There will be no eNews next week. The church office will be closed from Dec. 25 - Jan. 1.

In this week's edition:

- Weekly Reflection: Christmas gratitude for the amazing St. PJ's staff

- Welcome to the Square at St. PJ's, CT Students for a Dream!

- NeuroDivine service postponed

- Christmas Carol Sing this Monday

- Christmas Eve services



- News from the Wider Church is on break this week, and will return

- This Sunday at St. PJ's

• Will Cleary's Final Sunday
• Final Sunday in the Deacons' Advent Diaper Drive
• Greening of the Church
• Advent Adult Formation: Praying with the Psalms
• Cycles of Prayer
• Video: Last Sunday's Service and Sermon

- Pledge card reminder

- Support Loaves & Fishes and Sunrise Cafe during renovation

- Reach out to Rev. Nathan to schedule your household visit

- There's Always More...

Weekly Reflection: Christmas gratitude for the amazing St. PJ's staff

From the Rev. Nathan Empsall, priest-in-charge

As the year wraps up and Christmas reminds us to focus on gratitude and joy where we can, I want to express my deep appreciation and sincere gratitude for the staff at St. PJ's: Monifa, Sammy, Will, Dylan, Molly, and Kelly.

Monifa Atkinson is our Administrative Director. We don't see her on Sundays very often, but she works tirelessly on weekday mornings, and often comes in at extra times to assist renters with special events. Monifa oversees building use by and communication with our many partners and tenants, and helps with church administration. Just the past couple weeks she's been busy with long Saturday hours for the dance troupe that rented the Sanctuary, compiling and printing bulletins for multiple special services, navigating headaches and contractors for issues like faulty fire alarms and other broken building parts, processing a contract for a new building partner (see below), and more. Monifa, St PJ.'s (and I) couldn't do all this without you. Thank you!

Sammy Rodriguez is our sextant, cleaning and maintaining the building. Think about that: There's just one part-time person to do all that work in a building our massive size, with all the organizations that come through! For the hours we can afford to have him, he does an impressive job. And though the routine work is enough to keep him busy, there's always things that pop up like our automatic door closer or an undercroft toilet-paper dispenser breaking on the same day this week. I'm especially thankful to Sammy -- and I know Monifa is too -- for the great job he did painting the parish-hall office spaces (including the Lee Howard Room) above the kitchen and storage area in recent weeks to prepare for their incoming occupant. Well done, friend!

A lot has been said about our quarter-time music director Will Cleary and our assistant music director Dylan Rowland in recent weeks, given the news that Will is stepping down after Christmas Eve and Dylan will succeed him. They are both very talented and dedicated individuals. One thing I'd like to really note to everyone and thank them for is all the hours they're putting in now at the end of the year: the Christmas Concert, Blue Christmas, the Christmas Carol sing, and two Christmas Eve services, plus all the usual Sundays! That's not just a lot of events; it's also a lot of preparation and practice. Now factor in the fact that Dylan is balancing these events with other gigs, and Will is doing it all while also administering finals as a professor at Southern Connecticut! THANK YOU WILL AND DYLAN. Our worship and our spirituality would not be the same without you.

Next, many of you have been getting to know Kelly Park, our seminarian intern. Kelly is doing a second, advanced internship, where she focuses in on a particular project. For Kelly, that focus is adult formation, and there has been so much good feedback around her sessions on the Psalms, the spirituality (or lack therefore) of AI, creation, and more. When I interviewed for the job of priest-in-charge, the vestry emphasized adult formation as a key desire for this parish, and I'm so thankful to have Kelly on board this year. She has also given us two great sermons, led one of our book club discussions, brought her family to deepen our community, and more. Kelly, for all you do and for being you, thank you.

Last but not least -- and I say this as a parent, not just as a priest -- I am so thankful that we have Molly Clayton in our midst. Molly proactively offered to start our Sunday School class in fall 2024, and continues to do a great job. She doesn't just lead the classroom; she puts in the time to design the crafts and lessons herself, and will be directing a mini-pageant for the second year in a row tomorrow. My daughter loves Sunday School, and I know of at least one other child who was disinterested at first and now expresses disappointment any Sunday they can't come. The one Sunday I sat in to observe the kids and show them I'm their priest too, I was also thrilled with her lesson about "the backwards king." Thank you Molly, for all the love, vision teaching experience, and dedication that you bring!

To Monifa, Sammy, Will, Dylan, Kelly, and Molly -- and to every volunteer, vestry member, ministry leader, worshipper, and community member who make St. PJ's what it is -- thank you.

Welcome to St. PJ's, C4D!

From the Rev. Nathan Empsall, priest-in-charge

I am beyond excited to announce that yesterday morning, we signed and executed a new occupancy contract with CT Students for a Dream (C4D), one of the most prominent immigrants-rights organizations in the state.

C4D will move into the Parish Hall offices above the kitchen and storage bays in January, and hold several membership meetings in the Parish Hall each month. They also anticipate occasionally renting out the Sanctuary or Parish Hall for other special events, such as the HUSKY health-care forum we hosted a few months ago.

