Our Weekly News & Updates |
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Greetings, friends.
Many thanks to all who made Katherine Tinker's funeral all we hoped for, and more. So many made it so special. The choir sang for the first time in over a year! The altar guild with the flowers and details were perfect. The crew who set up did it in record time, and proved the old saying true, "Many hands make for light work." And the take-down crew had it done before I could get around from the interment. The level of care and love we share at this most vulnerable time for people is such a ministry. Thank you!
We have had two weeks gathering back in person, and it seems to be going well. We are being respectful of all with distancing and masks, and the crew cleaning between services is taking care of all of us. These new procedures are more ways to show our love and care. We are beginning to see new faces, folks who have found us in the pandemic and decided to try us on in person. Greet them warmly! This is a big step for many as we emerge from the pandemic.
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I want to begin the push for Christian Formation. While we are slowly emerging, we will look to resume Sunday School classes in September. I do know in meeting with Miriam Smith, our Director of Christian Formation, that she is excited. Her programming for this summer is incredible, showing love to our families of children and youth. We are looking for folks who might want to be a part of our Christian Formation team, especially Children and Youth teachers and volunteers. You can reach out to Miriam or myself with questions, but it is not too soon to start preparing for fall. And kids and youth are not all, as we begin looking at our programming for all ages as well.
Blessings this week. The Rev. Becky McDaniel, our Priest Associate, is taking charge this Sunday so I can be away for Father's Day. Blessings to all the fathers out there. Looking ahead, I do hope you will plan on being with us July 4th, as we will have a special Independence Day service and a BYOB (Bring Your Own BASKET) Picnic after our 10 am service. More details to come.
Blessings,
Rock+
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If you would like to sign up for a Sunday service, please click the on-line sign up below so that you can sign up for your spot since space is limited. You can also call the office between 8:30am- 2pm weekdays to reserve your spot. We will be offering two services, one at 8:30am and 10am, both Rite II with music.
8:30am services
10am services
Increasing numbers of our members are vaccinated. However, we cannot and will not be asking for anyone’s vaccination status, be aware of the risk inherent with a public gathering and please DO NOT attend if feeling ill. We will be cleaning between services to ensure safety for all. Masks are REQUIRED indoors to protect those in our congregation who are unable to get vaccinated or are not yet fully vaccinated.
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What to expect:
- Wear your mask.
- Please come in the doors up the ramp at the library or the door from the Memorial Garden to the office.
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There will be a check in desk in the library. Attendees will be checked in, temperature taken and a series of questions asked, per the CDC. (Questions listed here) Once you have done that, ushers will seat you.
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A NOTE FROM HARRISON HIGGINS |
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Our beloved Harrison Higgins wanted to send a note of thanks for the beautiful letters he received. Please read his note below:
Dear Friends at St. James the Less,
Your letters are a perfect gift, a keepsake I will treasure and read again and again, even if most of the nice things you said in them are not true. My time with you has been a joy and you have made Ashland feel like home for Susan and me. Before we were Richmonders; now we are Ashlanders thanks to your big hearts. It has been an honor to serve with Rock+, whom I consider a great priest and a close friend and I will be forever grateful to him for asking me to join him here.
You are never far from my thoughts and always in my prayers.
With love,
Harrison
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A CELEBRATION OF KATHERINE |
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It was so beautiful to be together as a community to celebrate the incredible life Katherine Tinker. Her belovedness was felt by everyone. If you weren't able to attend and would like to watch it, click HERE. This was the first time our choir was able to sing together as well. What a gift! Thank you to our Altar Guild for those gorgeous flowers that honored Katherine so well. |
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A BIG "thank you" to all those who have donated pop tops for the Ronald McDonald House. Last call for all pop top donations. Please have them here by Thursday. We will be counting our pop tops on Thursday. Our wonderful Becky+ will be offering a monthly yoga class for youth and adults. She will have the classes on the third Thursday of the month at 5:30pm. The first class will be June 17th at 5:30pm. During this time, we will be counting Pop Tops in the Fellowship Hall. We encourage you to bring your children and do some yoga while we count!! We look forward to seeing you all there!
