From the Rector – Who was St. James the Apostle?
How much do you know about our patron saint, St. James the Apostle?
On Sunday, July 28 we will celebrate the Feast Day of James the Greater (transferred from his official feast date of July 25). He is referred to as “the Greater” to distinguish him from the other Apostle of the same name (commemorated in the church calendar with Philip), and also from James the “brother of our Lord.”
James and his brother John were Galilean fishermen alongside their father Zebedee. According to Holy Women, Holy Men, Jesus nicknamed the brothers “Boanerges” (Sons of Thunder) because of their hot-headed disposition.
Scripture tells us that one day they were unable to catch any fish. A man walking along the shore told them to dip their nets into the water one more time. They did, and they caught so many fish their boat almost sank. That man was Jesus, and he called them to follow him and fish for people for God – which they did.
As one of Jesus’ core disciples, St. James the Apostle appears often throughout the Gospels. Along with Peter and John, he seems to have belonged to an especially privileged group whom Jesus chose to be witnesses of the Transfiguration, the raising of Jairus’ daughter, and the agony in the garden.
Tradition tells that after Jesus ascended into heaven and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, James spread the Gospel across what is now Spain. When he returned to Jerusalem he was martyred by King Herod. He was the first of the Apostles to die (Acts 12:1-2). After his death his body was taken to Compostela, Spain to be buried. For centuries pilgrims have walked the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) as a spiritual practice and to visit his shrine at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
St. James the Apostle is the patron saint of Spain, pilgrims, laborers, rheumatism, and arthritis – to name a few.
We will celebrate the Feast of St. James this year by taking a pilgrimage down to our Thrift Shop after church for a work day – cleaning, organizing, and sorting – to support this important outreach ministry to our community. Sign up this Sunday so we know how much pizza to order for our lunchtime celebration!
Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+
Nursery School
The Saint James’ Nursery School is closed for the summer so we’re using this time to spiff up the interior to prepare for the fall. All the floors were just stripped and waxed. The last two interactive panels have been hung. Also, the website is being given a new look – we hope to have that refreshed by mid-August. Our Director Pat is interviewing for one open position. If you know someone who is interested please email her at school@stjamesmtairy.org to learn more.Enjoy summer!WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Office Schedule for the week of July 21 Monday through Thursday 10-4.
Kristin+ Away Kristin+ will be for continuing education from Friday, July 19 through Saturday, July 27. Please contact Senior Warden, Jeannie Pellicier if a pastoral emergency arises.
Contribution Statements
Please pick up your 6 month 2019 statement from the basket in the narthex. They will be available thru Aug 30th; after that they will be shredded due to the rising cost of postage. Please contact Aline if you have any questions about your statement. Thank you.
St. James’ Thrift Shop Work Day Mark you calendars! After the service on July 28, we will head down to the Thrift Shop to help Sandy with a few projects. Stay for as long or as little as you can—lots of hands will make the load lighter! Pizza will be provided for lunch. Be sure to wear clothes that you can dirty. Please sign up in the Narthex if you are available to help. 
What kind of VBS do YOU want next summer? We are excited to begin planning for re-launching a traditional Vacation Bible School here at St. James’ next summer. As we start looking a different programs, we first want to know what YOU want from a VBS.
To this end, for the next month or so there will be a poster set out during coffee hour where you can vote. The options include: a week long weekday VBS for children (from 9am – 2 pm / option of extended care if needed), a week long weeknight family VBS (5:30-8:30 pm OR 5-9 pm with dinner included), or a single weekend whole parish inter-generational VBS (Sat 10-4, Sun 11-4). Other ideas are also welcome, please email them to Kristin+. Everyone is welcome to vote, and we *especially* hope folks with children in their lives will share their hopes as we work to create something new and enriching.
Exciting News – Scouts are coming to St. James’! Recently we shared the news that St. James’ is becoming a new Charter Organization for the Boy Scouts of America. Click here to see all the information.
Got Old Towels? Got Old Blankets? Got Old Sheets?
The Outreach Committee is holding a drive to collect old towels, blankets and sheets to donate to local animal rescue facilities. As you go through your closets and drawers look for items you could give us to help keep rescued dogs and cats comfortable. We will put a box at St. James’ to collect your donations. Thanks from the Out reach Committee!
LAST CHANCE TO DONATE ITEMS TO FILL BASKETS is JULY 28th!
Our St. James’ 13th Annual Basket Raffle & Silent Auction will be held on both September 21st and 28th, but in the meantime, there is much to do to prepare and make this fundraiser a success. The “Basket Brigade” is now in the process of gathering, sorting and beginning to assemble the themed baskets for our raffle, therefore, we would like any donations toward filling the baskets as soon as possible, but please no later than Sunday, July 28th.
As you are cleaning, downsizing or even if you would like to “re-gift” holiday items you would like someone else to enjoy, please consider donating any items in good condition that may be suitable for men, women, or children of all ages. Some of our previous basket themes have been for babies, teens, teachers, pets, game/movie night, spa, jewelry, tea time, taco night, crab feast, sports memorabilia, fishing, golf, car wash/auto supplies, cooking, gardening, birding, crafts, tools, healthcare, exercise and inspirational. If you have questions about Basket items, please contact Joan Fader at 301-703-8787 or faderj1@juno.com.
Items for the Silent Auction would be those that would generate higher bids by themselves rather than as a part of a basket; these items will be accepted through Sunday, September 8th. Such items could include paintings, quilts, unopened perfume, fine jewelry or high-value gift certificates, and the like. If you have questions about the Silent Auction, please contact Mary Hutchins-Danna at 443-277-0505 or mhdslp@hotmail.com. Marked Basket Raffle containers will be in the narthex to receive your donations. Thank you, in advance, for your generosity!