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Weekly News from St. James' Episcopal Church | Leesburg, Virginia
October 23, 2026
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Sunday Schedule
October 25 | The Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost
8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I
9:15 a.m. Family Service in the Parish Hall
10:00 a.m. Adult Forum
10:00 a.m. Trunk or Treat
Keep scrolling for details
11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II
(live-streamed)
View this Sunday's service order
Children in Worship
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Seminarian Puja Khanna Preaching
Puja will preach at the 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. services this Sunday.
| | | Watch the service live at 11 a.m. on Sunday morning or at your leisure at a later time. | |
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Midweek Eucharist
Wednesday, October 28 | 11:30 a.m. | The Church
| | This Sunday at St. James' | |
Trunk or Treat
Sunday, October 25 | 10:00 a.m. | Parking Lot
Costumes, games, and goodies, all right from the safety of the St. James’ parking lot! All are welcome.
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Adult Forum: Generosity as a Spiritual Practice
Sundays, October 25-November 15 | 10:00 a.m. | Parish Hall
Offered alongside our season of Stewardship, Carolyn Briles will lead this study of how generosity can become not simply an act of giving, but a way of living faithfully and abundantly. Gather with us at God’s table and explore how generosity can change not only what we give, but who we are.
| | | Where Abundance Becomes Generosity | | |
October 25 Ministry Spotlight
Grace to Go: An Abundance of Nourishment
At St. James’, nourishment is about more than food—it’s about sharing God’s love in tangible ways. Each week, Grace to Go provides hot meals to anyone who needs one, no questions asked. Every meal is an act of compassion, offered freely and without judgment, reminding our neighbors that they are seen, valued, and worthy of care. Through this ministry, God’s abundance becomes generosity, and a simple meal becomes a powerful expression of Christ’s love.
Learn more about this ministry during worship this Sunday.
| | | Your support makes ministry happen! | | |
Little Hands Caring for God’s Creation
Our St. James’ Preschool Pre-K class recently helped create an “Air Bee n Bee”—a habitat for solitary bees on our church grounds! The children learned about these important pollinators and gathered rocks, sticks, pine cones, and other natural materials to help prepare their new home.
Made possible by a grant from the Diocese of Virginia, this Sacred Soil Society project brought our youngest learners into the joyful work of caring for God’s creation.
Thank you to Pamela McGraw and Cindy Hersh for guiding the children and bringing this special project to life! And thank you to Pre-K teacher Kaye Schrinel for taking delightful photos of the project coming together...click below to see more!
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Vestry Nominations 2027-2030
The Vestry is St. James' governing board, overseeing matters of finance, property, and maintenance for the parish. The congregation elects the vestry, and each member serves a three-year term.
If you would like to nominate a member of our parish to serve on our Vestry, click below to learn more about the process and submit your nominations. You may also nominate using a paper form available in the narthex.
Nomination deadline is Monday, October 26.
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Sacred Soil Society Workdays
The Sacred Soil Society is a convivial group of folks who tend faithfully to the grounds of St. James’. This is a great way to meet new people, enjoy the outdoors, and serve your church community. No experience necessary! If you're interested in joining, please contact Pamela McGraw.
- Saturday, October 24: 9-11 a.m.
- Friday, October 30: 10 a.m.-noon
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All Saints’ Sunday & Remembrance of the Faithful Departed
Sunday, November 1
On All Saints’ Sunday, we celebrate the saints who have gone before us and remember those whose lives and love continue to shape our own.
To honor someone who has made a difference in your life, submit their name for our Faithful Departed listing by emailing rsnodgrass@stjamesleesburg.org or calling 703-777-1124. Names must be received by noon on October 28.
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All Saints' Sunday & Memorial Meadow
Sunday, November 1 | 11:00 a.m.
On this major feast of the Church, we celebrate the communion of saints, welcome new members of God’s family in Baptism, and remember those who have gone before us.
Following the 11:00 a.m. service, the closing procession will continue through the bell tower doors to Historic St. James’ Cemetery. There, alongside members of the wider Leesburg community, we will remember those buried in our cemetery and offer our annual necrology.
