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Once again we come to Bethlehem, my friends, that wonderful time of year in which we marvel at the lights and decorations all around us, we sing our favorite carols, we wish for snow, and we relish time with family and friends. Once again Christ is to be born for us and once again we are called to rejoice at this news and marvel at that magnum mysterium, as the early church chant recounts, that animals should see the new-born Lord, lying in a manger.
As we approach the Christ Child in the manger this year, let us remember that when Jesus was born, the world was in great turmoil, just as it is today. Let us remember that Jesus was born to be the light to the world, and that when he began to teach us how to follow him, he called upon us to bear that light into the world ourselves and to do so without fear. Let us remember that not only is Christ born in the stable and laid in the manger, but that Christ must be born in us as well. As the mystic Angelus Silesius wrote so beautifully in the 17th century, “If in your heart you make a manger for his birth, then God will once again become a child on earth.” Let it be so with you as it was with Mary, his mother.
Have a joyous and mysterious Christmas. And blessings for a new year filled with love and light.
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The Church will be closed
Monday, December 25 thru Monday, January 1.
The staff and clergy will be back on Tuesday, January 2.
For pastoral emergencies,
call our pastoral care number:
(804) 914-2808
The parish office hours are:
Monday - Friday: 9 am-5 pm
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This week's eChimes features | |
- Merry Christmas from the staff
- Deliver smiles this season
- Annual Giving Update
- Winter at St. James's
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- Youth - MLK Day of Service
- Youth - Snowfest
- Missions wine and cheese - RSVP by December 31
- Prayers of The People
- Diocese of Virginia
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The St. James’s staff has prepared a special Christmas gift for the parish. Look for it in your inbox tomorrow, Dec. 23. Special thanks to Charles Tinsley, the St. James’s choir, and Veni Davidkova and Weezie Beckley.
umore tha
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Deliver smiles this season.
Take St. James’s Poinsettias to homebound individuals in our community.
We’re asking parishioners at the Christmas Day service (and the week after) to help deliver poinsettias to homebound individuals in our community. All you have to do is pick up poinsettias from the sanctuary anytime between Christmas Day (after the service, of course), and New Year’s Eve. Once you pick a flower arrangement from the sanctuary, you’ll find cards with delivery information on the table outside the sacristy. Feel free to deliver as many as you want.
During the week, ya'll need to contact Mary Brown to get into the sanctuary. You can reach her at mbrown@doers.org.
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We're SO close to our goal!
Please make your pledge by December 31.
Our 2024 Annual Pledge Campaign is nearing its end, and we're just a little way to go to reach our $1.8 million goal. We're at 94%. We are incredibly grateful for your support this year, and are humbly asking for your continued generosity to help us cross the finish line.
Every pledge, big or small, is important and contributes to our mission of being God's hands in the world. Your generosity will keep our mission active, fuel our programs, and empower our ministries to reach those who need our support the most.
Please join the over 400 Doers who have supported our 2024 Annual Pledge Campaign and make your pledge today. Together, we are St. James's and your pledge makes a difference!
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So Many Dates
to Save this Winter
As we begin to look ahead at 2024, we’ve made it easy to know what’s happening here at St. James. Click here to see our Winter at St. James’s calendar – and be on the lookout for our Sunday Adult Form calendar, which will help you plan your Sundays in the new year.
Keep your eye open for our specific Sunday Adult Forum calendar, coming out in the new year.
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You can now register for two beloved Youth Ministry events!
Don’t wait!
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Turn your Day Off into
a Day of Service.
Our MLK Service Lock In is January 14-15 for 9-12 graders at St. James’s. Honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through service in the Catacombs, an area used 24/7 by local NA and AA groups. Here’s the link to register.
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Calling all 6-12 graders.
Snowfest at Shrine Mont is coming up fast. We ski, snowboard, reflect, and have fun together. Don’t miss it! Here’s the link to register.
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Come learn about Missions at Wine & Cheese
RSVP by 12/31
If you are interested in going on a mission trip, working “behind-the scenes” with our mission partners, or just learning about our mission ministry, please join us for wine and cheese at Wyn Brown’s (211 Banbury Road) on Tuesday, January 9 from 5pm to 6:30 pm.
Please RSVP by 12/31/23 to Julie Wade at juliecwade12@gmail.com.
Our mission partners for 2024 are the Hurley Community Center in Appalachia, Our Little Roses in Honduras, and Harvest of Hope on the Eastern Shore. Trips will occur in June and July of 2024.
We will focus on deeper and more long-term relationships with our partners that attempt to empower and support the community year-round. For that reason, our missions will not resemble week-long voluntourism experiences impacting a handful of parishioners. Instead, we hope to engage with our partners throughout the year and include members of the congregation who are unable to attend the actual trips. For more information on our ministry’s mission statement and guiding principles, please click here.
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Prayers of the People
Here are the names of those we're remembering in our prayers this week.
We do our best to keep this list current, but if you want your name added or removed, please email Mary Brown at mbrown@doers.org or call her at 804-355-1779 ext. 313
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St. James’s Episcopal Church | DOERS.ORG | (804) 355-1779
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