Blessings this All Saints' Day!

We will be recognizing it today at our 7:30 Eucharist and observing it officially Sunday at our 8 and 10 am services. This blessed time is when we recognize the Great Cloud of Witnesses that is still and always will be a part of the Church. Because they have entered into what is to come does not mean they are no longer a part of the Church. They are more attuned to it than we are. We pause and lift up our beloved departed because "God is God of the living, not the dead" to quote Jesus. I hope you will join us this Sunday as we remember and pray.

Speaking of Sunday, do not forget to "Fall Back!" Daylight Savings is Sunday morning in the wee hours. Make sure you remember to set your clocks back. Cell phones do it on their own, so if in doubt, check your cell phone to know what time it is.

Lastly, Shrine Mont Camps published their dates for next summer. (See below) St. James the Less has always supported Shrine Mont Camps, and in recent years fewer and fewer of our campers have gone. If you have kids or grandkids, I hope that you will get those dates and decide now when they will be campers in 2024. It would be wonderful if we had all our kids who could go to make it for a session next summer. Shrine Mont Camps change lives. I have heard it repeatedly. Plan now to help make it so!

Next Sunday, November 12 is Ingathering Sunday for our Stewardship Campaign, and I hope you will be with us for our service and our lunch to celebrate. It is always a good time!

Blessings,

Rock+

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

• 7:30am- Eucharist Rite II & breakfast to follow
• 10:30am-Vinyasa Yoga with Lorie
• 5pm- Vinyasa Yoga with Susan

Thursday, November 2, 2023

• 6pm- Hand Bell Rehearsal
• 7pm- Parish Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, November 5, 2023 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS

• 8am- Eucharist Rite I (no music) INDOORS
• 9am- Adult & Children Sunday School
• 10am- Eucharist Rite II (music)

Monday, November 6, 2023

• 10:30am- Good Grief
• 10:30am- Vinyasa Yoga with Lorie
• 7pm- Election Eve Prayer Service

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

• 10am- Book Club

November Calendar:

• 11/2- Journal Group with Beth Harrison 10:30am
• 11/5- Daylight Savings
•  11/6- Election Eve Time of Prayer 7pm
• 11/10-Office Closed- Veterans Day
• 11/11- Stew Sale
• 11/12- Stewardship Celebration after 10am
• 11/18- Supper Club
• 11/20- 6:30pm Vestry Meeting
• 11/23 & 11/24-Thanksgiving- Office Closed

We had a weekend packed full of goodness- from our volunteer fair and budget meeting to the awesome children and youth activities! It was a special time of connection.

Also, we always want to show our Altar Guild gratitude for all the creativity and thoughtfulness they put into their work. Gorgeous arrangement this week!

Stewardship Celebration

Please join us to celebrate all the incredible gifts that God has given us at our annual Stewardship Celebration on Sunday, November 12th after the 10am service. We will have a delicious lunch catered by our own Keith Herald. It will be delicious and a special time to be together! Everyone is welcome!

Blanket Drive

Please join our youth in their Blanket Drive for CJ's Thumb's Up. You can bring them in and put them in a box in the hallway. Thank you in advance! We are grateful for your support!

Bettilee Kay funeral



We will celebrate the beautiful life of former member Bettilee Kay Saturday, November 18th at 11am here at St. James the Less with a reception in the Parish Hall to follow. We hope you can join us.

All Saints

We will be observing All Saints at our Sunday, November 5th service. We read the names of our Beloveds that have passed at that service. If you would like the name of your loved one read aloud, please email Kasey and let us know how you would like it to read.

Election Eve Prayer

The Election Eve Prayer Service is a area-wide service praying for our community, state, and nation. We have been doing this for several years. It is a non-partisan gathering lifting up our friends and neighbors and asking for God's grace in our communal life on Monday, 11/6 at 7pm. All are welcome, as we celebrate our unity in Christ with The Rev. Rock Higgins and Reverend Isaac Varner of Independence Christian. Please join us and invite your church and neighbors!

Brunswick Stew

We are so excited to be selling our famous "Bishop's Blessed Brunswick Stew." They will be $12 a quart. If you would like to reserve a quart (or more) for yourself or your family, please do that here, or you are welcome to call Kasey and she can set you up. (804-798-6336). You can pay when you pick it up via check, cash or card on Saturday, November 11th.

