The 10:00 service this Sunday (May 17th) will be a “Youth Sunday” service, and quite different from what we offer the other Sundays of the year.

Our youth group has been meeting with Rev. Ohmer and the youth group volunteer leaders on several Sundays over the past month, and taking their recommendations and ideas for the service seriously has resulted in a creative combination of 1) traditional (but greatly shortened!) worship, 2) an opportunity to make connections with one another, and 3) an opportunity to serve others – all in the same 10:00 - 11:00 hour! All are warmly welcome!

As part of the “serve others” portion of the service the youth group is collecting toiletries to help support veterans and the unhoused in our area. 

Please bring

• travel sized soaps,
• shampoo and lotions,
• clean toiletry sized bags,
• small suntan lotions, and
• travel tissues. 

The donation box is located in the hallway. 

You can bring them on or before Sunday (May 17th). 

Thank you!

Monday, May 18:

• 10:30am Good Grief Group (library)

Wednesday, May 20: 

• 7:30am- Holy Eucharist (bagels and coffee after)
• 6:00-9:00pm: St. James the Less Free Clinic

We celebrate the accomplishments of of 2026 Graduates. We pray for you, uplift you and support you as you enter the next chapters. You always have a home here at St. James the Less.

Parish Updates

It's always special when we are together. The spirit of community is strong. We are grateful for our volunteers that make our communal life happen.

Altar Guild Request

Dear Parishioners,

I am writing on behalf of our Altar Guild asking for you to prayerfully consider joining this ministry. Our numbers have diminished over the years from six teams to now four teams. Unfortunately the ages of our team members have not diminished (mine included) and all of our teams could use additional support. We are in special need of additional help setting up the sacraments for our weekly services. Training will be provided. By increasing the numbers on each team it allows for much needed flexibility for family obligations and emergencies. Please take time to consider this ministry. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions. 

Karla Batten, Altar Guild Chair (804) 441-3406

Contemplative Service

Join us May 17th at 5pm for our Contemplative Service.  This offers a sacred space to intentionally slow down and breathe. This service combines quiet music, meditation, contemplative prayer, and scripture reading to help anchor your soul. Unlike traditional services, the goal here is not to "do" more, but simply to "be" in the presence of the Divine. It is an act of resistance against the culture of hurry and exhaustion, allowing you to settle and get quiet. We hope you will join us!

After the youth-led service (or are we calling it “Graduation Sunday”) on May 17, the youth group will host a 5k at 11:30am. This event, “Jogging for James - To End Preventable Stillbirths” is a fundraiser to build awareness so more moms will be informed of the importance of monitoring their babies' movements and empowered to speak up if they notice a change. 

While the main event is in Chicago, we will join virtually by jogging and walking a 5k together in the neighborhood around St. James the Less. The event was created by the family of one of Aleta Meyer’s colleagues, who lost their son and brother, James, and is in honor of all families who experience this kind of tragedy.

Through this fundraiser, more healthcare providers will have the opportunity to educate and empower with Count the Kicks. Sign up here to join the “St. James the Less Youth Group” for this fun event: here 

8am Service Moving Outside May 31

Starting May 31, we are taking our 8:00 a.m. worship service outdoors to the church pavilion!

There is something special about worshiping surrounded by God’s creation—feeling the morning breeze and hearing the birds join our praise. We invite you to experience this fresh, intimate atmosphere as we move our early service from the sanctuary to the pavilion for the summer months, as long as the temperature agrees.

Church Picnic May 31st

Please join us for the Church-wide picnic to celebrate the wonderful program year we've had on Sunday, May 31st, following the 10am service. We’re gathering for a day of food, fun, and connection. We will provide the delicious chicken (from Around the Table) and drinks. Please bring a side or dessert to share. It will be in the Pavilion and we will also have yard games and other activities for everyone to enjoy celebrating community, faith, and fellowship.

Youth: Join us on Sunday, June 7^th from 2-6 pm for a special event with the R-MC Chaplain's Office. We'll explore the theme of Birds and the Bible, learning about ancient birds in the Holy Land and about birds that live in our area today. Each participant will make their own birdhouse to take home. We'll enjoy snacks & games together too!  While this is a youth event, all congregants are welcome and wanted, even if you aren't in middle or high school.

Hanover Churches Network

The mission of the Hanover Churches Network (HCN) is to coordinate the responses of local churches to social needs in Hanover County, VA. HCN fosters collaboration to better steward resources, addressing food and housing instability through a shared database, monthly meetings, and partnership initiatives, aiming to connect churches and community organizations. Click below to see the most recent updates.

Lord God, encourage us to faithfulness, righteousness, and compassion for all God’s children. We lift up Sean, our Presiding Bishop, Mark, Gail & Bud, our Bishops, and John, our Priest in Charge. May they be strengthened and encouraged as they work with us to proclaim your Good News in this world. We pray for Donald, our President, Abigail, our Governor, and Steve, our Mayor, and all our elected officials. Guide them to lead us to the common good. 



We pray for members of our community, friends and loved ones who are ill, especially, Gus, Erin, Meghann, Haden, Hilda, the Smith family, Mary Lou, Alicia, Steve, Margaret, Patty, Jennifer, Susan, Mike, Melissa, Amy, Martin, Cara, Sharon, Winnie, Michael, Addison, Pam, Julie, Ray, Kelly, Jack, Dale, Mark, Laura, Michael, Paul, & George. 

We pray for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison. We ask your prayers for those serving in the diplomatic corps, the military, and as missionaries: Larson, Greg, Matthew, James, Ellie, Andrew, Katherine and Duke. 

We pray for those who have died, especially Heather Grande, Cleve Collins, Dearing Gardner, Erik Klauss, & Judy Sledd. We ask your prayers for those who grieve their missing loved ones. Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored.

May 10-Finn Chambers

• Ask for prayer-Send in your prayer request (please acknowledge if the prayer is private or for our Parish list)
• List of Local Food Pantries- Click here for a complete list of local food pantries.
• Fall Line Farms- A wonderful organization that supports local farmers. Click here to order food so you can pick it up here at SJTL on Thursdays.
• Self- Guided Ways Of Worship Brochure- has wonderful ways of engaging with your own space (and the spaces around the church) to find the Holy, already present, within them.
• Sign up to take the St. James the Less Free Clinic a meal for volunteers.
• Blessings & Dressings- A copy of the SJTL Cookbook 
• End of Life Planning Kit- Help with estate planning from the Episcopal Church Foundation.
• Diocesan Creation Care Website- Creation Care Task Force for 2025

Vestry Contact Information

Here is the list of the current vestry members, if you want to reach out:

Beth Baxter, '27

John Krause, '27

PK Kinser, '27

Sylvia Spagna (Junior Warden), '27

Nancy Chamlee (Senior Warden), '28

Julie Ericksen, '28

Richard Grosse, '28

Derrick Rosser, '28

Barbara Bauserman, '29

Doug Bower, '29

Jessica Dowdy, '29

Rachel Reynolds, '29

Use these email address to contact the wardens or whole vestry:

vestry@stjamestheless.church

Saint James the Less Episcopal Church

125 Beverly Road

Ashland, VA 23005

(804) 798-6336

Staff: (click on the name to email )

The Rev. John Ohmer Priest in Charge

Reggie Long- Organist/Music Director

Miriam Smith- Christian Formation- Children & Youth Director

Kasey Buckland- Coordinator of Administration and Hospitality

The church office is open/staffed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9am to 3pm.