Weekly e-Epistle
from
St. James' Mill Creek
Wilmington, Delaware
December 19th, 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.
Advent 4C

Mary singing her song of praise to Elizabeth is a wonderful and joy-filled moment. The image, though, of a young woman singing to her older cousin is not accidental. Luke is very careful in the telling of his story that shows the connection of Zechariah and Elizabeth and their son John to the story of Mary and Joseph and Jesus. The image of people like Elizabeth and Zechariah having a child would have been a well-known image of the time, but the image of Mary being the Mother of God turns what was expected upside down.
 
In the middle of everything else that goes on in the world around us, it’s the things being turned upside down that sometimes cause us the most consternation and confusion. And Mary being willing to take on this mantle is something that may not make sense to many of us, but there’s great grace and beauty in her courage. Mary, you see, is not a vessel. Mary is one who had the strength to say, “Yes,” to an outlandish request in the face of all kinds of uncertainty. 

Prayer for the Fourth Sunday in Advent

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.



Find more Morning Psalm and prayers please visit
https://delaware.church/psalms-and-prayers/
Christmas Services at St. James’ Episcopal Church
 
December 16 - 7:00 PM - An Advent Service of Light 

December 24 - 3:00 PM - Daylight Christmas Eucharist
December 24 - 7:00 PM - Christmas Eve Eucharist
December 24 - 10:00 PM - Traditional Christmas Eve Service with Holy Eucharist
 
December 25 - 10:00 AM - Christmas Day Eucharist (No Music)
 
December 26 - 9:30 AM - Christmas Lessons and Carols with Holy Eucharist
 
Mark your calendars, and more details on each of these offerings will be coming soon!
Reaching out to those in need this holiday season

 In our St. James’ tradition, we ask you to consider how you might brighten someone’s holiday. As with 2020, 2021 has taken a toll on so many, especially the elderly, those with limited finances, and those without homes. Please consider if one of these opportunities for giving might fit in your holiday giving plans this year:

Adopt-a-grandparent and Adopt-a-family

Last year we “adopted” 20 individuals of the Brandywine Nursing and Rehabilitation Center without a family member to remember them or send a gift at Christmas. Our donations went to purchase gifts from their “wish list” and to ensure these individuals received gifts at their Christmas gathering.
 We also have an opportunity to support a family of three (mother and her 15-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son) who were burned out of their home before Thanksgiving and lost everything in the fire. The mother is one of our healthcare heroes who works as a medical assistant in an urgent care unit with one of our parishioners. Donations will provide needed clothing and a few Christmas gifts.
 Please send your contribution in the form of a check to the St. James’ parish office or drop it in the collection plate:

St. James’ Church
Attn: Adopt-a-grandparent/family
2106 St. James’ Church Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
(Please mark: Adopt-a-grandparent/family in your check memo.)
Deadline for contributions: Monday, December 20, 2021

Emmanuel Dining Room

Warm socks, gloves, and hats anything to help keep warm are needed for the winter season. 
 
While most of our guests are adults, we do serve children during the holiday season. So, all sizes are appreciated!  
 Items can be dropped off at the parish hall in the bin on the porch from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday – Thursday. Or there will be a box in the entry to the church where you can drop off items.

Collected items will be given to our Emmanuel Dining Room guests on New Year’s Eve, December 31st along with their delicious lunch.

Questions-text or call Pat Minor 302-983-6299 or Cindy Fauerbach 302-584-8053
Thank you for considering this request.
 
With thanks and blessings,
St. James’ Mission Outreach team  

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 Friday, December 31, 2021 and we 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 lasagna, green beans, fruit, cookies, and a bottle of water again this year. And we will distribute the socks, hats, gloves, etc. that are collected this month.
 
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 St. James' can help:
Review the list below and see if there are items you could provide.
 
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.
·       Weekly, we will take the donations to Friendship House.
 
Items needed:
 
•          Diapers - all sizes - Urgent need for size 5 & 6
•          Baby wipes
•          Gift cards - Target, Acme, Wawa
•          Non-alcohol hand sanitizer
•          Powdered Drink Mixes - Hot Chocolate mix or Iced Tea/Lemonade
•          Small containers of peanut butter and tuna fish (easy open)
•          Microwaveable one-dish meals
•          Quart size/ Gallon size and sandwich size Ziplock bags
•          Fruit cups, apple sauce, and pudding
•          Individually wrapped snacks-crackers, granola bars, and cereal bars
•          Non-refrigerated milk and powdered milk
•          NEW Underwear, and socks - all sizes, children through adult
•          New or gently used t-shirts and light jackets
•          New books for adults and children
•          New puzzles, crossword books, and puzzle books - adult/children
•          Art kits, adult and children coloring books, colored pencils
•          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)
 
Thank you,
St. James' Outreach Ministry

We are thankful for our pre-school children for making Christmas ornaments and decorating our parish hall tree.
MERRY Christmas!
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 Cindy Fauerbach cindyfauerbach@verizon.net or call Cindy at
302-584-8053
 
NOTE: Our next ZOOM prayer team will be Sunday, January 2nd, 2022 at 5PM and include an evening prayer led by Gwen Gerety-Hayes.
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.  

Romans 12:9 

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

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 mandatory. 
  • 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