We need volunteers! If you are willing and able to help us, please sign up on the bulletin board or email us and let us know how/when you'd like to be part. We need help with set up, stirring the stew, chopping vegetables the day beofre, etc. It is so much fun to work together! THANK YOU!

2023 SJtL Ornament

We started a tradition last year creating a SJtL Christmas ornament. We are thrilled to continue that again this year! This year's ornament features the Pavilion. (last year it had our logo on it) It is crystal with beveled edges. It's gorgeous! We are selling this Parish Fundraiser for $20. To place an order, please complete this form, sign up in the hallway on the bulletin board or call the office, 804-798-6336. Orders need to be in by Friday, October 27th for pick up at our Stew Sale. You can pay when you pick them up. Thank you for supporting this community!

Shrine Mont Summer Camp

Exciting things are happening in ­­­­­­Diocesan Camp Ministry as they prepare for the 2024 season. First, they will have our 2024 reunion at The Falls Church on January 13^th from 1pm-5pm. All campers ages 7-17 are welcome to take part in this exciting event!

Next, dates for Shrine Mont Camp are listed below and are available online at Shrinemontcamps.org, and registration goes live December 13^th, 2023. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Scholarships are available, and 2024 session prices will be released in November. This is a great time to start planning dates with your campers!

Shrine Mont Camp 2024 Dates

• St. George’s Session 1 || ages 9-14|| Sunday, June 23rd to Tuesday, July 2^nd
• St. George’s Session 2 || ages 12-14|| Sunday, July 7th to Friday, July 19^th
• St. George’s Session 3 || ages 8-11|| Sunday, July 14th to Friday, July 19^th
• St. George’s Session 4 || ages 8-14|| Tuesday, July 23rd to Tuesday, July 30^th
• St. Elizabeth’s Session 1 || ages 14-25|| Sunday, June 23rd to Thursday, June 27^th
• St. Elizabeth’s Session 2 || ages 14-25|| Sunday, June 30th to Wednesday, July 3^rd
• All Saints Session || ages 9-12|| Sunday, July 7th to Friday, July 12^th
• Senior High Youth Conference || ages 14-16|| Sunday July 7th to Friday, July 19^th
• Family Camp || all ages|| Sunday, July 7th to Saturday, July 13^th
• Explorer’s The Great || ages 15-17|| Tuesday, July 23rd to Sunday, August 4^th
• Lil’s Session ||ages 7-9|| Tuesday, July 23rd to Friday, July 26^th
• St. Andrew’s Session ||ages 8-11|| Tuesday, July 23rd, to Sunday, July 28th

We look forward to having your family join us for another summer of faith, fun, community, and love on the mountain!



For camp registration in 2024, please be aware that all past due balances must be resolved prior to registration. Please contact the registrar Jennifer Cox at campregistrar@thediocese.net or you can contact her by phone at 804-622-3172, where she will be more than happy to speak with you about registration and all things camp-related.

Sunday Schedule:

• Children's Sunday School- Sundays 9am
• Nursery- Sundays 9am
• Children's Church- during the 10am service

Children's Supplies -Help us get ready for the new program year. Click the link HERE to see the needs for our youth and children’s programming. Thank you all so much for your continued support!!!

Regional Youth Group: Go Fourth Sundays

Join us on November 26th at 6pm for the next meeting of Go Fourth Sundays for our Youth! We will share a meal, create a to go service project, and share in fellowship! Follow us on Instagram for more information. @GoFourthSundays

• Sign up to bring meals for the Clinic Volunteers HERE
• Help stock our Emergency Food Pantry (outside the clinic)
• Send in your Pop Tops for McDonald House
• Bring in Hygiene or laundry items for Peter Paul
• Donate to ACES (see below)

Pantry:

• Canned beef stew
• Canned vegetables (not green beans)
• Canned fruit
• Canned soup
• Canned beans
• Peanut butter
• Pasta sauce
• Cold cereal
• Oatmeal (smaller sizes, or instant packets)
• Laundry detergent

Children's Clothing:

