Our Wonderful
Children’s Christmas Pageant is this Sunday at 5

This Sunday at 5 pm is one of the most cherished and anticipated events of the year – the annual Children’s Christmas Pageant. Angels, stable animals, wise men, shepherds, Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus all brought to life by our very own children while our youth narrate the greatest story ever told. 

Please note, because of the popularity of the Pageant, our 9 am and 11:15 am services this coming Sunday have been combined into a single service at 10 am. 
Tuesday, December 19
Tuesday Men's Bible Study - 7:30 am, Valentine Hall
A weekly hour of fellowship, discussion of the bible and good food.
Contact: Patrick Strickler, [email protected]
     Stephen Spraker, [email protected]

Young Adults - 5:45 pm, location varies
We'll gather for a combination of fellowship, prayer, and Bible or book study.
For more information and/or to get on the GroupMe, contact the Rev. Blake Singer.
Contact: the Rev. Blake Singer, [email protected]

Wednesday, December 21
Living Faith Bible Study - 10 am via Zoom
This opportunity for fellowship, study and discussions that help to make
our Christian faith a “living faith” and apply the witness of the Scripture
to our everyday lives. Please contact Betsy for the Zoom link.
 Contact: Betsy Trow, [email protected]

Wednesday Noon Eucharist
in the Chapel

This week's eChimes features
  • Service of Hope
  • Christmas Worship and Formation Schedule
  • Magnolia Branches needed to decorate the church
  • Blake and Kilpy's ordination - but didn't they already get ordained?
  • Reconnect, Recommit
  • Two Amazing Youth Winter Events
  • Some Reminders about Parking
  • Prayers of the People
  • Virginia Diocese information
This Sunday at St. James's
The Service of Hope.
This Monday, December 19

Because grief knows no season.
 
While Advent and Christmas are times of joy, they can be a challenging time too, especially if you’re dealing with the loss of a loved one or loneliness or grief of any sort. Solemn, candle-lit, prayerful, and moving, our Service of Hope is a time to slow down, feel supported and loved, and reconnect with our God and others feeling grief. 
 

Our Service of Hope will be in the Sanctuary and will not be live-streamed.
CHRISTMAS
Worship and Formation Schedule

Sunday, December 18 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
7:45 am -- Holy Eucharist Rite I
10 am -- Holy Eucharist Rite I
 No formation hour
Nursery 9:30 - 11:30 am
5 pm -- Our Children's Christmas Pageant
Nursery 4:30 - 6:30 pm

Monday, December 19 - Our Christmas Hope, 7pm
A candlelight service of prayer and healing
Holy Eucharist Rite II

Saturday, December 24 - Christmas Eve
4 pm -- Festival Eucharist, HE Rite II
Nursery 3:30-5:30pm
6 pm -- Festival Eucharist, HE Rite II
10:30 pm -- Choral Prelude: Handel’s Messiah
11 pm -- Festival Eucharist, HE Rite II

Sunday, December 25 - Christmas Day
10 am -- Holy Eucharist Rite II
 No formation hour
No Nursery
 
Sunday, January 1 -- The Holy Name 
 10 am -- Holy Eucharist Rite II
No formation hour
No Nursery
We need your magnolia branches. 
 
The altar guild needs magnolia branches to decorate the church windows for Christmas services. Please bring your magnolia branches to the church on Thursday, Dec. 22 or Friday. Dec. 23.
 
Please call Lucy Meade (804-200-1372) with questions or to let her know you have some to give. She would prefer you call but you can also email her at [email protected].

Didn’t Blake and Kilpy already
get ordained?

If you remember Blake and Kilpy getting ordained back in June, you may be asking yourself, "why are they getting ordained again?" Great question! Every Episcopal priest is first ordained a deacon. The role of a deacon is to be a bridge between the Church and the world, specifically focusing on the role of servanthood.

After spending 6-12 months as a deacon, those who are called to the priesthood are then ordained as a priest, but every priest was first and will always be a deacon. So Blake and Kilpy were ordained as deacons in June and will be ordained as priests in January at Christ Church Episcopal, Glenn Allen.
Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has already made your pledge to our 2023 Annual Giving campaign. And thanks in advance to everyone with plans to pledge before the end of the year. 

If you haven’t yet pledged, please watch this video from active long-time members of St. James’s, Jane Dowrick and Michael Whitlow. We think they have lots of important things to say about the value of pledging and the important work of our church–today and into the future. 

You can make your pledge online right here. And remember, the more givers give, the more doers can do. 
Don’t miss out on two amazing Winter events! 

It's time to register for two beloved youth events: the MLK Service Lock-In and Snowfest! 

Youth in grades 9-12 may attend the MLK Service Lock-In on January 15-16 at St. James’s. The lock-in is a great opportunity to earn community service hours, while also engaging in reflection on Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy and helping one’s community. To register, click here

Youth in grades 6-12 may attend Snowfest on February 3-5 at Shrine Mont. At Snowfest we ski, snowboard, or tube, while also engaging in fellowship, fun, and some formation! For more information and to register, click here

Don’t miss out on either of these two amazing events!
Some Reminders about Parking.

As we enter a particularly busy time of the year, we want to be clear about parking at St. James's. The surface lot (the one next to Michaux House that we share with Beth Ahabah) is designed for people with mobility issues.

If you don't have mobility issues, we prefer that you park in the garage across the street. Thank you for your cooperation in this area. 

Here are the names of those we're remembering in our prayers this week.

We do our best to keep this list current, but if you want your name added or removed, please email Mary Brown or call her at 804-355-1779, ext. 313.
For Diocese of Virginia news and information, visit: https://www.thediocese.net/
You can always find the eChimes at doers.org/eChimes.