Go in peace to love and serve God and neighbor Last week in Part 1: Being Fed, I wrote about the phrase “behold what you are; become of what you receive” which is said as part of the invitation to receive communion every week. This week I’d like to look at the words that send us out into the world at the…
St. James' Episcopal Church – Mt. Airy, Maryland
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Behold what you are; become what you receive. Every week, after we’ve said the Great Amen and consecrated the bread and the wine, these are the words I say when we lift the bread and wine and extend the invitation that all who seek Christ are welcome at God’s table. It is an adaptation of a phrase from a sermon by St.…
Please plan to stay – or arrive early – this Sunday to attend our Annual Meeting at 9:30 a.m. in the sanctuary. Two essential pieces of work we will do are electing new Vestry members and announcing our next Senior Warden, and reviewing the 2016 financials and accepting the 2017 budget. In addition there will be presentations on upcoming projects at St.…
This Sunday at the beginning of both services we will bless a new Paschal candle stand. The current stand, a lovely gift from the Wolcott family years ago, has, through normal wear and use, suffered some damage. The main pole has developed a tilt which makes it unstable when the tall Paschal candle is being used. We were able to use it…
I wrote last month about what CREDO is, a clergy wellness conference developed by the Church Pension Fund. In short, it is a time to unplug and spend time reflecting on the health and balance in four key area: spiritual life, finances, physical health, and vocational path. And so it was that I spent a week on retreat, learning and discerning, and…
I hope everyone has a filling Thanksgiving this week – and that you will come to church this Sunday as we enter the holy season of Advent. Advent is a time of expectation of God-with-us, the divine presence born human. It is a time to prepare to come close to the Mystery of Christmas. Mysteries…
The Vestry Nominating Committee is excited to announce that they are accepting nominations for the 2017-2020 Vestry Class. A blue handout is available in the narthex which details ideal qualities for candidates as well as Vestry member responsibilities. Outgoing members Lynda Ellis, Jane Barger, Mike Henyon, and Cory DelRegno are also available if you are interested and have questions. If you would…
A colleague recently offered a metaphor that has helped me remember why I give. It has to do with the two bodies of water in Israel. In the north of Israel, the Jordan River flows into the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee teems with life, and supports humans and myriad other creatures. The…
Dear St. James’ Parish Family, As the days grow cooler and the world around us ripens in color, it is time once again to come together to plan for the life of our community as we plan our budget for 2017. Our theme this year is Giving Back, Giving Forward. There are many reasons we give…
Did you know that in addition to the ministries of each parish in our Diocese, there are shared ministries that we support together? The Annual Ministries Appeal (formerly known as the Bishop’s Annual Appeal) supports 16 different ministries including sending a child who may have an incarcerated parent or be suffering with illness to a…