The Shell Newsletter – August 1, 2019

From the Rector – There’s Nothing Like A Summer Picnic

As we enter the dog days of summer and start digging out those school supply lists and hit the back to school clothing sales, take a break to enjoy some family time alongside friends at St. James’ for a picnic after church on 8/18. 

Bring chairs or blankets to gather in our beautiful Memorial Garden, along with whatever picnic foods are your family’s favorite.  There will be time for hanging out and conversation, and playing on the playground or in the field (bring Frisbees, soccer balls, etc).  The SUPER-GIANT bubble wands will even make an appearance!

This is a great day to invite a friend to church and to stay and meet folks – or just to reconnect with everyone after being in and out of town all summer.  See you there!

Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

 August is upon us…..wow!  Our high school graduates are now preparing to leave for college.  We wish them well on their new journey and send them off with prayers.

            A Prayer for New Beginnings…..

            God, our Creator, every day is a new creation for us to live.  We thank you for new beginnings.  We thank you for the chance to learn new insights about your world, to share our thoughts with new friends, to read new books, to sing new songs, and to praise you in a new season of our lives.  Thank you for creating new beginnings once again for us.  We praise you through Jesus Christ, who promises to journey with us on every new adventure.  Amen.

Be safe and enjoy the rest of summer.  Please prayerfully think about the possibility of volunteering to work with our Sunday School team.   It is a rewarding ministry and a joy to see our parish children grow in faith and mature.   (For information, contact Joan Fader faderj1@juno.com).

Yvette Allen, Jessica Bahorich, Betsy Davis, Natalie DelRegno, Joan Fader, Nancy Nanavaty, Mara Snyder

C&O Canal Prayer Hike
Join us for our final prayer hike of the summer along the lovely C&O Canal on 8/25.  This is a flat, paved trail – perfect for strollers and folks up for a nice afternoon walk.  We will meet up at 3:00 pm at Monocacy Aqueduct (21115 Mouth of Monocacy Rd., Dickerson, MD 20842) and walk for about a mile and a half total.  Our hike will begin and end with prayer and include a time of reflection in the middle – with space for conversation and silence along the way.  Sign up in the narthex and invite a friend!

Summer Book Group Gathering
You still have time to grab a copy of Rachel Held Evan’s Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again in time to gather with others in conversation on 8/27 at 7:00 pm at the Mt. Airy Tavern.  Sign up in the narthex so we can reserve a table.

Youth Group Kick-Off Pizza Party
We’re not ready to let go of summer yet – but we’re excited for Youth Group this fall!  We’ll kick off the year with a pizza party for Middle and High School youth and their parents on 9/8 from 6-8 pm.  There will be games, food, and a calendar for the upcoming year, as well as introduction to new and returning Youth Group leaders.  Check your inbox in mid-August for an invite and further details.

WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Parish Administrator Hours for the week of Aug. 4, Monday and Thursday 10-4.

Kristin+ Away Kristin+ will be on vacation 8/9 through 8/17.  Please contact Senior Warden, Jeannie Pellicier if a pastoral emergency arises.

Fall Grace & Grub Dinner Groups
Fellowship dinners are back for the fall!  Sign up in the narthex to join a small group to gather in homes for conversation and food monthly from September to November.  You’re invited to sign up if you weren’t able to be a part of a spring Grace & Grub group.  You’re invited if you were a part of a spring Grace & Grub group and enjoyed it so much you want to get to know more folks this time around.  You’re invited if you’re a family with small children or older kids.  You’re invited if you’re a couple or single.  The joy of these dinners are all of us getting to know one another more deeply and being knit into the St. James’ family.  Dinners will take place on 2nd Saturdays (9/14, 10/12, 11/9) and will rotate among members homes.  When you sign up you can indicate whether you’d like to host or just be a part of a group.  Each Sunday in August, look for reflections from people who enjoyed being a part of a group in the spring. If you have any questions please contact Rev. Kristin.

Saying Farewell Liz and Jon Peterson, faithful members of St. James’ for over 20 years, are moving from Mt. Airy in mid-August.  If you would like to wish them well on Saturday, August 10^th, please drop by between the hours of 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. for a wine and cheese gathering at the home of Joan Fader, 812 Roller Coaster Court, Mt. Airy.  RSVP faderj1@juno.com

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.

What kind of VBS do YOU want next summer? Last Sunday to vote will be August 11!  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.

Animal Shelter Donations
Thank you to everyone who brought in donations for the local animal shelters.  I took the blankets, towels and sheets to several area shelters and they were very appreciative!  Thanks again from all the cats and dogs who will benefit from your kindness.  Lucy Winston, Outreach Committee.  Thank you!

2019 ST. JAMES’ BASKET RAFFLE & SILENT AUCTION

Our 13th Annual Basket Raffle & Silent Auction will be held again this year at two of our town events—the Mt. Airy Lions Club Fall Yard Sale on Saturday, September 21st at the Firemen’s Carnival Grounds at the intersection of Twin Arch Rd. and Rte. 27 and the Oktoberfest in downtown Mt. Airy on Saturday, September 28th-–please mark your calendars!  

As in the past, the completed Baskets and Silent Auction items will be on display at St. James’ for two weeks before the town events beginning September 8th. Tickets will be on sale at the Church during that time. Winning tickets will be drawn on Monday morning, September 30th at the Church.

Here’s how you can help:

Volunteer to be a part of the Basket Raffle committee to assist with publicity, flyer distribution, soliciting donations and gift certificates from local businesses, or make/donate a completed basket using a theme of your choice or bring new or like new items from home to donate. Place your donations in the marked BASKET RAFFLE DONATIONS containers in the Narthex. Committee members and volunteers will design and create themed baskets during August and early September. This year, we are fortunate to have some baskets on hand ready to be filled with donated items, but can always use additional medium to large baskets.  Unfortunately, the deadline for donations of basket contents has passed, but there is still time for donating finished baskets with a deadline of  Sunday, August 25th.  If you have questions about baskets, want to donate a finished basket, or want to volunteer for the Basket Brigade (August/September) call or email Joan Fader at 301-703-8787 or at faderj1@juno.com. Join the fun and make new friends!

Items for the Silent Auction are also being accepted through Sunday, September 8th. These are items that would generate higher bids by themselves than as a part of a basket. 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 at mhdslp@hotmail.com

Event Volunteers are needed to assist with ticket sales before and during the Basket Raffle & Auction, to assist with transporting baskets between St. James’ Church and the carnival grounds or downtown, setting up tents and tables, as well as, calling winners of Baskets and Silent Auction items. Contact Betsy Davis by email at jbeezd@aol.com if you have questions, or you can sign up for times to assist on SignUp.com beginning in late August. Let’s, once again, make the St. James’ Basket Raffle & Silent Auction a huge success!  Thank you in advance for your generosity of spirit and continued support. Your Basket Raffle & Auction Committee