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First Things First

The church office will close early on Tuesday, December 31, and will be closed on January 1 as we celebrate the new year.

Worth Remembering

To read the complete article, refer back to archives of the eTower. https://stjameswichita.org/connect/etower/


  • We will return to two worship services on Sunday morning (8:30 and 10:45) at the beginning of February 2025.
  • You can still participate in our Giving Tuesday campaign (11/29/24)
The Readings this Week

Click here to go to the Lectionary Page

Click here for a free PDF download of the Book of Common Prayer

The Lessons appointed for

The First Weekend after Christmas

Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Track I

Weekend Service Volunteer Schedules

September 7 - January 26

5:30 pm Service Volunteer Schedule
9:30 am Service Volunteer Schedule

Want to know if we need additional volunteers for a specific week? Click one of the service schedules below. If you see a +Add button on a particular serving role, that means someone has declined their assignment, and we still need a volunteer to fill in. You can click +Add to sign up for that spot.

Calendar

Parish News and Updates

Nominations to serve in 2025


Vestry: Korbin Painter (to fulfill 2 years of a vacant seat);

George Bousfield; Karla Fazio; Tim Newlin 


Youth Vestry Appointee: Aiden Petty


Convention Delegates: Adrienne Edwards; Brandon Whipple


Endowment Funds Board: Scott Orr; Clay Bastian 


Nominating Committee: Andy Aitken; Vicki Evans; Deb Hager; Cheryl Schmeidler; Peggy Zerger; Joan Moore 

Annual Report Articles & Nomination Bios


I know this is a shorter timeline than in previous years, but Annual Reports and Bios from Nominees are due on Sunday, January 5. That will be coming up soon! I would like to have the annual report printed before my time at St. James ends, so please help me do this by getting your reports in as soon as possible. It takes time to produce the booklet, and I would like to do my part to make your annual meeting as smooth as possible. 


You can find last year’s report on the church website under ’Connect’ (or click here) in case you need a refresher on what people write for these. If you are providing a bio and would like me to use one from a previous year, please send an email to the office to let me know.

Community Outreach

From Surviving to Thriving Campaign - Breakthrough Wichita

Breakthrough Episcopal Social Services announces its "From Surviving to Thriving" campaign and invites you to join in empowering individuals facing untreated mental illness and homelessness.


Breakthrough believes everyone deserves the chance to find stability, regain dignity, and build resilience. This campaign focuses on providing the mental health services, housing support, and community care that people need to rebuild their lives. By supporting this campaign, you directly contribute to life-changing transformations, helping individuals on their journey from surviving to thriving.

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Children and Youth

Children's Sunday School & Chapel


Next Sunday, January 5 is Children's Sunday School and Children's Chapel starting at 9:30 am upstairs in the Kidz Zone. All kids in preschool- 5th grade are welcome. Questions? Contact Chelsea.

Join other teens in the diocese for MIQRA!

MIQRA (meek-rah) is a weekend retreat for youth that focuses on the Bible and allows teens to discover what's in it, why we should care, and how to read it.

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Prayers

Parish Prayers for the Week of December 29

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer:

The Episcopal Church 


In the World Council of Churches Cycle of Prayer:

Stateless People


In the Kansas Cycle of Prayer:

Pray for St. Stephen’s, Wichita

 

Those discerning a call to the priesthood:

Paul Leeker, Elizabeth Wenger


Those serving in the military:

Anna Broadbent; Davis Jackson; Will Corkins; Maureen Tanner


Prayers of thanksgiving for: Parents, Sam and Aileen Zerger, and grandparents Peggy and Tom Zerger, welcome to the world Reese Emerson, a girl, born on December 19, 2024 at 8:35 a.m. She weighs nearly 5 lbs. Mother and baby are both doing well. 


Those in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness or any other adversity:

Richard H.; Vicky R.; Susan G.; Barry K.; Claire B.; Kate M.; John R.; Kris & Bill; Will F.; Tracy B.; Margi Y.; Dan.; Vicky P.; Jane S.; Bill M.; William H.; Alex W.; JD; Dairon; Michael; Julie; Marie G.; Ivan; Gabe; Brad M.; Shonda C.; Matt R.; Michael H.; Emma R.; Wes R.; John D.; Michelle L.; Janet C.; Buck & Gladys; Fred; Gail P.; Gerry H.; Thelma; Mary K.; Susan G.; Peggy S.; Ed & Kim; Jean E.; Judy T.; Sam & Beth; Barbara S.; Bill M.; Hazel S.; Allie N.; Kris S.; Larry R.; Drew H.; Elena S.; Bella P.; Daimon; Anna; Sylvester; Pat; Andy S.; Sue C.; Martha L.; Joseph B.; Joan J.; Jayne P.; Deb H.; Dal H.; Carole U.; Bill & Carolyn; Janice M.; Marge R.; Marcia & Lowell; Gus G.


Those who have recently died: Aaron Snook, Janice Orlando; James Gilman Jr.; Dudley; Ruth Bennett

 

Some who have died in December in the past:

Mary Albright; Holly Bell; Martha Black; Helen Bousfield; Carl Brink; Charlotte Cochran; Dorcas Cooper; Flo Duncan; Peggy Duncan; Ruth T. Elrick; Pat Evans; Ron Harrison; Betty Holmer; Helen Hope; Tomora Jennings; June E. Morell; Gladys Osborne; Tom Reid; Mary Rickman; Betty Robinson; Wanda Sanders; Margaret Sandlin; Elizabeth Sheffield; John Sheffield; Lois Smith; Ev Stephenson; Norris Taylor; Marcia Thudium; Gretchen Waite; Mary Jo Watson; Richard Wingell

  

For the sake of privacy, we do not list the last names of those who are on our prayer list because of trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or adversity.

 

If your prayers have been answered, let us rejoice with you. Please contact the office to let us know we can remove your prayer request. If you have prayers you would like added to the prayer list, please contact the office at office@stjameswichita.org or 316-683-5686.

  

Loving, Liberating and Life-Giving

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Diocesan News

Episcopal Church completes divestment from fossil fuel industry

The Episcopal Church announced Dec. 11 that it had divested entirely from the fossil fuel industry – marking the culmination of a decade-long shift toward environmentally conscious investments and a significant milestone in the church’s more than 50-year history of socially responsible investing.

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