Weekly e-Epistle from St. James' Mill Creek

Weekly e-Epistle

from

St. James' Mill Creek

Wilmington, Delaware

April 24th, 2022

We'd love for you to join us!

We would be pleased if you joined us in person or online from the comfort of your home for church services via Facebook Live at 9:30am.

https://www.facebook.com/StJamesEpiscopalChurchMillCreek/

St. James Mill Creek Facebook page

Here is a PDF of this Sunday's bulletin for you to enjoy.

Sunday bulletin (April 24th)

Immediately after Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to the disciples in John’s Gospel account, he says these words: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

The question becomes what does it mean to forgive someone, and what are the bounds on which the sins are retained. And, through the Holy Spirit, do we really have that power? If we don’t forgive those sins, and they are retained, what happens next?

For those disciples, in order to continue in their ministry and not be held back by past grievances or issues, their first act of forgiveness may have been toward Judas. They would need to move on from that betrayal and not harbor bad feelings or ill will. Their second act, as difficult as it might be, would be to forgive those who had executed Jesus because, again, moving forward with bad feelings and past grievances would keep them from attaining the wholeness intended for them by God.

Forgiveness can be a difficult task because it requires humility and vulnerability. In this moment of resurrection, though, Jesus reminds the disciples, and he reminds us, that it also leads to new life.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING

April 24th in the Parish Hall after 9:30am service

Nominations for Vestry:

Val Hall

Ed Burdick

Carolyn Joynt

Dave Niehaus

Chuck Haywood

Dear Friends, family and supporters,

I hope everyone has survived 2021 and is doing well!

It is that time of year again. On June 4th I am doing my 30th year of participating in the Epilepsy Stroll 5K Walk and Run. The 5K walk will be held at Glasgow Park again. I have been the top individual fundraiser for the Wilmington event for the last 26 years and I would like to make it 27. With your support I raised $7,683 last year. I would appreciate your support again and request that you send or give me your donation by May 15^th. Please make checks payable to Epilepsy Foundation of Delaware. I have setup an Epilepsy Fundraiser page on Facebook so you can donate that way also. Just look for this photo of me and Val Budischak the Executive Director of the Epilepsy Foundation of Delaware & click on the word donate below the photo. If you have any questions please call me at (302) 690-3513 .

Thanks, for supporting me over the last 29 years!!

Kathy Jackson

11 Longview Drive, Newark DE 19711

Serving those in need with dignity and respect…

We are grateful for your support that enables us to

serve lunch at the Emmanuel Dining Room

and provide clothing, food, and other items

needed by those being served at the Hope Center.

EMMANUEL DINING ROOM

Providing a daily lunch to those in need in Wilmington

Our next date for providing lunch for Emmanuel Dining Room will be Tuesday, May 31, 2022 and we will continue to deliver our lunch items and extra bottles of water. We hope we will be able to serve our guests in the dining room sometime this spring. For now, we offer “take-away” lunches. We will be serving meatball subs, fruit, chips, cookies, and a bottle of water again this year. When possible, we’ll also offer a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as a snack/extra meal (for now--made by youth and adults in their homes.)

New Castle County HOPE Center

for Individuals and Families in need of temporary housing and support services.

What started as temporary housing during the cold weather of 2020-2021 has grown into a permanent center that provides housing and support services for individuals and families who are without adequate housing in New Castle County. New Castle County (NCC) purchased the former Sheraton Hotel on Airport Rd (now named the New Castle County HOPE Center) and kept the hotel management staff to keep the facility running. Working together, many non-profit organizations including Family Promise provide various services and support for individuals and families to obtain emergency and more significant housing and medical, psychological, and job skills opportunities as well. The hotel can accommodate 400 and suites and adjoining rooms are given to families and enable households to stay together. Housing is coordinated through the Delaware Housing Alliance.

If you know of anyone who needs this housing, please ask them to call 1-833-FIND-BED (1-833-3463-233) and leave a message.

How can you help?

Review the list below and see where you might be able to help.

