Weekly e-Epistle
from
St. James' Mill Creek
Wilmington, Delaware
June 13th, 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.
From Eileen Marvel:

It's time for Lemonade in the Circle! We are looking for hosts/hostesses to provide refreshments and an opportunity for fellowship following the Sunday service. We ask that you provide beverages. If you wish to provide some kind or sweet or savory snack, we ask that it be individually wrapped. We provide anything else that is needed. Please contact Eileen Marvel at 302-994-6803 or thekittysmom@comcast.net to sign-up or with any questions. Thank you! 
Congratulations Graduates! 
Megan Joynt will be graduating from Appoquinimink High School on June 5th. She is a member of the National Honor Society and President of Best Buddies. Megan played field hockey for 3 years and currently works part time as a gymnastics coach.

Megan has attended St. James since she was 2 years old. She has served as an acolyte, and is an active member of the Youth Group. This year she had the honor of being one of the seniors to give the sermon at youth led service on Christmas Morning.

She will be attending the University of Maine this fall with a major in Marine Sciences. 
Our daughter, Erika Phillips, is graduating from St. Mark's High School next month. She is a National Honor Society member. She will be attending the University of North Carolina this fall to study Psychology.
­­­­­Holly Brennan is the first person baptized at St. James, by our former Rector, Jim Bimbi. 
She has been an active member of the St. James youth group, an acolyte and a lay reader. She graduated on June 5th from The Tatnall School in Wilmington and will be attending James Madison University in the fall. 
Hayley August is graduating from Concord High School. She has played soccer since she was 4 and has played for the last three years for Concord Soccer. She has also managed the boy's soccer team for the last three seasons.

Hayley is a lifetime member of St. James. She has served as an acolyte, participated in the Kentucky mission trip in 2015 and is an active member of the Youth Group. 

Hayley was accepted at the University of Delaware and will be attending in the fall. 
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.
 
June 27th Host Week -

The St. James’ host week starts the week of June 27th. We need volunteers to supply dinner to our guest families. There are 2 families 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. 
·        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.  
 
St James' Episcopal Church and The Bazaar Group is proud to announce The Spring Fling Sale!

The ladies have not been idle. We have been holding Zoom Bazaar Meetings, every other Tuesday, since February. Quite a few of the ladies are working on projects at home. We are planning several virtual events this year. The first is a Spring Fling Sale scheduled to start in May. A Christmas in July Sale will be the next event. Our goal is to hold a virtual Quilt Raffle in the fall. Laura Gracie, one of our Bazaar Ladies, has made a beautiful quilt for the raffle. 

Thank you so much for your continued support. Be sure to check out our new mini site! 
Introducing:
“Blessful” Meditations

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

Isaiah 35:4
Say to those who have an anxious heart, 'Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.'
We are grateful for the support that enabled us to serve lunch at the Emmanuel Dining Room on March 31st and provide needed clothing and food for those being served at the Hope Center. 
EMMANUEL DINING ROOM
Our next date for providing lunch for Emmanuel Dining Room will be Memorial Day, Monday May 31st. 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 summer or fall.

New Castle County HOPE Center
for Individuals and Families in need of temporary housing and support services
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.
  • What started as temporary housing during the cold weather 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. Through many non-profit organizations coming together, they are working to obtain more significant housing for the individuals and families who come to the HOPE Center and offer medical, psychological, and job skills opportunities as well.
  • 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 continue to 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: (Updated needs for SUMMER 2021)

  • 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
  • Individual 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: Team Meetings will be June 6th.


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 Sunday from the New Zealand Prayer Book

God,
you are our beginning and you will be our end;
we are made in your image and likeness.
We praise and thank you for this day.
This is the day on which you created light
and saw that it was good.
This is the day in whose early morning light
we discovered the tomb was empty,
and encountered Christ, the world’s true light.
For us your acts are gracious
and your love endures 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. 
For Access to the News of the Diocesan Publications
St. James' Mill Creek
2106 St. James Church Road
Wilmington, DE 19808

302.994.1584