able to do this worthwhile ministry. Every family we support gets us that much closer to ending family homelessness. Thank you for all you do.
                           
Dinner Delivery Details-
 
Location Details:
·        Families are staying at Cottage 1 at the Jesus House at 2501 Old Milltown Rd, Wilmington, DE 19808.
Meal Drop-off:
·        Meal delivery should occur between 5:30-6:30 PM. 
·        When we have two families, please separate meals by family. 
·        The families have use of the kitchenette in their cottage (refrigerator, microwave, toaster oven, two burner cooktop, sink, coffee pot, dishes, utensils), but it is not a large area. 
·        The families will stagger their meal times to be able to distance. You will be serving Cottage 1. That is the one on the left as you’re facing them. 
·        Leave the food on the table outside and knock to let the families know the food is there. If no one answers, please call Val Brunson at 302-476-5067.
Annual Meeting & Annual Reports

Just a reminder:

The Annual Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, April 25, 2021. It will be a Zoom meeting. If you haven't submitted your Annual Reports, please submit them no later than Monday, March 29, 2021.
April Newsletter


Do you have something to share with the congregation? If so, please submit it to the church office by Tuesday, March 30th, and it will be included in the April newsletter. Thank you. 
From Liz Lichtenstein:

Hello, Everyone:

Over the past couple of weeks I've been putting something special for you to share with your family and loved ones during Easter. It's Virtual Easter Fun! It's a little (temporary) website with some pictures of St. James Church, the story of Easter, arts and crafts and recipes!

I really hope you enjoy it.
UPDATE-- New Castle County HOPE Center
for Individuals and Families in need of temporary housing
    Winter 2020-2021 Code Purple Plan for Wilmington    
    
New Castle County purchased the former Sheraton Hotel on Airport Rd (now named the New Castle County HOPE Center) and Friendship House is running Code Purple programing out of this location to provide housing for individuals and families who are homeless this winter. The County retained the hotel management staff to keep the facility running.
·        Code Purple started with the first snow on December 15th and will run through the end of March (and then they will evaluate how to proceed.) The County will continue working to obtain more significant housing for the individuals and families who come to the HOPE Center.
·        At this time, many of the families that would be housed with Family Promise are being served at the HOPE Center and a worker from Family Promise is on site at the HOPE Center for counseling and other services.
·        Code Purple will be every day and night this winter (not just when temperatures drop below freezing). Being able to offer 24 hour/7 day a week winter shelter during the pandemic is a huge gift and opportunity for our friends living on the streets.
·        The hotel can accommodate 400 and suites and adjoining rooms are given to families and enables 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 St. James' can help:

·     Review the list below and see if there are items you could provide.
·   We offer "contactless drop off" at the parish hall Monday-Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  
·   Please place your donations in the bin labeled Donations for HOPE Center - CODE PURPLE on the porch of the parish hall.  

    Liz will bring in the bin and any donated items at 1:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and we will take the donations to Friendship House at the end of each week.
 
Items needed: 
  •    Hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap (regular and travel size). 
  •    Tide pods or other laundry pods 
  •    Containers of ground coffee (the staff brews coffee daily for the guests)
  •    Gift cards for local grocery stores  
Clothing items:
  • NEW socks and underwear (men's, women's, or children's)
  • NEW or gently used winter items (coats, gloves, and hats)


Thank you, 
St. James' Outreach Ministry
Prayer Team

On the first Sunday of every month the members of the prayer team hold a “virtual” ZOOM prayer service at 11:30 a.m. (focusing on the prayer requests shared by parishioners through calls or emails to the church office or to individual members of the prayer team.) We lift up these prayer requests and other concerns of the parish, community, and world.
During this time of Covid-19, the prayer team is holding ZOOM prayer team gatherings twice a month. Also, weekly we share the prayers and petitions that have been given to us and they are lifted up daily by members of the team. All are welcome to participate in these services.

Also, here's the list of April upcoming prayer team services:

April 4 Easter - ZOOM @ 11:30 a.m. prayer team

April 18 ZOOM @11:30 a.m. prayer team

Just a reminder: 

April 25 ZOOM Annual meeting follows 9:30 a.m. service 


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 Sister BJ Brown at: sisterbjbrown@gmail.com or call Cindy Fauerbach 302-584-8053
St. James’ Pastoral Care Team is here and wants to help.

If you or someone you know is in need, we send cards, we make phone calls, we will pray with you and/or for you. NOTE: Once safety from the Covid-19 virus permits, we will continue to make home and hospital visits and make Eucharistic visits.
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.

NOTE: once safety from the Covid-19 virus permits, on Sundays there are forms and envelopes labeled “Pastoral Care” next to the prayer requests in the church entrance. Please place your request in the offering plate or the prayer basket.
Please let us know if you need us or someone you know needs us, we won’t know if you don’t tell us.
A Prayer for Easter Day
 
Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.



Find more Morning Psalm and prayers please visit

A note from your Wardens about attending church in person

  • Your safety is our top priority.
  • No one should feel obligated to attend church in person. If you are not comfortable being around others, it is okay to stay at home.
  • On-line services will continue to be available through Facebook Live.

For those who do wish to attend church, please click on the button below to read more of the guidelines and safety protocols for the Return to In-Person Services. We look forward to seeing you. 
Join us for ZOOM Coffee Hour

You are invited to a virtual coffee hour following worship at St. James’ Mill Creek, beginning approximately 15 minutes after service concludes. So after service is over, grab a beverage or snack and connect to your church family. All are welcome.

For those who have not used Zoom previously, this page has a video and instructions on how to join a Zoom meeting from various devices (PC, Mac, iOS device, Android, regular telephone with a toll call, etc.): https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193-How-Do-I-Join-A-Meeting- . You do not need to sign up for a Zoom account to attend.

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 931 0834 7195
Password: 766583
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St. James' Mill Creek
2106 St. James Church Road
Wilmington, DE 19808

302.994.1584