A number of recruitments are underway in this season of change. I am sorry to say that we have had to say goodbye to our outstanding director of music, William Wright, who served us all with great passion and dedication for the last seven years. I am so grateful to Bill for all he did before, during and after Covid, to nurture and maintain the choral excellence of our worship and the great music tradition it represents. At the end of summer, we will properly thank Michael Good for his eight years of service as our organist of great skill and dedication. In the meantime, I am grateful to David Schaeffer, who nobly stepped in on Easter morning to conduct at the last minute and will direct the choir until the end of the choir year in May. We are combining the two former part-time roles into one robust full-time position and are actively recruiting for a full-time organist and choir director.

The Personnel Committee has worked closely with me on these staffing changes as well as the preparation of job descriptions for all the new roles to be posted in the coming weeks on our employment webpage. This range of ordained and lay positions, along with interim appointments, will add momentum to all we have experienced in our post-covid recovery and growth as a parish. Vestry members and I welcome any input, questions or ideas from members of the congregation as we move forward with these changes. 

Forum Hour

Click here to join forum via Zoom. Did you know? All resources used in forum hours along with the Zoom recordings are available on our website. Click here to go to the Forum Resources page.

Join us on April 28th at 5:00 PM for a sending service for Mother Shayna as she embarks on a new chapter of her ministry at Trinity Episcopal Church in the Takoma park neighborhood of Washington, DC.

If you would like to contribute to her farewell gift, click here to give online. If you would like to write a check, make it payable to Saint James, and be sure to put "farewell gift for Shayna" in the memo line.

Saint James is excited to begin a new recruiting process to meet the needs of our growing CYF community!

We are looking for an individual who will be personally invested in expansive faith formation that provides vision and coordination of ministry to children and youth (ages 0-18) and their families. If you, or anyone you know, is interested in being a part of our growing parish ministry, click here to read more and apply. Applications kindly requested by May 10th.

Scholarship Application Process Underway

Saint James is fortunate to offer scholarships to eligible parishioners pursuing post-secondary education, whether full or part time, in various academic programs. These scholarships are made possible by generous donations to our endowment, specifically earmarked for this purpose. The application process will begin on Monday, April 1st. Click here for more information on how to apply.

This year’s theme is “Compassion Camp: What Every Living Thing Needs.” Each evening, children will explore the basic needs of all living things such as food, shelter, water, air, and community. They will also learn about showing compassion towards the living earth, especially in their local ecosystems. Click here for more info and registration.

Term 2 of the 2024 Mercy Seminar, will include the study of the Zen Buddhist tradition by means of a contemplative reading of the classic Zen training manual, The Gateless Barrier. Zen Buddhists insist that we must all apprehend the Great Tao (or Truth) directly in our own experience, and not attempt to grasp or understand it with our minds or language. Join us this term as we explore the many paths to the Gateless Tao in the Zen Buddhist tradition. Click here for more info and to register for Term 2.

Join the Upper Room Men's Group in the parish house forum room for breakfast on April 20th. Men of all ages are welcome to this time of food, fellowship and thought-provoking discussion on some of today's most important topics.

In our next meeting, we'll discuss how words, stories, encounters, and hospitality can make a difference for you and the world in which we live. Click here to email Lorraine Rollo for the Zoom link.

Described as a Pennsylvania Dutch Country swashbuckling, pseudo- legendary pioneers of the Amerikindasorta style of string band music, Vinegar Creek Constituency channels the venerable old ghosts of American folk music tradition through imaginative, emotive original songs delivered with rock n roll intensity. Join us Saturday night at 5:00 PM, in person, for a variety of toe-tapping original and standard tunes that will uplift and inspire you in your faith journey.

The Wheatland Chorale will be performing in concert on Sunday April 21st at 3:00 PM. The program, A New Dawn, explores the concept of light, morning/dawn, renewal and the excitement of Spring through music from a diverse range of composers and genres. General admission: $25; Students (w/ID) $10. Click here to purchase tickets.

The group meets for six Thursday evenings at 5:30 PM, April 25th through May 30th. Cost: $125, scholarships are available. Click here to learn more and register.

Pathways: Exploring Membership at Saint James

Registration kindly requested for planning purposes. Click here for more information and to register.

Habitat for Humanity Workday

This May's project is the new Restore facility located at 155 Independence Court in Lancaster. The team will be helping to complete the building restoration for more retail space and Habitat offices along with a warehouse and distribution center. The former restore building is simply not large enough to accommodate the growing demand. For more info and to register your spot on the team, click here.

Mother's Day Brunch

Suggested donation: $20. Registration kindly requested by May 5th. Click here to register.

Eurasia Consort presents Silk Road Journey to the East, a program of ancient music popular during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907), a time generally regarded as a high point in Chinese civilization when the Silk Road facilitated the exchange of economic, cultural, political and religious ideas.

Immediately after the performance, all concert-goers are invited to the rectory for a reception and a display of Freiman Stoltzfus’s new body of paintings inspired by his recent trip to Japan. 

Origami artist Wendy Li will display some pieces from her 2022 GOAT series. Wendy uses paper to highlight one of China's artforms and ink that pays tribute to King of Kawooon, possibly one of the earliest graffiti artists unknown to many people. Click here for tickets to this all inclusive event (concert, exhibits, reception in rectory).

Attendees will also learn to separate fact from myth on the most pressing topics and gain the ability to speak confidently about issues that shape our community. Registration kindly requested for planning purposes. Click here to register.

April 17, 3:00 PM | Holy Eucharist at Willow Valley

April 18, 7:00 PM | Mercy Seminar Term 2 begins

April 20, 8:30 - 10:30 AM | Men's Upper Room Breakfast Meeting

April 20, 10:00 - 11:30 | Women's Gathering

April 20, 5:00 PM | Saturday Night Mass with Vinegar Creek Constituency

April 21, 3:00 PM | Wheatland Chorale

April 25, 5:30 PM | Group Spiritual Direction begins

April 27, 8:30 AM | Race Against Racism

April 27, 8:30 - 12:00 PM | Pathways: Exploring Membership at Saint James

May 8 - 16, 9:15 AM - 4:00 PM | Habitat for Humanity

May 11, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Mother's Day Brunch

May 12, 4:00 PM | World & Early Music in a celebration of Eurasian music and art

May 13, 7:00 - 8:30 PM | Lancaster Welcoming 101: CWS Awareness Training