Weekly e-Epistle
from
St. James' Mill Creek
Wilmington, Delaware
September 5th, 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.
Upcoming Visiting Clergy
 
Sunday, September 5th          Chaplain John "Jay" Hutchinson
 
Sunday, September 12th        The Rev. Margaret Sterchi

Sunday, September 19th        The Rev. Margaret Sterchi

Sunday, September 26th        Sister Julian Wilson & Sister BJ Brown
Morning Prayer*
Altar Flower Announcement
 
Anyone wishing to give altar flowers as a memorial for a loved one or in thanksgiving or celebration of a special event please contact the church office at 302-994-1584 or Pat Minor at 302-738-3753.
 
The cost is $46 per Sunday. 
Gardening Committee Announcement
 
The Gardening Committee will be weeding on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays in September and October between 8:30 am and 10:30 am.
All volunteers are welcome if you are interested in offering a helping hand. We would love to have you come and help us with the beautification of the garden.
If you have any questions please feel free to email Lynn Morgan at gnurse33@verizon.net or Liz Lichtenstein at office@stjamesmillcreek.comcastbiz.net .

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.
 
August 29th Host Week -

We are looking for volunteers to supply dinner to our guests the week of August 29th. There are 2 families in network, one in Cottage 1 and one at Red Roof Inn as they have a service dog. We will keep you updated as things change. 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 asking for other donations. Supplies will be purchased after the coordinators have been in contact with families to determine their needs. 
 
If you would like to participate but do not feel comfortable, monetary donations or gift cards to restaurants that deliver are always welcome.
 
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. 
·        Families are expected to be at dinner on Sundays! Volunteers may choose to serve outside and utilize outdoor dining, or allow families to take meals inside. You can eat dinner with families only if they are eating outside, but that is your choice. There are picnic tables on the grounds. If you do not feel comfortable staying and eating, then feel free to just deliver food.
·        Meals no longer have to be separated by family. Meals and supplies are for the whole Cottage to share. You may absolutely set aside a meal for anyone missing dinner.
·        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.  
Greetings from Russ's Angels team captain, Margaret Russ.
Russ's Angels will be walking to END Alzheimer's again in 2021.   
As you know we are unable to host our Annual Fundraiser event again this year. Sorry, still no flapjacks.
St. James has been a great support over the years, I want to give you the chance to help again this year.  
If you can donate there are three ways to do it.
  1.  Use the link to my page http://act.alz.org/goto/margaretruss
  2.  You can mail/hand me a check, written to Alzheimer's Association 
  3.  Or hand me cash at Church.  
If you want to join our team the walk is Saturday 10/23/21 @Del Castle Park. Use the link above to join. Would love to have you.  
 
Please feel free to reach out to me, Margaret Russ with any questions or to chat.  
443-945-7230
Congratulations to Kathy on a job well done!
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.
·        Also, during this time of transition, if you need a priest, we will help with that, too.
·        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 note: We are not always informed about parishioners entering the hospital. So, please call if you or someone you know has been admitted to the hospital.

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.  

Job 14:7-9

“Indeed there is hope for a tree. If it’s cut down and still sprouting and its shoots don’t fail, if its roots age in the ground and its stump dies in the dust, at the scent of water, it will bud and produce sprouts like a plant.”
We are grateful for the support that enables us to serve lunch at the Emmanuel Dining Room and provide needed clothing and food for 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 Tuesday, August 31st, 2021. We continue to deliver our lunch items and extra bottles of water. We hope we will be able to actually serve our guests in the dining room sometime this fall.

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-Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 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 1:30 p.m.
·        Weekly, we will take the donations to Friendship House
 
Items needed:
 
  • Diapers - all sizes - Urgent need for size 5 & 6
  • Uber/Lyft Tickets in $25 increments
  • Washable Mesh Laundry Bags with drawstring
  • individual size creamers for coffee
  • Snack bags - pretzels, chips, or goldfish
  • Powdered Drink Mixes - 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 crackers, granola bars, and cereal bars
  • $5 gift cards - Target, Acme, Wawa
  • Hot Chocolate mix
  • Baby wipes
  • Non-alcohol hand sanitizer
  • 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
  • Sunscreen
  • Umbrellas
  • 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
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.

Next Prayer: Next meeting will be Sunday, September 19th.


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
A Prayer for Joy in God’s Creation

O heavenly Father, you have filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works; that, rejoicing in your whole creation, we may learn to serve you with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



Find more Morning Psalm and prayers please visit
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