From the Rector
We need your ALLELUIA! this Easter
The old adage “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” certainly rings true for me these days – not seeing everyone’s dear faces regularly over the past year has been one of the things I’ve missed most. As we circle around to our second pandemic Easter I’m hoping we can do something to be able to see each other even as we’re still distanced.
So dig out your craft supplies and get creative to make a sign of any size saying ALLELUIA! then take a picture of members of your household holding the sign and send it to the church office by 3/29.
We’ll use everyone’s pictures to make a special video to be included in our Easter Day online worship service. PS – this isn’t just for kids, we want everyone to participate! Let’s all join the fun to make this Easter a joyful celebration.
Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+
Financial Help for Parishioners
The members of our community who gave a generous donation to the Rector’s Discretionary Fund with the hope of helping parishioners with winter heating assistance have extended these funds to help parishioners in whatever way in needed during these tough times. Please reach out to Rev. Kristin for more information if we can help you in the coming months.
Sunday Worship Information
IN PERSON WORSHIP
PLEASE DRESS APPROPRIATELY FOR THE WEATHER AS WE WILL HAVE WINDOWS OPEN FOR VENTILATION
Reserve Your Seats
Based on Diocesan guidelines and the size of our sanctuary our max capacity for this service will be 40 people. This means that if you would like to attend the 8:30 am service you will need to sign up in advance. The link to sign up will be in the Shell Newsletter every week and on the website homepage about half way down.
NOTE: If you are assigned to serve as an usher, reader, or on altar guild you do NOT need to sign up for any date at which you are serving.
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SEATS FOR March 21 and 28
COVID Protocols
For the safety and protection of everyone, the following practices will be followed:
- Masks and social distancing will be required, along with the parameters established in the Covenant for Regathering.
- Only the front entrance will be unlocked and open
- Ushers will record everyone who attends in our contact tracing binder
- Hand sanitizer will be placed in prominent locations at the entrance and in church
- The church will look different – the rows of chairs have been replaced by spread out groupings of chairs to maintain distancing
- Prayer books and hymnals have been removed, the weekly bulletin will have the complete order of service
- Toys, books, and crayons have been removed; activity sheets will still be available
- This service will be an abbreviated Holy Eucharist and is designed to last about 30 minutes
- There will be no music at this service (the same as our 8:30 am Eucharist prior to COVID)
- There will no coffee hour after the service
ONLINE WORSHIP
Join us on the Fifth Sunday in Lent for Morning Prayer at 10:30 am followed by Zoom Coffee Hour, or watch the service livestreamed on Facebook.
A printable bulletin is available here.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 820 8668 4148
Passcode: 242425
One tap mobile +13017158592,,82086684148#
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.
The middle-high Sunday School classes will be at 9:30 am this Sunday in the sanctuary following masks/distancing/sanitizing guidelines. Once the nicer weather arrives, we will return to holding class in the outside Memorial Garden.
Sunday School classes will be held this coming Sunday on Zoom for preschool-5th.
Nursery School
“Week of the Young Child”
This year to recognize the Week of the Young Child, St. James’ Nursery School will offer a free virtual class entitled Stress in Early Childhood: Helping Children Cope. Our guest speaker will be from Child Care Choices.
Often children learn how to respond to stress by what they have seen and experienced in the past. It’s important to learn how each child acts under stress. In this workshop, you will learn techniques for identifying stress in young children and techniques for diffusing it effectively.
Saturday, April 17 from 9:00-11:00AM
This is an MSDE approved training and everyone in attendance will receive a two-hour certificate!
Please sign up by emailing school@stjamesmtairy.org with subject “Free Class” and give your name and email address to receive the Zoom link. Sign up by April 14!
Altar Flower Ministry
Easter Flowers
Each year during Lent we collect memorials and thanksgivings with donations to help in the purchase of flowers and music. This year we will have an in-person service with beautiful flowers. An online service with flowers and music is being prepared which you will be able to view on Easter Day.
Since this all has to be done in advance, the Spring plants will be in the building early and available to purchase after our Easter Day service to enjoy at home or gift to family and friends. We will have premium hydrangeas and tulips. The price, availability, and pick up time will be announced next week.
2021 Calendar
The 2021 sign-up sheet has been posted in the narthex. We ask that you complete an Altar Flower Donation Form (also in the narthex) and drop it in the offering plate at least two weeks prior to your chosen Sunday.
Flowers may be given in thanksgiving for, honor of, memory of, or celebration of someone or something. All donations are tax deductible and will be acknowledged in the corresponding Sunday bulletin.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Diocesan Day on the Diaconate
The annual Diocesan Day on the Diaconate (D3) will be March 27 via Zoom at 9:00 AM. Bishop Sutton’s dream is to appoint a deacon for every congregation. The diaconate is a full and equal order of ministry and we need more deacons. The D3 is a wonderful opportunity for lay and clergy persons to learn more about deacons. Visit our Deacon Website for more on ministries provided by deacons in the Diocese of Maryland and the latest copy of our Manual for the Diaconate.
This event is a must for:
- Everyone discerning a call to be a deacon, wherever you are in that journey
- Congregations and sponsoring clergy of those discerning
- Representation from wardens and vestry of congregations of discerners
- Congregations wishing to apply for a deacon
- Current deacon postulants, candidates and their sponsoring clergy
- Deacon mentors to those in formation or recently ordained
- Active and retired deacons, canonically resident or licensed
Register here to attend the 2021 Diocesan Day on the Diaconate (D3)
The Ven. Ruth Elder
Archdeacon, Episcopal Diocese of Maryland
REQUEST FOR EASTER DONATIONS
The Outreach Committee is pleased to announce it has very recently become aware of a community project we can work on this month with your help.
The Lorien Senior Center is requesting Easter baskets filled with specific items to be used as prizes for their popular Easter Bingo. Therefore, we are requesting donations of the following generic items for men or women to win:
Coloring books
Crossword books
Fun things
Puzzles
Crayons
Nail files
Soft toothbrush
Pocket size Kleenex
Pencils
Combs
Brushes
Markers
Sharpies
Hand lotion
Body wash
Small stuffed toys
Trinkets
Sealed candy
Hand sanitizer
Chapstick
PLEASE NOTE: NO homemade food items will be accepted and all candy must be in the original store packaging.
Your Outreach Committee members will assemble, wrap the filled baskets in cellophane, and attach a beautiful bow before delivery to The Lorien Senior Center later this month.
Donated items may be delivered to the Church Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., or Sundays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. PLEASE DEPOSIT YOUR DONATIONS IN THE TUB BY THE CHURCH DOOR at the above hours beginning Sunday, MARCH 7 through Sunday, MARCH 21.
Your help with this Outreach project for our community will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!
Lectionary Readings for the Fifth Sunday in Lent:
Next Week’s Commemorations:Prayer Rotation
Please join the Daughters of the King in praying for each parishioner in rotation during 2021 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:
Ty and Ashley Conlon (JT, Penny, Daphne, Marshall, Flynn)
Gail Crum
Bill and Chris Cunnane (Connor, Ajay)
A member of the Daughters of the King will be contacting you this week for special prayer requests.