Vestry
Our Vestry Retreat last weekend was filled with laughter, scripture, moments of silence and good discussion.
The following were lifted up to be an Officer/Liaison of the Vestry:
Ty Conlon – Jr. Warden
Dave Rak – Clerk
Andrew Gobien – Thrift Store Liaison
Vivian Carden – Nursery School Liaison
Jeannie Pellicier – Outreach Liaison
Jane Barger and Deb Schaeffer returning as Treasurer and Registrar, respectively.
We also approved the 2019 Parochial Report. Did you know we have 345 total Active Baptized Members and our Average Sunday Attendance for both services is 93? This is up from previous years. Due to our wonderful Sunday School leadership, we also have 42 Sunday School students enrolled.
Thank you to all the Vestry members for giving up part of their weekend to make this retreat a special time. One of the lines from a poem, “At the Threshold” we read symbolizes our Vestry for me. “We become who we are together each needing the other. Alone is a myth.”
Jeannie Pellicier, Senior Warden
From the Renewal Team
Sabbatical & Renewal Plans – Upcoming Q&A Sessions
(Please read the Shell article from 2/13 to read more about Sabbatical & Congregational Renewal)
The Renewal Team has had much fruitful conversation imagining and planning for the time Kristin+ will be away on sabbatical for 12 weeks in 2021. We’ve covered things large and small – from thinking about what clergy coverage will look like, to details about the timeline, to activities for the parish. We are on track to submit an application to the Lilly Endowment National Clergy Renewal Program in the next month.
The emerging theme of our hope for this time has been the desire to strengthen family bonds – both for Kristin+ and her family, and for our St. James’ family. Playing on the name of our family ministry group, we see this upcoming time as a “Time-Out Together” where Kristin’s+ family has time to play and worship together, and where our parish family finds renewal in some special events.
Kristin+ identified that this time away from the persistent demands of parish ministry would allow her to focus on just being a Mom. She, Zachary, and Jasper talked about what they could do together and landed on the idea of taking a pilgrimage. They first explored the idea of going to the Holy Land, but the Holy Spirit eventually led them to decide on walking the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) in Spain. As many of you know, our previous Rector Portia+ has walked the Camino three times. She has been a wonderful resource and inspiration for Kristin’s+ planning, along with other friends of hers who have also made this pilgrimage. That trip will only be a part of her planned time away. The balance will include extended visits with family and a personal retreat, as well as down time at home.
We are anticipating that Kristin’s+ sabbatical will be next summer/fall (2021). In planning for activities to offer renewal and “time-out together” for the parish, we are looking to bring back the “Luck of the Pot” potluck gatherings. One of the things clearly identified when we collected data about our community using the Sources of Transformation model from the College for Congregational Development, is that we value gathering together to share meals. When we do this, our sense of community transformed and enlarged. And so to facilitate the strengthening of parish family bonds, we will have several potlucks to provide opportunities for fellowship and deepening relationships.
Planning for this time in our common life is exciting and we trust in God’s guidance and presence in our midst. We would love to hear your thoughts and questions as well, and so everyone is invited to Q&A sessions after both services on Sunday, March 8 – or catch any one of us at coffee hour or drop us a line. Please keep this work of our congregation in your prayers.
The Renewal Team
Kristin+, Lynda Ellis, Joan Fader, Jeannie Pellicier, Jane Barger, Blix Winston
Thrift Shop
We have finally settled into our new space and it turned out better than we imagined. The shop looks amazing. Thank you again to all the employees and volunteers that helped!
The shop is stocked with everything for winter, from coats, jackets, hats, gloves, scarves, and boots. All these items are 50% off. We are trying to make room for our Spring Collection that will be coming next month.
St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner. The front window is filled with everything Irish! Come on in and get your green on.
We are always looking for volunteers, so if you have any free time come join us for some work, new friendships, lots of laughs and the satisfaction of helping us support our mission.
Reduce your carbon footprint and shop at St. James’ Thrift Shop.
Thrift with Purpose
Sandy Baker, Manager
Boy Scouts
Many of you have seen or heard the news last week about the national organization of ScoutsBSA (Boy Scouts of America) filing for Chapter 11. This will not impact our troop or the local council and its and the districts scouting program. The bankruptcy filing is meant to create a victim compensation fund and allow the national organization to continue to support the local councils and districts.
Approximately 90% of the pending and asserted claims against the BSA relate to abuse that occurred more than 30 years ago. The safety of children in our programs is the BSA’s absolute top priority and that one instance of abuse is one too many. That’s precisely why over many years we’ve developed some of the strongest expert-informed youth protection policies found in any youth-serving organization.
From mandatory youth protection training and background checks for all volunteers and staff, to policies that prohibit one-on-one interaction between youth and adults and require that any suspected abuse is reported to law enforcement, our volunteers and employees take youth protection extremely seriously and do their part to help keep kids safe. To better understand the bankruptcy filing and what steps BSA is taking moving forward you can view the following video –
You can read more about the BSA’s multi-layered safeguards and our efforts to be part of the broader solution to child abuse at www.scouting.org/youth-safety. This is a resource that you can share with friends and family who are interested in understanding what the BSA is doing to keep kids safe. If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly.
Yours in Service and Scouting,
Bill Cunnane
Troop 829 Scoutmaster
WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Parish Administrator Hours for the week of March 1, Monday through Wednesday 10-4.
Sabbatical Q&A Join Kristin+ and members of the Renewal Team after both services on Sunday 3/8 to hear about the work they’ve been doing and to ask questions about plans for this time of renewal for our community next year.
Lenten Outreach The season of Lent is here and the Outreach Committee has Lenten calendars available. The contributions are donated to Mt. Airy Net. The Youth Group decorated boxes to place the food and sundry items in, but you can also use your own box or bag. Donations need to be brought back to church by Palm Sunday (April 5) as they will be blessed on Easter morning. Thank you from the Outreach Committee!
Lenten Compline Services A Compline Service will be held during Lent for those of you who are seeking a quiet place to pray. Come join us on Mondays, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and April 6 at 7 pm in the sanctuary. Compline is a service of evening prayers that is the final church service (or office) of the day. This service is typically 30 minutes. Prayer books will be provided – just bring yourselves! 
Prayer Rotation Please join the Daughters of the King in praying for each parishioner in rotation during 2020 by taking this notice home and by posting it where it will remind you pray to on a daily basis for the needs and blessing of:
Dee Moore (Kyle)
Glenn Mullett and Averelle Smith (Kenleigh, Lindsay)
Sean and Lynne Murdock
A member of the Daughters of the King will be contacting you this week for special prayer requests.
Next Week's Commemorations (A Great Cloud of Witnesses, 2020)
