From the Rector
Rain Before Rainbows
One of my favorite parts of being at St. James’ is that I get to lead monthly chapels with the Nursery School classes. Yes it looks different this year because of covid, but if nothing else there has been comfort in the monthly routine of prayer, story, and singing together – even if it’s on Zoom instead of in person.
Last week I purchased a new picture book to fold into my rotation of stories for chapel time. It’s called Rain Before Rainbows, written by Smirti Prasadam-Halls and illustrated by David Litchfield, and it’s gorgeous. While it’s not an explicitly faith based book, reading it feels like a holy hug. It follows a young girl and her fox companion as they travel from sorrow, through challenge, and toward light and life. This book is worth it for the illustrations alone, but they are matched by the simplicity and hopefulness of the text.
Click on the illustration to purchase at AmazonSmile
where your purchases benefit St. James’ at no cost to you.
I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone going through a difficult time. If you or someone you know are in need of comfort and hope don’t let the fact that this is a “children’s” book stop you from checking it out. That’s the beauty of a well done picture book after all, it speaks to all ages. And if you are in need of other resources for grieving, loss, or making it through difficult times, I hope you will reach out to me – I’m always here when you need me.
Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+
Financial Help for Parishioners
Thanks to a generous donation from a family in our parish to the Rector’s Discretionary Fund we are able to offer assistance to members of the congregation experiencing financial hardship. Please reach out to Rev. Kristin for more information.
Sunday Worship Information
IN PERSON WORSHIP
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.
To read our COVID Protocols click here.
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 April 18 and April 25
ONLINE WORSHIP
Join us on the Third Sunday of Easter for 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!
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.
Sunday School classes will be held this coming Sunday on Zoom for preschool-5th.
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.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lectionary Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter:
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:
Bill and Lynda Ellis
Bob and Carolyn Etzler
Joan Fader
A member of the Daughters of the King will be contacting you this week for special prayer requests.
Meet the Episcopal priest moonlighting as a Mars rover mission scientist. Episcopal News Service (ENS) ran a story about the Rev. Pan Conrad, rector of St. Alban’s, Glen Burnie and her work as a member of the tactical operations team for NASA’s Mars rover mission.
The Restoration of Nature project at St. Luke’s, Eastport was featured in a story on the Chesapeake Bay Program’s website. The project restored an indigenous Chesapeake watershed from top to tidewater on their property on Back Creek in Annapolis, upgrading a municipal stormwater pipe system to naturally filter polluted urban runoff and creating an environmental education campus.