Good morning, friends.

We had a good Annual Meeting, and I really appreciate those who came out. I so appreciate the questions and the responses. This is shaping up to be a banner year for St. James the Less. Are things perfect? No. We have our "warts" as someone mentioned. If you ever find a perfect church, leave immediately. You will mess it up! We all have areas of growth and need, and that is why we face it together. Once again, a huge shout-out to our staff who work so hard to make this place what it is, and each and every member who gives to make St. James the Less so special.

This coming week, as mentioned, we will have our "End of Life" Seminar. There are several things we will look at: wills, funeral services, and the like. That will be right after our 10 am service finishes in the Parish Hall. We offer this annually, and if you are not able to make it, the work booklet we will be using will be available for you to go through on your own. Much of it is intentionally asking the questions we all should consider while we have the unrushed space to do so. If you have not done so, we urge you to be with us or work through the packet on your own. And then, leave your instructions on file with the church so we (and maybe your family) have access to them.

As announced on Sunday, our new wardens for the year are Bob Hughes as Senior Warden and Kathy Marshall as Junior. Thanks to them, and to those who also ran and those who considered nominations. This Saturday we have our Vestry Retreat, so please pray for us as we prepare mentally and spiritually for the year to come. We continue in the theme, "May We Walk In Your Truth With Undivided Hearts" from Ps. 86:11 May this be our charge and our prayer in our preparations.

Blessings, and thanks, 

Rock+

Don't Forget!

Daylight Savings is on Sunday. Please be mindful!

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

• 7:30am- Eucharist Rite II & breakfast to follow
• 10:30am-Vinyasa Yoga

Thursday, March 9, 2023

• 6pm- Handbell Choir
• 7pm- Parish Choir

Sunday, March 12, 2023

• 8am- Eucharist Rite I (no music)
• 9am- Sunday School- Adult & Kid
• 10am- Eucharist: Rite II (music)
• 5:45pm Journey to Adulthood

Monday, March 13, 2023

• 10:30am- Vinyasa Yoga (for all fitness levels)
• 10:30am- Good Grief group

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

• 10am- Book Club via Zoom
• 7pm- Lenten Series in library

Our Annual Meeting was a huge success! Thank you to all those that attended. If you didn't get a copy of the Annual Report, please stop by the table in the hallway to pick one up. We have some exciting things on our horizon.

Name Tags

Here at St. James the Less we wear nametags on Sunday mornings as a sign of hospitality to those new to the community. If you need a name tag or would like to have a magnet put on the back of yours (thanks to the great idea from Annual Meeting), just let us know. We are happy to make that happen.

Weather Vane

We have a new addition to our Pavilion. The weather vane was repurposed from the old A&P. It looks so good!

Volunteers for Fall Line Farms

Fall Line Farms uses our building on Thursday evening to deliver local farmer's goods to the community. If you would like to volunteer to help Fall Line Farms on Thursday evenings, please let us know. This is a volunteer run organization and we would so appreciate your help.

Formation Wish List

We have updated our Children & Youth Wish list to add a few items that we need for the upcoming season. If you are able to help with an item or two, we'd be so grateful! HERE is the link.

Rachel Easter recently gave a presentation to our congregation on a project she is conducting in Honduras. It involves providing sanitary products and education about menstruation to young girls in Honduras. Coincidentally, there is a similar initiative going on here in Western Hanover. Karen Lynne, Liberty MS PTA president has started a Period Project this month. If anyone is interested in supporting this, you can call Bobbie Street or follow the instructions on the flyer above.

Lenten Study

We are looking forward to our upcoming Lenten Study on Matthew. It will be held on Tuesday nights at 7pm in Brydon Hall, starting on February 28th.

End of Life Planning

Please join us on Sunday, March 12 following the 10am service (around 11am). We will be giving you resources to help plan for end of life care. We will have information available for preparing documents, funeral services, obituaries and planned giving. We hope you will 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:

• Beef stew
• Canned meat (spam, chicken, ham, salmon, tuna, etc.)
• Canned fruit
• Instant potatoes (smaller boxes)
• Rice (smaller bags)
• Peanut butter
• Personal care items (soap, toothpaste, shampoo, lotion, deodorant, toilet paper, etc.)
• Cleaning products (laundry soap, dish soap, etc.)

Children's Clothing:

• Boy's and Girl's larger size winter clothes (sizes 12 - 18)
• Girl's larger size underwear (sizes 14 - 18)
• Diapers (size 4, size 6 and size 7)... We do not need pull-ups

Adult Clothing:

• Men's athletic shoes (all sizes)
• Men's work boots (all sizes)
• Men's jeans (waist sizes 32 - 36)
• Men's plus size sleepwear
• Men's white undershirts (all sizes)
• Women's bras (band 36 and above; cup D and above)
• Women's underwear (sizes 8 and larger/XL and larger)

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, Mark, our Bishop, 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, Janet Taylor, Jessica and family, Joy Stevenson, Kim Keene, Brad Rose, Wendy Vaughan, Sara Reece, Andy Newchok, Pam Bowers, Bettilee, Iana Mason, Bill Mercier, Jonathan Smith, Rebecca Hottman, Lyde Longaker, Haden Hopkins, Charles Bridges, Hilda Kelly, Lee & Susan Chambers, Michele Murphy, James Crump, Sr., Ginny Tilton, Tre’ Michael, Brennan McFarlane,Tim Easter, Marie Bohrer, Melanie Fischer, Frank Buckingham, Jim Segneri, Barbara Brzozowski, Richard Grosse, Gordon Sutton, Harry Hassell, Morgan Winfrey, Margaret Rush, Carl Morlock, 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: Larson Flangan, 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.

March 5, 2023

Second Sunday of Lent

• 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