Final Advent blessings, dear Church family!

We conclude our season of preparation and penitence, and we move into the joyous celebration of the coming of the Christ Child.

"For unto us is born this day in the city a savior who is Christ the Lord." 



Friends, Jesus was born in the humblest of means. He and his parents had to flee for his life and rely on the kindness and help of strangers and kindred. May we be the helpers and also receive the gift of aid as we need this Christmas.

Because of the calendar, we have a strange schedule. It happens every 6 years or so. I hope that you will join us for one of our Christmas Eve services, and for the joy of Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve we will have our Family-friendly service at 4:30. This is always a fun-filled time with our St. Cecilia's (children's) choir and our Handbell Choir.

Later, we will have a half hour of organ music beginning at 10 pm with a high Christ Mass at 10:30. This will be a candlelight service with incense. (The incense being used is hypo-allergenic.) This is always a beautiful and powerful service ending near midnight. It will truly be one of the most special and holy nights of the year.

Christmas Day is a Sunday this year. It has been our tradition to celebrate on Christmas Day, and especially this year with it being a Sunday. We will only have one service at 10 a.m. This is our simple, "come-as-you-are" service, the opposite of the night before. Just like the shepherds who ran in from the fields, truly come be with family and help us celebrate.

As always, if the weather turns bad, BE SAFE. You are more important than taking risks. We will hold services with my being so close no matter what, but we will be streaming the late Christmas Eve service and the Christmas Day service on our Facebook Page.

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

• 7:30am- Eucharist Rite II
• 10:30am- Yoga Class (all levels) Brydon Hall
• 12pm- Chair Yoga Brydon Hall

Saturday, December 24, 2022

• 4:30pm- Family Christmas Eve Service
• 10:30pm- Christ-Mass (Organ music starts at 10pm)

Sunday, December 25, 2022

• NO 8am Eucharist Rite I or Sunday School
• 10am- Eucharist: Rite II (music)

Monday, December 26, 2022

• OFFICE CLOSED
• No Yoga or Grief Group

A Christmas Miracle!

Our 2022 St. James the Less Directory has arrived! We are thrilled this project has come to completion and we can stay connected. (One directory per family please) Be looking in the next few weeks for news on how we can download the directories to our phones. We will let you know when that information is available.

Lumpkins Jail tour for the Presiding Bishop

HERE is an excellent article in the Episcopal News Service about Presiding Bishop touring the Lumpkins Jail while he was here in Richmond for Bishop Stevenson's consecration. Father Rock was also able join them. Remarkable moments!

Pledge Envelopes

If you requested pledge envelopes for 2023, they will be out in the Narthex to be picked up. If you would like to request pledge envelopes, please let us know.

Christmas Message from Bishop Curry

Please take the time to watch Bishop Curry's Christmas Message. It is a powerful message for us all.

December Happenings

December 24th- 4:30pm- Family Christmas Eve Service, 10:30pm- ChristMass (Organ music begins at 10pm) No nursery at either service

December 25th- 10am- Christmas Day Service (no 8am service, Sunday School, nursery, or Children's Church)

January 1st- 10am Lessons & Carols (no 8am service, Sunday School, nursery or Children's Church)

Rule of Life Class

We have moved our Rule of Life class to January (10th, 17th, 24th). The class will be on Tuesdays in person at 10am. We hope this schedule works for you and you can join us.

• 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: Personal care items (soap, toothpaste, shampoo, lotion, deodorant, toilet paper, etc.), Cleaning products (laundry soap, dish soap, etc.)

Adult Clothing: Men's boxers and boxer briefs (all sizes), Men's shoes (all sizes), Men's underwear, Men's jeans, Men's extra large winter clothing (sizes 2x, 3x, 4x), Women's underwear (all sizes)

Children's Clothing: Girl's & Boys underwear (sizes 8 and 16), Large kid's socks, Pajamas, & Diapers

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, reeling from this pandemic and its repercussions. Encourage us to faithfulness, righteousness, and compassion for all God’s Children. We lift up Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael, our Presiding Bishop, Susan & Mark, our Bishops, Rock+, our priest, and Dawn+, our Deacon. 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, Michael Fox, Bill Blakemore, Dennis Folsom, Debra Bernard, Smith family, Court Warfield, Andrea Alexander McCallum, Tom Ficklin, Janet Taylor, Jessica and family, Joy Stevenson, David Turner, Kim Keene, Brad Rose, Wendy Vaughan, Sara Reece, Richard Rennolds, Andy Newchok, Jim Smith,Pam Bowers, Bettilee, Iana Mason, Bill Mercier, Shirley Miller, Jonathan Smith, Aubrey Fletcher, Rebecca Hottman, Lyde Longaker, Ken Sehlhorst, Haden Hopkins, Betty Kelley, Charles Bridges, Declan Hall, Hilda Kelly, Michele Murphy, and Allison Provencher.

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: Kemper Jones, Greg Ericksen, Matthew Thomas, Philip Morison, James Ashley, Andrew Brunson, Jordan Fox, and Katherine Murphy. 

We ask your prayers for those who have died. We ask your prayers for those who grieve.  

We pray for governments and governing bodies of Metropolitan Richmond: For the Mayor and City Council of Richmond, the City Administrator, and all city employees.

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)
• 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