From the Rector
Diocesan Convention Follow Up
Last Saturday the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland met for its 236th Diocesan Convention. Our Convention usually occurs in May but was postponed due to COVID. Because of the ongoing need for social distancing, most clergy and delegates gathered on Zoom, and it was livestreamed on YouTube. You can watch videos of Convention here.
The big piece to come out of convention was the approval of Resolution 2020-06 on Racial Restitution and Reconciliation. You can read the resolution here. It establishes a diocesan reparations fund seeded with one million dollars to address the legacy of slavery and systemic racism in our diocese. The money going into the fund will come from profits of property sales and diocesan endowments, not from congregational assessments. The resolution does urge congregations to prayerfully consider contributing to the fund from their endowments or other resources.
As with so many things in our country right now, issues of racial reconciliation are emotionally fraught, with passionate feelings on all sides. The Vestry will be meeting in the near future to reflect on the past 15 years of work on this issue in our diocese, and to discern a process for engaging our whole congregation for feedback before any monetary decisions are made. In the meantime you can learn more about this work on the diocesan website and in particular I commend to you the Trail of Souls.
In the mean time if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+
Sunday Worship Information
IN PERSON WORSHIP
We will gather at 8:30 am outside for Holy Eucharist in the Memorial Garden and field. All attendees must abide by the provisions of the Covenant for Regathering, including:
- wearing a mask
- maintaining physical distancing from those not in your household
- only attending when non-symptomatic for COVID-19 or any other transmittable disease
- abstaining from attending if doing so would put you at greater risk because of your own health status
To attend outside worship please plan to bring your own chairs or blanket. You will be asked to spread out in the field facing the building, keeping at least 8 feet between households – so consider hats or an umbrella for shade. While this will be a service with Holy Communion (wafers only), you are free to choose if you feel comfortable receiving the sacrament.
If outside worship needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather a decision will be made by 4:00 pm the day before when possible, and if it needs to be cancelled, an email will be sent out. In the case of unanticipated bad weather, including rain which would inhibit our ability to use sound amplification, an update will be posted to our Facebook page by 7:30 am the morning of. You can check our Facebook page for updates.
ONLINE WORSHIP
Join us on The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost for the Liturgy of the Word at 10:30 am followed by Zoom Coffee Hour, or watch the service livestreamed on Facebook.
A printable bulletin is available here.
We will “open the doors” beginning at 10:15 am for folks to greet each other and say good morning. Kristin+ will give instructions at 10:25 am and we will begin recording and livestreaming the service promptly at 10:30 am. Don’t worry if you’re late – you can still attend via Zoom if you “get to church” at 10:40!
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 828 4425 3137
Passcode: 258544
One tap mobile +13017158592,,82844253137#
Facebook Livestream
We plan to begin streaming to Facebook at 10:30 am. If you arrive at Facebook and you don’t see the video, please refresh your screen. There is a delay.
School is open!!! We have completed our first week of the new school year. with new drop-off/pick-up procedures and classroom procedures, this was a start like we have never had before. we are happy to report that all has gone well. the children are happy to be back with their friends. Walking down the hallway laughter and singing can be heard from every room. What a joy!
Our major fundraiser of the year begins September 16th with Charleston Gift Wrap. Their wrapping paper is two-sided and of high quality paper. They also have nice gifts as well. The proceeds will go towards paying for our materials for this year’s program.
The School Board
Kathryn Janiga, 2’s Teacher
Sunday School
Mite Box Lenten Outreach update….
It has been a long time since March when we handed out mite boxes to our Sunday School students to begin our Lenten outreach sharing to benefit the A is for Africa program. The collection of coins have since been counted ($402.44), which amount was matched by our Outreach Committee. On September 14th a check in the amount of $804.88 payable to A is for Africa was presented to Mary Anne & Rick Smith in support of the Matim School children in Tanzania.
