From the Rector – Transforming Through Generosity
Last Sunday we heard a powerful testimony from Peter Sabonis about the power of church communities to sustain us during hard times in our lives. He spoke about the fact that we have a community to support us week in and week out, a place we can go to for strength and peace when our world is turned upside down, and how that can transform our fear to hope. Where else can we find such a place? The answer is nowhere – the church is unique in its role and ability to feed us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The stewardship angle on that is that in order to continue to be a place of succor and transformation, we all need to give to the mission and ministry of St. James’.
If you’ve had a chance to pick up your stewardship packet and 3rd quarter giving statement*, you’ve seen the letter from the Stewardship Committee with hopes about how we can transform our parish through generosity. I ask that you take time to pray about what you can give, both financially and with your time and talent in the year to come.
We will be gathering and blessing our pledges on Sunday, October 28 at both services, and then continuing the Eucharistic feast with our Fall Feast potluck after the 10:30 service. I hope you will plan to join us for some quality time together at this family meal.
If you haven’t picked up your envelope yet they will be mailed this Friday.
Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+
Nursery School
The children will be enjoying monthly yoga sessions this school year!
This enhancement activity will be paid for by funds raised from the Charleston Wrap 
Fundraiser (which just finished this week!). School Director, Pat Castle, is pleased to have found a highly experienced yoga instructor and author, Gina Bates Brown. She has a degree in dance and has published a children’s book and yoga CD!
At the beginning of October, school families were sent an email that had a link for parents to complete the Ages and Stages Developmental Screening (ASQ) for their child. The state of Maryland has suggested that centers and private schools (like us) screen all children at the beginning of the school year. St. James starting using this tool last school year. We have found that this additional information is useful in informing parents and staff on how to best support children in their development and when it may be necessary to seek additional supports.
The school pays for the online access for the ASQ screening through a yearly non-public schools grant.
The fire company visited us October 4th and 5th for a fire safety lesson, and officer Mike from the Town of Mt. Airy visited on October 12.
Basket Raffle
We are pleased to report that our 12th Annual Basket Raffle and Silent Auction two-day Oktoberfest and Fall Fest events were fun and quite successful. This would not have been possible without the generosity, both in materials, time, talent and spirit, of so many of you.
We would like to first thank the Raffle committee—from our fantastic official correspondent and donation solicitor to our excellent volunteer coordinator and our awesome “Basket Brigade” assemblers to our great “transportation engineer”! Also, kudos to those who graciously posted flyers and to the wonderful ladies who called the winners–all deserve a huge thanks!!
In addition, we are very grateful for all of the wonderful donations of lovely items and baskets received from our parishioners.
Many thanks also to our Nursery School and Thrift Shop for their continued support of this important fundraising event.
Blessings~
Marilyn Hancock & Ave Smith
Co-Chairpersons
2018 Basket Raffle & Silent Auction
WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Office Hours Week of October 21
Monday – Thursday 10-4
Matthew Shepard to be interred at Washington National Cathedral after public service
Twenty years after the brutal murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard sparked national outrage, his ashes will be interred at Washington National Cathedral following a public service of remembrance on October 26.
Murder Mystery Dinner
Don’t miss our own Kali Nanavaty as “Celine Gomez” in Players On Air production of “Murder & Mayhem at the Idol Awards”. November 3, 2018 at the Mt. Airy Fire Reception Hall. Click here for tickets.
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 to pray on a daily basis for the needs and blessings of:
Timothy and Cheri McClanahan (Bryce, Trevor)
James and Janet McKeever (Katie)
Meghan McKeever
A member of the Daughters of the King will be contacting you this week for special prayer requests.
