Weekly electronic newsletter
Rector – Grace & Grub Dinner Fellowship We’re putting on the grub! An ad hoc group of people passionate about building up fellowship and ways we can care for one another as a family at St. James’ has come up with some ideas for new ministries, the first of which – Grace & Grub dinners – will begin next month.…
Rector Senior Warden Announcement & Welcoming New Vestry Members A warm welcome to our 2019-2022 Vestry class, elected at our Annual Meeting last Sunday: Ty Conlon, Bill Ellis, Andrew Gobien, and Steve Stowell. I am also delighted to announce that Vestry member Jeannie Pellicier has accepted my offer to be our next Senior Warden. I…
Vestry – New Year, New Vestry We are so very blessed to have a wonderful church family that is willing to say “Yes” when called to serve. As we embark upon our Annual Meeting this Sunday at 9:30 am, and welcome three new Vestry members, we also give our thanks to those rotating off. During…
From the Rector Tell me, what is it you plan to do With your one wild and precious life? The poet Mary Oliver died today. It is hard for me to overstate the importance of her poetry to me – though I did not begin reading her until I was nearly 30. I always find…
From the Rector – February Book Group Selection & Dates The new year means it’s time for a new book for our Book Group! Eighteen folks met between the two gatherings last November to reflect on Everything Happens for a Reason (and other lies I’ve loved) by Kate Bowler. Next up we’re reading Learning to…
From the Rector – Making Christmas & Epiphany Traditions Today is the tenth day of Christmas and I have a confession to make: I’m great at “keeping Advent” and having family traditions to prepare for Christmas, but I’ve really fallen down on the job of creating ways to celebrate the whole season of Christmas as…
Presiding Bishop Curry’s Christmas Message 2018 In the Third Chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus says at one point, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that all who believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” For years, I’ve often thought that that passage only referred to Jesus…
From the Rector – Joy is not a Constant In one of her older books, The Gifts of Imperfection, Professor and author Brené Brown, shared this wisdom, which hits on the holiday imagery and emotions of the holiday season: TWINKLE LIGHTS are the perfect metaphor for joy. Joy is not a constant. It comes to…
From the Rector – The Hospitality of Christmas In Advent, as we look toward Christmas, we prepare our hearts to welcome the Christ child. At home, we often prepare our houses for holiday guests. When we prepare, we offer hospitality – that is, the disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm…
From the Rector – St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra Long before the legends of a round, gift giving fellow named Santa Claus were heard, there was Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Turkey. He was born in the year 280 ce and after his death he became a saint. Today, December 6th is his feast day.…