After the ceremony, please stay to help plant the first phase of the Memorial Meadow. Low-growing bulbs will offer an annual, ephemeral expression of remembrance for those who are unmarked and unnamed in our cemetery. This project honors the full history of the cemetery, including the lives of prominent families, enslaved people, and free African Americans.
All Hands Needed
Saturday, October 31 | 9:30 a.m. until finished
Help prepare the ground for planting. If you have a garden auger, please bring it. Contact Kathleen Hughes at 703-314-3590 to volunteer.
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Red Cross Blood Drive
Tuesday, November 3, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Make a life-saving appointment at redcrossblood.org, sponsor code stjamesepiscopal.
Volunteers needed for set-up and registration. Contact info@stjamesleesburg.org for more info and to sign up.
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Don't Fall for Scams!
Reminder: St. James' staff will never reach out to you via text or email asking for gift cards. If you receive a message like this, it is a scam. These messages should be ignored. If you are unsure about a suspicious message or have questions about scams, you are welcome to reach out to communications@stjamesleesburg.org.
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(Asterisk * denotes those in the St. James’ community)
Those requesting our prayers this week: *Laura Brooks, *the Quinn family, *Jason McGraw, Paul Carren, Joan Douglas, Kristopher Fortier, *Olivia Bateman-Neifeld, *Harold Neely, *John Stine, *Wayne Newell, *Bob Jamison, and *Virginia Smith.
Those on our long-term Prayer List: *Susan Helsley, *Donna Ray, *Traci Eddinger, Paul Fifield, Agnes Kall, *Mike Carren, *Sheila Brooks, The O’Hara family, Jenn Quinn, *Carson Scheuerman, Susan Beaver, Kevin, Edward Fortier, Virginia Cogger, The DeHond Family, *Charlotte Woods, Rachel Shatananda, *Fran Smith, Jason & Stephanie, Pamela Scott, The Hovsmith family, Mike Shott, Kathy & Lenny, *Michael Fabian, *Sandra Moody, Margaret, *Christopher Osborne, The Spealman family, Kate Pinson, *Rene, *Lois Krumwiede, *McKenna Hagler, Richard Ford, *Alice Forlini, *Darrell Ackmann, Judy Popple, Nathan Rodney, *Rachelle Graves, Tony Beltrano, Mary Ellen Hurley, Nicholas Rodney, Ed, and Virginia Laughlin.
Those who have died: Mark Mangilit, Craig Percopo, Michael Forest, and *Nancy Burghardt.
Those who need our prayers: All those affected by the fires and floods in the US, for the lives lost and that God will sustain them for the recovery ahead, for all those across the globe who suffer the effects of natural disasters; for those who suffer acts of violence around the world, especially for Ukraine and for the Holy Land, for those suffering from the wars in the Middle East and in Sudan; for federal employees and those serving in the armed forces at home and abroad; for those who are unemployed or underemployed; and for those who continue to be affected by COVID-19.
Do You Need Prayer or Care?
"In case of illness, the minister of the congregation is to be notified." (BCP p. 453)
Make a prayer request here.
Call the Church Office | Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(703)777-1124 ext 1 | info@stjamesleesburg.org
After Hours Pastoral Care Line | (202)750-4247
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Prayer List Changes
The clergy and Pastoral Associates of the Parish have been considering ways to deepen the prayer life of St. James’. Our parish prayer list is a vital part of our corporate and individual prayers. We also know there are many in need of prayer who are known to God alone.
One of the ways we hope to hold our St. James’ family in prayer is to denote St. James’ congregants using an asterisk in our printed list. This way, whether on the short-term or long-term, those praying in worship will be able to hold those closest to us in mind. We will always continue to pray for friends and family.
Though we only name a few names out loud, please use the long-term list in your personal prayers. Many who reside on the list are our home bound folks we send communion to. They are a part of us. Please check our weekly email each week for suggested prayers and our diocesan and Anglican prayer cycles. For questions or suggestions, please reach out to Rev. Marybeth.
| | Click the image to view our full weekly calendar | | | | |
