Our Weekly News & Updates |
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Dear Church Family,
We had a wonderful gathering on Sunday, and we are slowly getting back to normal. We ran out of bulletins (good problem to have). We had our Annual Meeting and elected a great slate of new Vestry members for three-year terms. Welcome Kathy Marshall, Bill Harrison, Liz Chambers, and Bob Hughes.
Along with the reports, we unveiled our Planting Tomorrow Today Capital Campaign. Below is a link to what I said, with some of the reasoning behind our efforts. We are aiming to have us be in the healthiest place possible for the long-term.
This is a prayer we shared over these efforts:
Gracious Lord,
We commit this Capital Campaign to your honor and glory.
We commit ourselves to your work in this parish: Ashland, and our part of Hanover County.
Broaden our vision as we broaden our tents.
Help us plant your dream of our future in our faithfulness and in our work through each and every gift.
In Christ’s name and for his sake, Amen.
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Directly following our meeting, the Vestry gathered and elected our Wardens for the coming year. I am pleased to announce that Alice Cobb was elected our Senior Warden and Bob Hughes our Junior Warden. I have a great relationship with both of them, and this looks to be a great year ahead. |
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Friends, as we move forward in the year ahead, know that we are all still recovering from the events of the last two years. We are steadily getting back to pre-pandemic approaches and measures, but we need to be vigilant and careful still. The world just passed the milestone of 6 million who have died from the virus, and we are just shy of 960,000 in the USA.
Lastly, please pray for the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Pray for the victims. Pray for the decision makers. Prayer for the peacemakers. Pray for our enemies.
In Christ,
Rock+
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Tuesday, March 8, 2022
- 10am- Book Club
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Link to join
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7pm-Lenten Program
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Thursday, March 10, 2022
- 6pm- Hand bell choir
- 7pm-Parish choir
Sunday, March 13, 2022 *Daylight Savings Begins*
- 8am- Eucharist: Rite I Service
- 8:45am-Adult Sunday school (Brydon Hall)
- 9am- Children's Virtual Sunday School
- 10am- Eucharist: Rite II (music & Children's Church)
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Link for bulletin
- 5pm- Blue Grass Mass
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6pm - Journey to Adulthood
Monday, March 14, 2022
- 10:30am- Grief Group
- 7pm- Dream Group
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We hope you will join us Sunday evening at 5pm for our toe-tapping, in-person, awe-inspiriting Blue Grass Mass. Your heart will be filled! |
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LENTEN SERIES-
The Framework of God's Covenants
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Lent is a time of commitment, when we make promises for a season out of devotion to God. But when God makes promises, they are not a short periods. In light of this time of vows and devotion, we will look at the covenants God has made and recorded in Scripture. Join us as we go in-depth, starting with Genesis and working our way through.
We will gather in the parish hall at 7 pm on Tuesday nights, and we will also record and post on YouTube the next day. I hope you will come out and join us for the presentations and the discussion to follow. Tuesdays, March 8-April 5.
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PRESENTATION OF FATHER ROCK'S TRIP |
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Are you interested in hearing about Father Rock's trip to Liverpool? He will be holding an informational session on Sunday, March 13th following the 10am service. He will answer questions about the current state of Triangle of Hope and you can hear all about his visit with the Archbishop. You will be amazed at all he packed into 8 days! |
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We hope you will join us for an outdoor family movie on Friday, March 25th at 7pm. We will be showing Prince of Egypt. Bring your friends, family, a chair and all the snacks that make you happy. We will have popcorn available. The rain date will be on the 26th. Please join us! |
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TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME |
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Saint James the Less is going to the Richmond Squirrels game for Faith Night on Saturday, April 30th at 6pm. We have reserved seats on the field level to sit together as a group. Click HERE to purchase your tickets. We hope you can join us for this fun event! Maybe even....buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks! |
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We are hoping to start a van service for some of our members at Westminster Canterbury. If you would be interested in driving the van to pick up some of our members for church on Sunday morning or to drive them home after, please let us know. We would greatly appreciate your time! |
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Would you like to honor a loved one in memorial or in thanksgiving of for our Easter services? We will fill our gorgeous sanctuary with these flowers. The cost is so $35. You can email us or call us and let us know who you would like to honor. |
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Book Club meets virtually on Tuesdays at 10am. We are meeting for 6 weeks via Zoom. The link to join the group is HERE.
If you would like to call in, dial 1 301 715 8592 and enter Meeting ID: 821 8112 3575, Passcode: 298264
We start our next book is Seven Last Words by James Martin, SJ this week. We will begin with Chapter 1 on March 8th. You can purchase the book HERE on Amazon. If you would like us to purchase it for you, email us. We hope you will join us! |
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As many of you know, Saint James the Less Free Clinic meets every Wednesday evening. It is staffed by some INCREDIBLE volunteers who care in remarkable ways for our community. We have the opportunity to provide meals for them. If you would like to bring food over for 8-10 people before clinic starts on a Wednesday evening, click HERE to choose your date. More information is listed on the website. We are grateful for your willingness! |
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Please come enjoy our Lenten Stations of the Cross for the next 40 days. We hope you will walk our grounds and deepen your faith as you reflect. Station one starts on Beverly in between the church and the rectory. |
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It's that time again! It's Lent Madness season. If you would like to get into the fun, join us on our Saint James the Less Lent Madness page HERE. They've announced the saints in the bracket. Will your favorite saint win?