What leaves me particularly excited is that by hosting C4D, I believe St. PJ's is building on the legacy we carry from previously hosting IRIS and once founding the Neighborhood School (now the Neighborhood Music School) for immigrants in Wooster Square. Moreover, I'm deeply touched by the Christmas-adjacent timing of this contract signing, when we remember the Holy Family fled to Egypt with their baby as undocumented asylum seekers.

C4D has a few offices around the state. We will be home to their New Haven staff and often their Executive Director, Tabitha Soodeko. Tabitha is already known to some of us; she wears many hats and once served as St. PJ's capital-campaign consultant. Tabitha also previously worked at IRIS.

As noted above, I want to thank Sammy for doing some great work cleaning and painting those offices over the past few weeks, as well as Monifa for her work during the contract process.

Like Sunrise Cafe and Loaves & Fishes, we are giving C4D a below-market rate. This new contract is therefore both financial and missional: Yes it helps the parish steward the building, but more importantly, it also further serves Christ by aiding a valued non-profit mission partner and their clientele. 

Welcome to the Square at St. PJ's, C4D!!!

NeuroDivine Postponed

The NeuroDivine service scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, 12/21, has been postponed. We will announce the new date once it has been set.

Monday: Christmas Carol Sing + Social



Come to the Sanctuary this Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. for an evening of Christmas community as we sing our favorite Christmas carols and songs together, graciously led by Will and Dylan.

(Store-bought Christmas cookies and hot chocolate Keurig pods will be available. While folks are welcome to bring an additional dessert if baking and sharing is your passion, between last week's Christmas Concert and next month's Annual Meeting potluck, please don't feel the need to exert your energy here! Companionship and song are enough to warm our hearts.)

Christmas Eve Service Times

This Wednesday, December 24:

• 3:30 PM: Children's Christmas Eve Service - specially designed for children and their families

• 8:30 PM: Traditional Communion Service w/Jazz Ensemble and candlelit Silent Night - for all ages

There will be no Wednesday 12:30 Prayer this week.

Although St. PJ's will not offer a Christmas Day service, Trinity on the Green will have one at 10:30 a.m., and both Christ Church on Broadway and St. Thomas's on Whitney will have one at 11 a.m.

News from the Wider Church

News from the wider church is taking a break this week, and will return in the next eNews.

Come to worship this Sunday, December 21, at 10:30 a.m. for the fourth and final Sunday of Advent.

Serving this Sunday:

Final Sunday in the Deacons' Diaper Drive: This Sunday marks one last chance to donate to the diocesan-wide Advent diaper drive. Without an adequate supply of clean diapers, babies are more likely to suffer from diaper rash, urinary tract infections, and other medical problems -- and they aren't covered by SNAP or WIC assistance. Please place diapers on the side table in the front of the Sanctuary, next to the door to the office hallway.

Will Cleary's Final Sunday: This Sunday will be Will Cleary's last as our music director, followed by the Christmas Carol Sing and the Christmas Eve services. You can read Will's previous announcement here. We are deeply grateful for his many years of service and for his talents as a musician, leader, and teacher. We are equally excited to welcome Dylan Rowland as interim music director.

Be sure to come to Coffee and Community to thank and celebrate Will!

Greening of the Church: Following worship, volunteers will decorate the church for Christmas. Please help if you can; many hands make light work.

Adult formation: Kelly Park will conclude our Advent adult-formation series on praying with the Psalms. Please note that the discussion will begin a little later and be a little briefer than normal, to accommodate the greening of the church.

Office closure: There will be no eNews next week. The church office will be closed from Dec. 25 - Jan. 1.

Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.

In person and online

No Wednesday 12:30 prayer this week

Thursday Compline 8 p.m.

On Zoom

Cycles of Prayer and St. PJ's Prayer List

In the Episcopal Church in Connecticut's cycle of prayer, we pray this week for Calvary St. George’s, Bridgeport; St. Luke/St. Paul, Bridgeport; and St. John’s, Bridgeport; and for the children of the world & all ECCT ministries for children at risk.

In the Anglican Communion Cycle of Prayer, we pray for The Anglican Church of Burundi.

On the St. PJ’s prayer list, we pray for: Rachel, Doug Parker, Anne Matthies, Calvin Griffin, Rev. Walter MacNutt, Kevin Gerbe, Leota Tucker, Edwina Johnson, Cynthia King, Paul D'Agostino, Richard Holcomb, Tiras Jaske, Uli Mackert, Charlie & Bridget Farrell, Alyce, Pam, Tommy, Beverly Lett, Vanetta Lloyd, Janea Barthle, Lydia Hamnquist, Rita Valenti-Piovane, Stephen Lett, Rev. Nihal de Lanerolle, Pam Sayre, Marietta D’Albero, Leonilda Sanchez, Maria Rodriquez, Marietta Coppola, Heather de Lanerolle, Paul Mangels, Alexandra Sanseverino, Dr. Milton Coke, Rev. Deacon Felix Rivera, Pam Yesner, Rev. Carl Scovel, Karl Mini, Patrick Reynolds, Margaret Perry, Ryan Welch, Jack Welch, Freddy and Amy Swindal-Endres, Kyle Park, Carol Brennan, Fr. Tom, George Moore, Nancy Lupi, A. J Crosby

Postulant for Ordination: Milton Gilder

Birthdays: David Boyer (12/19), Peter Loden (12/23), Susan Yates (12/24), The Rev. Harlon Dalton (12/25), Tony Gagliardi (12/27)

VIDEO: Last Sunday's Service and Sermon

Last week was a snowy third Sunday of Advent. Tudy Hill officiated Morning Prayer and Lynne Severance preached.