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We will be starting our next round of Confirmation Classes on Sunday, July 11th from 4:30-6pm in Brydon Hall. We are hoping to finish in 4 weeks, but are leaving the 5th week open just in case. They will meet July 11-August 8 on Sunday afternoons from 4:30-6pm in person. Would you like to join the class? Email us and let us know if you would like to be part. We will make sure you get all the information. We hope you will! |
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Please mark your calendar for Sunday, July 4th after the 10am service for a BYOBasket picnic lunch. We will gather at the picnic tables and enjoy some time to catch up with one another. For everyone's safety we will not be sharing dishes. Thank you for your understanding. |
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The Prayer Shawl ministry will be meeting on Thursday, June 17th at 10am outside at the picnic tables for their next meeting. If you have any questions, please reach out to Jenny Bruce or Kimette Cannady. |
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Our Parish Retreat at Shrine Mont is being held October 15-17. If you would like to go ahead and sign up, email us. You can mail us your deposit (50%) or bring it by. We so hope you will join us for this glorious time in the mountains for a deepening of your faith and time of connection together!
The cost will be:
- Adults (age 18+) $160
- Teens (ages 13-18) $80
- Children (ages 4-12) $60
- Young Children (0-3) Free
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WANT TO BE AN USHER OR GREETER? |
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If you would like to sign up to be an usher or greeter for any of our up coming services, please click the link below. We would love to have you join our team of smiling faces. We will happily train you, all you have to do is show up. For the summer services, if you sign up, you will be signing up for both the 8:30am and 10am services.
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Children's Corner
We have a little children's corner established in the library for all of our families. There is a variety of toys, board books and chapter books as well as coloring books. Please feel free to utilize the space during in person church. If you have requests for specific toys from the nursery, please feel free to email me and I'm happy to bring out others. There are also coloring book bags that you can take home and bring back with you each week or have it labeled for your family and I will update the materials weekly.
Yoga & Pop Tops
We will be counting our pop tops on Thursday! Our wonderful Becky+ will be offering a monthly yoga class for youth and adults. She will have the classes on the third Thursday of the month at 5:30pm. The first class will be June 17th at 5:30pm. During this time, we will be counting Pop Tops in the Fellowship Hall. We encourage you to bring your children and do some yoga while we count!! We look forward to seeing you all there!
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VBS Sign Up
REGISTRATION IS OPEN!! We are so excited to welcome all of our families, neighbors and friends to VBS this year. It will be held August 9-12 from 4:00pm to 5:30pm. Please complete the registration link and feel free to send it to your grandchildren or neighbors! This year we will be focusing on the parable of the sower and would love to have a few experienced gardeners as volunteers. If interested, please email Miriam.
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Wednesday
Join us for the Morning Prayer service this Wednesday at 7:30am and then a cup of coffee afterward at 8am on Zoom. Please make sure that your screen name is your name so we know who is there. We look forward to seeing you!
Link to join the conversation at 8am: click here.
If you would like to call in (audio only) dial (646) 558 8656 and enter the Meeting ID: 826 2172 6493 and Password: 997124
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Thursday
Please join us this week for Book Club at 10:30am on Thursday as we delve into Searching For Sunday, by Rachel Held Evans. The conversations will be rich as the book is insightful, honest and enriching to your faith. The link to purchase the book is HERE. The link to join the meeting is HERE.
Please read chapters 26-28 (they are short chapters). Even if you aren't able to read this, please still join us. It will be accessible to everyone!
If you would like to call in, please dial 1 301 715 8592 and enter:
Meeting ID: 840 2332 3497
Passcode: 570346
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This Sunday
Please join us for an in-person INDOOR Eucharist: Rite II Worship Service at 8:30am and 10am. There will be limited seating, so please click the links in the article above to reserve your seat. If you aren't able to join us and you would like to watch from home the link to watch is HERE at 10am. If the audio isn't working well for you watch the abbreviated service.
We also have an abbreviated Spiritual Eucharist service at 9am. The link to watch is HERE.
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Monday
Grief Group will be meeting in person, outdoor in the Memorial Gardens at 10:30am on Monday. We hope you will join this special time of connection.
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OUTREACH
"We rise by lifting others." -Robert Ingersoll
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Saint James the Less Free Clinic
Right outside our Saint James the Less Free Clinic our very own, Flory Brockwell, did her Gold Award Girl Scouts project by donating a food pantry. It is available 24/7 if people might have an immediate need. Please feel free to come by and donate non-perishables to this. It would be an incredible blessing to our community.
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ACES is in need of the following items:
- Pantry: Boxed Potatoes (smaller boxes), Boxed or Bagged Rice (smaller boxes/bags), Laundry Detergent (smaller bottles/jugs)
- Children’s Clothing: Girl’s new underwear (size 8)
- Warehouse: Oscillating Fans
Thank you for your continued support!
