From the Rector Reflections on the College for Congregational Development Last Saturday Heather Albertson and I completed our second year of the College for Congregational Development (CCD). We read all the required books, did two parish projects, passed the exam – and graduated! This isn’t the last you’ll be hearing about CCD though obviously, as…
From the Rector Summer Savings at the Thrift Shop! Is it tacky if I say it pays to be a member? Probably – but this summer it’s true! Look in your Sunday bulletin beginning this week for a special coupon for members of St. James’ only for $5 off a purchase of $20 or more…
Rector – Get Even More WAY OF LOVE! “The way of Jesus is the Way of Love. And the Way of Love can change the world,” Presiding Bishop Michael Curry says in his new podcast, The Way of Love: with Bishop Michael Curry. These weekly conversations, which launched last Sunday on Pentecost, explore living a…
Rector – Summer at St. James’: Fellowship & Formation Summer is nearly here, and with it comes vacations and more time away from our St. James’ family – so this year we’ve planned several opportunities for fellowship and formation. Sundays at St. James – We’ll continue to gather weekly for worship at 9:30 am Faith…
Vestry Over the last couple of months, St. James has hosted several social events that I hope you’ve been able to participate in. It’s hard to make time for everything, but some of the reasons I enjoy these activities is the opportunity to hear peoples’ stories: what are their hobbies? how did they meet their…
Environmental St. James will host a free screening of the new documentary, The Climate for Change is Now: Paris to Pittsburgh on Sunday, June 9, 2019 at 7 pm. We will ask for a donation of canned for Mt Airy NET. Please plan to attend and invite your friends. Included for your edification is the…
From the Rector The 235th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland Last Friday and Saturday St. James’ Delegate Carla Kaufman and I attended our Diocesan Convention. It’s always fun to see folks who serve far and wide across our diocese, to visit the booths of all the vendors and organizations, and to pray together…
From the Rector A Mother’s Day Thanksgiving This Sunday is Mother’s Day. While there are faith-filled roots to this holiday, it is at heart a secular one. For this reason it is not included in the church calendar, and we don’t celebrate it as a feast day. We will mark it in our Prayers of…
From the Rector Setting Aside a Space for Prayer, Creating Holy Ground This Sunday we will bless a new prayer space in our sanctuary. We have created a prayer altar in the front corner where you will find a votive candle stand, an icon of Jesus, Anglican prayer beads, prayer stones, and a basket with…
Vestry In the past several months St. James’ has had to make some expensive repairs. The first was the new heat exchanger on the York HVAC unit that serves the sanctuary. That cost was $4,430 and was paid from the operating reserve account. The Vestry also unanimously approved a proposal to fix our outside kitchen walkway/ramp.…