If you either missed or want to revisit previous Sundays at St. PJ's, you can find the recorded videos on our Facebook and/or YouTube pages. (Facebook automatically deletes videos after four weeks, but you can always find older archives on YouTube.)

Pledge Card Reminder

Our annual Stewardship Season concluded on Sunday, November 23. Thank you to everyone who brought their pledge form!

If you weren't present that day or forgot your card, that's more than okay. You can absolutely still place your sealed form in the collection plate on Sunday, or email it to our treasurer David Hill anytime. You can grab a pledge form at the usher's table in church, or download one online here.

Pledging our time, talent, and financial resource isn't just a financial commitment; it's a spiritual promise to make the church part of our lives and to be a part of the church's life in 2026. So even if you can only give $1, that is still an enormous gift, one that represents a holy renewal of relationship. Thank you!

Support Loaves & Fishes and Sunrise Cafe during renovation

The long-awaited replacement of the steps to the undercroft, right on the corner of Chapel and Olive, has begun! The old steps have been ripped up, and the work proceeds. This means that our front yard along Olive Street is fenced off while construction is underway. It is anticipated that the process will take about eight weeks total -- essentially the rest of the year.

While we are disappointed that we are not able to include a ramp in the project, the new steps will be wider, safer and more welcoming to the community. Please direct questions to Brian Fillmore as Capital Campaign Project Manager.

Sunrise Cafe and Loaves & Fishes continue to operate, using alternate entryways to the undercroft. We acknowledge that this may be difficult timing for such an inconvenience -- with the holidays coming and people still reeling from the pause in SNAP benefits -- so please donate to either important organization if you can:

Reach out to Rev. Nathan to Schedule Your Household Visit

By the Rev. Nathan Empsall, priest-in-charge

By now, you've likely heard me say that I want to visit every St. PJ's household. I want to hear about who you are, what makes you tick, what you believe and love, your history at St. PJ's, and your hopes for the future of our common life together. Ideally this meeting would be at your home, where I can get to know you in your own environment and also offer a home blessing, but coffee shops and walks in the park are okay too.

These meetings are happening, and I have greatly enjoyed them -- but I am also realizing that I am my own bottleneck when it comes to scheduling, as I reach out to families one or two at a time. To try and speed things up, I invite you to reach out to me with some suggested times and dates we might meet.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are ideal, but Fridays and Saturdays are okay too. While weekday daytimes are certainly best, I understand that work schedules can necessitate evenings or Saturdays. Please email me at revnathan@stpaulstjames.org, and I hope to see you outside the church building soon!

There's always more...

Please remember that there is a blue Lost & Found bin in the church office.

If you would like to submit an item for consideration in the eNews or bulletin announcements, please let Rev. Nathan know at revnathan@stpaulstjames.org by next Wednesday afternoon.

Please contact Monifa Atkinson in the church office at office@stpaulstjames.org or (203) 562-2143 if you are interested in receiving more information about any of the following:

- Renting space at St. PJ's for your next party, meeting, concert, wedding, or other event. More info at the St. PJ's website here >>

- Volunteering with St. PJ's

- Adding a name, birthday, or anniversary to the St. PJ's prayer list

- Arranging pastoral care needs

- Purchasing grocery-store gift cards to benefit St. PJ's

- Reserving a place in the St. PJ's columbarium or purchasing a plaque on the Memorial Wall

St. PJ's Staff and Contacts

Administrative Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - Noon

Priest Office Hours: Tuesday - Thursday by appointment

office@stpaulstjames.org

(203) 562-2143

• Priest-in-Charge: The Rev. Nathan Empsall, revnathan@stpaulstjames.org, (203) 278-9199
• Administrative Director: Monifa Atkinson, office@stpaulstjames.org
• Sexton: Sammy Rodriguez
• Children's Ministry: Molly Clayton
• Director of Music: Will Cleary
• Associate Director of Music: Dylan Rowland
• Tech and Music Intern: Dontae James
• Seminary Intern: Kelly Park
• Priest Associate: The Rev. Steve Crowson
• Vestry: Bill Evans (co-warden), Juhani Jaske (co-warden), David Hill (treasurer), Maggie King (clerk), Roni Holcomb, Steve Crowson, Maurice Harris, Pam Sayre, Vanetta Lloyd, Lynne Severance