Thank you to our Sunday School children who saved their coins during Lent, for the donations from our parish families, for matching funds from our Outreach Committee and for the continued commitment of Mary Anne & Rick Smith (the local Mt. Airy organizers). Thank you all for making this possible!
WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Scouting for Food
St. James’ will be a drop off location on 9/19 from 9am-3pm for Scouting for Food. We are looking for Food donations which will benefit Mount Airy Net. The parking lot will be setup as a drive through/drop off site and Troop 829 will be running it.
CARE PACKAGES FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS
The Outreach Committee would love to have the names and addresses of all our young men and women that are attending college whether they are away from home, commuting or studying virtually; please send their contact information to office@stjamesmtairy.org.
We plan to send them “CARE Packages” in mid-October; meanwhile, beginning this Sunday, September 13th, we will begin collecting items to fill the CARE packages.
Please donate items such as hot chocolate, razors, shower scrubbies, fruit snacks, pencils, cookies, pop tarts, instant coffees, tea, chips, goldfish, Pringle’s, microwave mac ‘n cheese, microwave popcorn, tissues, lotion and small bottles of hand sanitizer.
Collection containers will be outside the lower church door Sunday mornings at the 8:30 service, as well as, under the table in the Narthex at other times during the week. The CARE Packages will be blessed on Sunday, October 18th.
Thank you so much, in advance, from your Outreach Committee for your kind donations.
Fall Book Discussion Group
The Wired Word – Connecting Scripture & Current Events to Our Lives
Parishioner Adrienne Smith is hoping to launch a new Bible study using the Wired Word curriculum. Adrienne participated in this program at her former parish and has volunteered to lead a group here if there is interest. Check out her description below, and SIGN UP HERE if you’d like to join the group. This Bible study will meet on Thursday nights on Zoom.
A SPECIAL REQUEST FOR OUR “NEW” BASKET RAFFLE
As you may have heard by now, the Basket Raffle committee has decided to move forward with plans to have a Mini-Basket Raffle at the Church, hopefully, in mid to late November; therefore, we will be accepting donations of usable items throughout September.
Since our town’s local businesses have had a stressful year so far, we would like to make a SPECIAL REQUEST, of those who are able, to purchase GIFT CERTIFICATES locally to be used in our baskets which, not only will help with our Basket Raffle, but help support our community businesses, as well. Please hand deliver gift certificates to the church office Administrator, Laura, during business hours or call Marilyn Hancock at 301-788-0136 for pickup; please do NOT mail them.
If you have any items that can be used in creating baskets or for a Silent Auction that you would like to donate, please call Marilyn or e-mail her at Ladyzip2004@yahoo.com to schedule a time to meet at the church lower level door. Without your wonderful donations, we will not be able to move forward.
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. We would like to also request wine, tissue paper, ribbon, “clear” and double-sided tape.
Items for the Silent Auction would be those that would generate higher bids by themselves rather 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.
The “Basket Brigade” will begin our creations in October. We would like to invite anyone interested in joining us to learn and enjoy our creation process to please contact Marilyn at the above number. It will be an enjoyable social “socially distanced” time!
Thank you, in advance, for helping us in any way you are able with our much-needed fun fundraiser!!
Marilyn Hancock
Basket Raffle 2020 Chairperson
Thursday Weekly Zoom Bible Study
Please join us September 24 for Bible study at 11:30 am.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 869 5327 5656
Passcode: 864720
One tap mobile +13017158592,,86953275656#
Lectionary Readings for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost:
Next Week’s Commemorations:
Prayer Rotation
Please join the Daughters of the King in praying for each parishioner in rotation during 2018 by taking this notice home and by posting it where it will remind you pray to on a daily basis for the needs and blessings of:
Ryan and Angie Ireland (Anna, Addy, Brayden)
Matt and Karen Kastel (Grant)
Tom and Carla Kaufman
A member of the Daughters of the King will be contacting you this week for special
prayer requests.