Blessings on your Holy Week!

Before we focus on all the details of this week, I do want to make sure you are aware of our own Stephanie Werner's ordination to the diaconate on Saturday, April 26, at 10:30 am at St Mary's, Goochland. I hope you will join us. 

Thursday night we begin the Triduum, the "three days." These are my favorite days of the Church Year. As I mentioned, Bishop Stevenson said, "The Triduum is one liturgy broken up by time." Like three acts in a play, it is all the better when you experience the beginning, the middle, and the end. Thursday and Friday begin at 7 pm, and Saturday is at Noon and 8 pm. If you can only pick one, the Easter Vigil is our whole salvation history in one night. 

• Maundy Thursday, 7 pm, Dr. Bart Natoli preaching
• Good Friday, 7 pm, Tripp Hudgins preaching
• Holy Saturday, Noon
• Easter Vigil, 8 pm (begins outside in front of the Church)

Easter Sunday will have its usual joys, and we may just have a surprise or two for you. We hope you will help us pack the church for our celebrations. 8 am is outside in our Memorial Garden, and the 10 am is in the Church. The Egg Hunt will be after the conclusion of the 10 am service.

Pray for our parish and Christ's church around the world in this time of rich blessing, and as we conclude this Holy Lent, may we all draw closer to God and one another and be ready for Resurrection.

Blessings, Rock+

April Calendar:

•  4/17-  Maundy Thursday Service 7pm
•  4/18-  Good Friday Service 7pm
•  4/19-  Noon-Holy Saturday Service; 8pm Easter Vigil
•  4/20-  Easter Service 8 AM (Pavilion) & 10 AM(Flowers for Cross, St. Cecelia Choir and Egg Hunt after 10am)
•  4/21-  Office Closed day after Easter
• 4/26- Deacon Ordination 1030AM at St Mary's Episcopal Church in Goochland, VA (including our own Stephanie Werner)
• 4/27- Youth Group 6pm

The Saturday after Easter we are celebrating the ordination of our very own Stephanie Werner to the diaconate. She has worked so hard.

Also, we would love for someone to represent St. James the Less carrying our banner. Please connect with Father Rock if you can do this.

St. James the Less Blood Donation Day!

Fall Line Farms Volunteer Opportunity

Do you have time once a month to help distribute food orders for church and fellow members of the Ashland area? We would love to add a person or two to our small team of staff. Requirements are about 3.5 hours of a Thursday once a month from 2:30pm -6pm. Foods are delivered, you divided it into orders for clients and then greet people with a friendly face. (I read or catch up on podcasts while waiting.) Can you join us? Please contact Heather Grande with your availability and join her in a rotation for an easy, but wonderful chance to help.

Wish List

We are so excited to have everyone back in the classroom and with that comes lots of amazing supplies. HERE is our wishlist link. Thank you so much for your continued support!!!

Youth Group Meals

Youth Group is finally back into full swing for the year!! We had a wonderful first session and are looking forward to many more. One of the ways we need help is through meals. Below is a sign up genius for meals for our meetings. Please help us to fill the gaps and show the youth how important they are to our community! Click HERE to sign up. Thank you!

• 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- Click HERE for current needs (we have a box in our hallway)
• Donate to Peter Paul Development Center. (box in our hallway)

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 Sean++, our Presiding Bishop, Mark+, Gail+ & Bud+, our Bishops, Rock+, our priest. We pray for Bart, our Seminarian, in his formation. 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, 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 including those of the Ukraine. We remember especially Gus Miller, Erin Yagla, Meghann Batten, Court Warfield, Andrea Alexander McCallum, Haden Hopkins, Hilda Kelly, Harry Hassell, Smith family, Mary Ann Harris, Bob & Mary Lou Brown, Diana Timberlake, Kristi Ellis, Pam Gillette, Ruth Beaudry, Tom Burke, Dawn Haase & Family, Kimette Cannady, Alicia Wood, Anna Marie, Judy Sledd, Floyd Moore, Debra Molter, Tim Yagla, Erik Klauss, Steve Crain, Jessica Wingo, Margaret Belyea, Calvin Stanley, Lee Chambers, Bill King, Patty Smith, Douglas and Karen Bower, Joanne Flanagan, Ginger Brooking, Jennifer Fewell Gardner, Tom Slaughter, Mike Slagle, John Hoar, Charlie Bonner, Leon Stockwell , Christen Meacham and Judy Hudgins.

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, and Katherine Murphy. 

We ask your prayers for those who have died, especially Jim Carson and Ken Sehlhorst. We ask your prayers for those who grieve their missing loved ones.  

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.

• 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: (click on the name to email them)

The Rev. Rock Higgins, tssf Rector

Dr. Bart Natoli- Seminarian

Reggie Long- Organist/Music Director

Miriam Smith- Christian Formation- Children & Youth Director

Dawn Baker- Interim Parish Administrator

Office Hours: Monday 9am-2pm, Wednesday 9am-2pm and Friday 9am-12pm