• Boy's and Girl's fall & winter clothing (all sizes)
• Boy's and Girl's fall & winter pajamas (all sizes)
• Boy's and Girl's shoes (all sizes) VERY LOW INVENTORY
• Boy's and Girl's socks (all sizes)
• Boy's underwear (size 6 - 8)
• Girl's underwear (size 16)
• Diapers (size 4, 5, 6 and 7)... We do not need pull-ups
• Baby Wipes 

Adult Clothing:

• Men's athletic shoes (all sizes)
• Men's work boots (all sizes)
• Men's jeans (all sizes but especially size 28 - 40)
• Men's undershirts (all sizes)
• Men's athletic socks (all sizes)
• Women's athletic socks (all sizes)
• Women's sanitary products

ACES is open on both Mondays and Wednesday from 8:30-11:30am. Thank you for your continued support!

Lord, we lift up this nation struggling with itself these days. Encourage us to faithfulness, righteousness, and compassion for all God’s Children. We lift up Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael, our Presiding Bishop, Mark, Dabney & Gail, our Bishops, Rock+, our priest, and Dawn+, our Deacon. We pray for Bart, our Seminarian, in his formation May they be strengthened and encouraged as the work with us to proclaim your Good News in this world. We pray for Joe, our President, Glenn, our Governor, and Steve, our Mayor, and all our elected officials. Guide them to lead us to the common good. 

We ask your prayers for peace; for goodwill among nations; and for the well-being of all people. Remembering especially Gus Miller, Erin Yagla, Meredith Moon, Meghann Batten, Dennis Folsom, Court Warfield, Andrea Alexander McCallum, Janet Taylor, Joy Stevenson, Andy Newchok, Rebecca Hottman, Haden Hopkins, Kim Keene, Pam Bowers, Hilda Kelly, Lee & Susan Chambers, Harry Hassell, Baker/Penland family, Joel Blunk, Holly Rison and family, Bower family, Michele Murphy, Gavin Yonce and family, Smith family, Lyde Longaker, Mary Ann Harris, the Poskey family, Dennis Ray, Michele Parks, Gini Dryden, Aubree Dillon, Angela Bennett, Steve Sullivan, Debby Hudgins, and Tim & family.



We ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison. We also ask your prayers for those serving in the diplomatic corps, the military, and as missionaries: Larson Flanagan, Kemper Jones, Greg Ericksen, Matthew Thomas, Philip Morison, James Ashley, Ellie Deas, Andrew Brunson, Liam Higgins, and Katherine Murphy. 

We ask your prayers for those who have died, especially Bettilee Kay, Wendy Vaughan and Wayne Morris. We ask your prayers for those who grieve.  

Our citizens who live in Hanover County, the Board of Supervisors, School Board, and Manager. The print and broadcast media. The churches of metropolitan Richmond: members and clergy. All who live in poverty. All who suffer from mental illness. Our citizens who live in Ashland, Hopewell, Colonial Heights, and Petersburg, the town and city Councils and Managers. All who work in banks and finance; all making financial decisions for greater Richmond. Prisons and jails of metropolitan Richmond: prisoners and staff. All who are unemployed or underemployed. All public servants.

For all those who seek peace in the world and for ourselves, that we may bring about God's Kingdom here on earth. For our enemies, and for those who wish us harm.



Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored.

Click HERE to read the sermon text

• Prayer List- Prayers of the People
• Giving Online- Click here to give online or text "GIVE2THELESS" at 73256 from your phone.
• Ask for prayer-Send in your prayer request (please acknowledge if the prayer is private or for our Parish list)
• The Collect Collective- Daily short prayer with Father Rock
• 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- It has wonderful ways of engaging with your own space (and the spaces around the church) to find the Holy, already present, within them.
• Father Rock's Blog- Access reading of all of Father Rock's Homilies.
• 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

Saint James the Less Episcopal Church

125 Beverly Road

Ashland, VA 23005

(804) 798-6336

Staff:

The Rev. Rock Higgins, tssf Rector

The Rev. Deacon Dawn McNamara Deacon

Reggie Long- Organist/Music Director

Miriam Smith- Christian Formation- Children & Youth Director

Kasey Buckland- Parish Administrator