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POP TOPS
We are still collecting Pop Tops for Ronald McDonald house. Hang on to them or bring them by when you can. This is a valuable resource that goes to help families with children in the hospital here in Richmond.
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PETER PAUL
Students at present time need school supplies. They would be grateful to receive any of the following:
- note book paper
- spiral note books
- high lighters
- pencils
- pens
- erasers
- pencil boxes
- crayons
- markers
In front of the Coleman Center there is a small closet for non- perishable food. Students and families can take what they need. Canned food and small boxes are requested. Cereal boxes are too big. These donations would be much appreciated as well. You are welcome to bring the donations here and we can get them down there. Thank you!
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Wednesday, June 16, 2021
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7:30am-Morning Prayer Service (online)
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Link to watch service
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Link for bulletin
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8am- Coffee & Conversation (online)
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Link to join
Thursday, June 17, 2021
- 10:30am- Book Club (online)
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Link to join
Sunday, June 20, 2021
- 8:30am & 10am- In Person, Indoor Eucharist:Rite II Worship
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Link to watch service
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Link for bulletin
Monday, June 21, 2021
- 10:30am- Grief Group (in person Memorial Garden)
If you can't join us live-time, no worries. All of our services can be viewed at your convenience afterward on Facebook. All our Sunday morning and Contemplative services will be posted on our YouTube Channel, "St. James the Less Ashland VA." You can access that here.
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Lord, we lift up this nation struggling with itself these days, reeling from this pandemic and its repercussions. Encourage us to faithfulness, righteousness, and compassion for all God’s Children. We lift up Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael, our Presiding Bishop, Susan, Jennifer, and Porter our Bishops, Rock and Becky, our priests, and Harrison, our deacon. May they be strengthened and encouraged as the work with us to proclaim your Good News in this world. We pray for Joe, our President, Ralph, our Governor, and Steve, our Mayor, and all our elected officials. Guide them to lead us to the common good.
We ask your prayers for peace; for goodwill among nations; and for the well-being of all people. Remembering especially Gus, Pat, Dick, Erin, Joanie, Anna, Meredith, Madge, Mary Ann, Katie, Molly, Amy, Meghann, Mark, Carol, David, Alice, Dennis, Barbara, Colin and Caleb, Jimmy, Michael Fox, Alex Gillette, Bill & Beth Arrott, Bill Blakemore, Mason, Jan Meacham, Karl Meyer, Chambers Cromwell (friend of Betty & Jim Moore), Horace Crowe (friend of the Meyer’s family), Delaney Thompson family, Aubrey Fletcher, Dee Alvarez, Shelby, Lyla Buchanan, Kimette Cannady, Pam Gillette, Melanie Fischer, Dennis Folsom, Tom & Fran Burke (Beth Renswick’s aunt & uncle), Ginny Miller (Carol Barnes’ sister), Carter and Lila (family of Betsy Snipes and Kristina Raney), Shirley Dols, Jay Hart, Cliff Pierce (cousin of the Wehman-Hopkins family), Jack, Rison and Sutherland families, Judy Malory, Connie Geisenderfer, Paul Robb, Roxanne, Sarah Reece, William Timberlake, Doc and Karen, Jonathan Smith, Anne Ericksen (Julie Ericksen’s mother-in-law), Debra Bernard, and Dick Shirey and Rev. Dr. Susannah Metz.
We ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison. We also ask your prayers for those serving in the diplomatic corps, the military, and as missionaries: Kemper Jones, Greg Ericksen, Matthew Thomas, Philip Morison, James Ashley, Andrew Brunson, Jordan Fox, and Katherine Murphy.
We ask your prayers for those who have died.
We ask your prayers for those who grieve.
We pray for the Churches and religious institutions of Metropolitan Richmond: For all religious communities, abbeys, orders, brotherhoods, sisterhoods, religious societies, and para-church organizations.
For all those who seek peace in the world and for ourselves, that we may bring about God's Kingdom here on earth. For our enemies, and for those who wish us harm.
Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored.
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THIS PAST SUNDAY'S SERVICE |
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NeverTheLess and Weekly E-News Deadline: If you have an announcement to be shared with the parish, please get the information to Kasey no later than noon on Monday. Thanks!
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June 16
Chandler Hubbard
Philip Morison
June 18
Johnny Temple
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June 20
Sergio Sergi
Lindsey Conley
June 21
Al Garlick
Bob Ellithorpe
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