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Last week was filled with wonderful opportunities to be in community! What a gift! Tuesday we had our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. Wednesday we were able to gather for two services for Ash Wednesday. Sunday we had our regular 8 & 10am services followed by our Annual Meeting. If you would like to read Father Rock's remarks from the meeting click HERE. It was so fantastic to feel how much we need one another. The joy was electric! |
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SJTL CHILDREN & YOUTH UPDATES |
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Resurrection Garden Contest
We will be having our annual Resurrection Garden Contest. It is always so much fun! Supplies will be available starting Ash Wednesday. Please reach out to Miriam if you would like them beforehand. |
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Wondering Wednesday- Youth Edition
During the Lenten season we are hoping to have some reflections available for our youth. If you have a poem or insight that you would like to share with Miriam as part of the series, please email her the information. |
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WISH LIST
Some additional items have been added to the wish list. (The wish list is available HERE) Please help us create a wonderful welcoming experience for all of our children and youth returning to church! We are so thankful to those that have already donated! We truly appreciate it!!
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SJTL CHILDREN/YOUTH FACEBOOK PAGE
We wanted to invite any and all of our SJTL members to join our Children and Families Facebook Page. (You can do that HERE) They have super cute updates that lift the spirit. Everyone could use some Good News! |
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Pop Tops
We are hoping to surpass our record-breaking year of 2021 with Pop Tops. Please bring any and all of your pop tops. You can drop them by the office or in the blue bucket downstairs by the Sunday School room. Thank you!
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Children's Church
We are looking for volunteers to assist with Children's church weekly. If you are interested, please let Miriam or Kasey know. We always have a great time and everything will be provided for you. Please join us during the 10am service. We always do a craft, game and maybe even share a snack.
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OUTREACH
"We rise by lifting others." -Robert Ingersoll
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Emergency Food Pantry
Right outside our Saint James the Less Free Clinic we have a food pantry. It is available 24/7 and used a great deal as immediate needs come up. Please donate non-perishables to this. It would be an incredible blessing to our community.
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ACES is in need of the following items:
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Pantry: Canned fruit (smaller cans), Rice (smaller bags), Shampoo, Toothbrushes, Laundry detergent (smaller containers)
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Adult Clothing: Women’s bras (C and larger cup; 40 and larger band), Women’s underwear (xl and larger),Men’s athletic shoes (sizes 10 and larger), Men’s undershirts (all sizes), Men’s boxer briefs (all sizes), Men’s jeans (all sizes)
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Children's Clothing: Boy’s winter clothes (sizes 8 thru 20), Boy’s summer clothes (sizes 8 thru 20), Girl’s winter clothes (sizes 8 thru 20), Girl’s summer clothes (sizes 8 thru 20)
*They are now looking for spring and summer items.
ACES is open on both Mondays and Wednesday from 8:30-1130am. Thank you for your continued support!
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Peter Paul is currently in need of the following items. If you are able to give you are welcome to put them in the box in the hallway.
Hygiene items- bar soap, body wash, lotion, deodorant, toothpaste, chapstick, Vaseline, sanitary products.
Laundry items- Detergent pods, rolls of quarters, dryer sheets.
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POP TOPS
We are still collecting Pop Tops for Ronald McDonald house. Hang on to them or bring them by when you can. This is a valuable resource that goes to help families with children in the hospital here in Richmond.
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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, Jennifer, and Porter our Bishops, Rock+ and Becky+, our priests. 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, Madge Carter, Meghann Batten, Mark Longaker, Michael Fox, Bill Blakemore, Chambers Cromwell, Dennis Folsom, Carter, Paul Robb, Debra Bernard, Smith family, Alex Gillette, Pam Gillette, Sally Budd, Sarah Chamblee & family, Jeff Lawrence, May and family, Schuyler, Harry Hassell, Melanie Fischer, Court Warfield, Meredith Roemer, Eric Truitt, Gus Meyer, Jane Howard, Amanda and family, The Rev. Susannah Metz, Val Sutton, Carol Martin, Gene England Simons, Ginny Meyer, and the Diocesan Search Committee for our new Bishop.
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 health care in Metropolitan Richmond: For persons living with terminal illnesses and for their families, friends, and communities; for persons working to find cures for diseases.
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.
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March 2, 2022
Ash Wednesday
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March 9
Jamie Cobb
March 10
Mary Helen Williams
March 11
Gaby Sergi
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March 12
Suzanne Cichocki
March 13
Flory Brockwell
March 14
Lee Paul
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Saint James the Less Episcopal Church
125 Beverly Road
Ashland, VA 23005
(804) 798-6336
Staff:
Miriam Smith- Christian Formation- Children & Youth Director
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Weekly E-News Deadline: If you have an announcement to be shared with the parish, please get the information in no later than noon on Monday. |
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