Current items needed:

• Hygiene items such as deodorant, shampoo, and soap (regular and travel size)

• Non-alcohol hand sanitizer

• Tide pods or other laundry pods

• NEW Underwear, and socks - all sizes, children through adult

• New or gently used t-shirts and light jacket

· New books for adults and children

· Gift cards - Target, Acme, Wawa

Please drop the items off:

· Monday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the parish hall porch

Please place your donations in the bin labeled Donations for HOPE Center on the porch of the parish hall. Liz will bring in the bin and any donated items at 12:30 p.m.

· On Sunday, there is a container in the foyer of the church.

We take the donations to Friendship House about every two weeks.

Thank you,

St. James' Outreach Ministry

Prayer Team

One Sunday of every month, the members of the prayer team hold a “virtual” ZOOM prayer service (focusing on the prayer requests shared by parishioners through calls or emails to the church office 994-1584 or to individual members of the prayer team.) We lift up these prayer requests and other concerns of the parish, community, and world.

Also, weekly we share the prayers and petitions that have been given to us and they are lifted in the daily prayers of the team members. All are welcome to provide their prayer requests and participate in these services.

For those who have an immediate prayer need or would like to receive the ZOOM codes and join the prayer team service, we invite you to email your prayer needs/requests to Carolyn Mack at [email protected] or call 302-565-8675

NOTE: Our next ZOOM prayer team will be Sunday, May 1st at 5 p.m.

St. James' Pastoral Care Team

St. James' Pastoral Care Team continues to support our parish family and our community.

If you or someone you know is in need, we:

· send cards, make phone calls, and pray with you and/or for you.

· For now, in an abundance of caution, our home, hospital, and Eucharistic visits are on hold.

Please call the office (302-994-1584) and leave a message. Someone will get back to you. Messages are retrieved daily, seven days a week.

Please let us know if you need us or someone you know needs us. We will not know if you do not tell us.

“Blessful” Meditations

We all know that life can be a little stressful and hectic sometimes. We hope that by reading this short bible passage and watching a relaxing video will help you take a moment and reflect on God’s gifts.

Colossians 3:13

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Prayer for Wednesday in Easter Week

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Find more Morning Psalm and prayers please visit

https://delaware.church/psalms-and-prayers/

COVID-19 Taskforce Update

The COVID-19 Taskforce continues to watch pandemic metrics and monitor the latest public health guidance to ensure we are making the best decisions we can to keep our St. James’ parishioners and visitors safe. After careful consideration and agreement with Public Health guidance, we will be easing restrictions starting with the Maundy Thursday service. However, anyone exhibiting symptoms, having a positive COVID-19 test, or that has been recently exposed to someone with COVID-19 should refrain from attending services in person until the situation is resolved.

Beginning April 14^th use of face masks will be preferred but optional for all who are in attendance.

Choir members will be asked to continue wearing KN95 masks. Our historic church does not have the same ventilation and air exchanges that some of the more modern church sanctuaries have. Therefore, our HVAC system is not as effective at reducing the dispersal of airborne particles/respiratory droplets, thus increasing the potential risk of transmitting respiratory viruses. In support of Public Health guidelines, it is recommended that people be up-to-date with their vaccinations, as this is the best means of preventing serious illness/complications if infected by the COVID-19 virus.

Furthermore, proper hand hygiene, social distancing, and the cleaning of commonly touched surfaces are additional ways to prevent infection. We will continue to follow cleaning protocols and provide alcohol hand sanitizer at the entrances to the sanctuary. Please sanitize your hands before entering and exiting the sanctuary.

We will continue to monitor the community situation and adjust precautionary measures if there is an increase in the COVID-19 metrics.

As always, our hope and intention is to make worship at St. James’ Mill Creek a safe and worshipful experience for all.

For Access to the News of the Diocesan Publications

The Net

COVID-19 RESPONSE

April Calendar

Visit our website

St. James' Mill Creek

2106 St. James Church Road

Wilmington, DE 19808

302.994.1584