12/13/24 News and updates from St. James Church

First Things First

If you’d like to give to the altar guild to decorate the church with fresh greens and poinsettias, dedication sheets are at the volunteer desk. You can also give online by choosing the Flowers, Greens, & Lilies fund, and including your dedication in the memo line or emailing the dedication to the church office.

Pageant rehearsal on Saturday morning, Dec. 14 at 10:00 am. Anyone who would like to participate in the pageant is invited to take part.

Message of thew Moment

Giving Tuesday

Grateful thanks to those who have responded to last week's Giving Tuesday email request! So far, the extra 2025 giving has amounted to $19,140, nearly covering the $20,000 shortfall that we anticipated. Additional gifts are welcomed so that we finish 2024 "in the black" and enter 2025 on a positive financial footing. You may donate via this Realm link or by way of the offering plate during our weekend and Christmas worship services.

Speaking of 2025, we have received 87 pledges, so far, for a total of $401,797, which is 82% of the $491,000 that we need to balance next year's budget. Last year, we received 117 pledges, so clearly there are many parishioners that we have yet to hear from. We are in the final stages of preparing our 2025 budget, so if you haven't yet pledged, please try to do so soon so that we can finalize St. James' plans for next year. You may do so many different ways - with a pledge form, a Realm entry, an email or a phone call to the bookkeeper at the office.

Worth Remembering

To read the complete article, refer back to archives of the eTower. https://stjameswichita.org/connect/etower/

We will return to two worship services on Sunday morning (8:30 and 10:45) at the beginning of February 2025.
You can still participate in our Giving Tuesday campaign (11/29/24)

The Readings this Week

Click here to go to the Lectionary Page

Click here for a free PDF download of the Book of Common Prayer

The Lessons appointed for

The Third Weekend of Advent

Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Track I

Weekend Service Volunteer Schedules

September 7 - January 26

5:30 pm Service Volunteer Schedule

9:30 am Service Volunteer Schedule

Want to know if we need additional volunteers for a specific week? Click one of the service schedules below. If you see a +Add button on a particular serving role, that means someone has declined their assignment, and we still need a volunteer to fill in. You can click +Add to sign up for that spot.

Calendar

Parish News and Updates

Volunteers Needed! Christmas Services

We need volunteers for our Christmas Eve services and Christmas Day service. No experience necessary. Acolytes, readers, greeters, ushers, chalice bearer - all of the available roles can be found on the sign-up sheet at the volunteer desk. Need help signing up? Contact the office, and we can add your name.

Ushers - Eight will be needed at each Christmas Eve service; Two are needed on Christmas Day. Please join our friendly usher crew, even just for the season. A strong arm and a friendly face are needed at each set of stairs at communion.
Altar Guild - The beauty of worship at this time of the year is a seasonal responsibility you are invited to join. Contact Adrienne Edwards to lend a hand.
Lectors, Chalice Bearers, Acolytes, and others are needed to join in the provision of our worship services, especially on Christmas Eve. If you are willing to sign up for one of these roles, please put your name down on sign up sheets at the front desk.

Advent & Christmas Events

We have several events coming up in December as we celebrate Advent and Christmas this year.

The children’s Christmas Pageant will be during Sunday worship service on Sunday, December 15.
Delivery of Christmas baskets after church on Dec. 15.
Greening the Church will be on Sunday, December 22 after the worship service, with food, music, and fellowship.
Worship on Christmas Eve will be at 4:00 pm (nursery available) and 7:00 pm (light use of incense). The St. James Choir will sing at both services. Parking will be at a premium, especially for the early service. Please allow time to park your car and find your seat in the congregation before the service begins.
Christmas Day worship service at 10:00 am on Dec. 25.

Thank you for all you do!

Last Saturday was our final mowing, trimming and mulching of St. James' lawn for the season. Many thanks to these "Lawn Laity" for your fine work and for giving of your time and energy every other weekend - Mark Allen, Tom Zerger, Clay Bastian, Barry Kelsey, Gene Bledsoe, David Clark and Woody Swain.

DOK Christmas Party

On December 7, St. James' Daughters of the King met the St. Stephens’ Daughters of the King at St. Stephens for their annual Christmas Party and Cookie Exchange.

A wide variety of homemade cookies will be taken to a local nursing home for their enjoyment. Our own Janet Newlin read a charming Christmas story to the group. Santa (St. Stephens’ choir member, Bob Shurden) led us in singing Christmas carols. Our Kelly Harper is probably assuring St. Nick she should be on his “Good List”!

Community Outreach

St. James Christmas Project

The Outreach Committee wishes to THANK MARY DRUDING and the YOUTH GROUP for making our St. James Christmas project so beautiful for 18 families. Organizing this large project is difficult, but Mary has a well-designed system, and, with the Youth Group's help, she makes it happen.

We also want to thank the St. James congregation for most generously supporting this project by bringing canned goods and personal gifts for the families.

Children and Youth

Christmas Pageant

The children and youth will perform the annual Christmas pageant during the sermon portion of the service on Sunday, December 15th. Please plan on attending!

All kids are welcome to be part of the pageant! We have speaking parts for youth and non-speaking roles for the younger children. If you have a child wanting to participate, join us on Saturday, Dec 14th at 10:00 am in the Sanctuary to rehearse. If you have questions, contact Chelsea.

Nursery Volunteers still needed!

We are still short-staffed in the Nursery and need volunteers. To keep the nursery open and operating, we need 10 volunteers to commit to a Sunday every 2 months. You can spend time with our kids, love them, and minister to their needs. If you are interested, please contact Chelsea or call the office.

Prayers

Parish Prayers for the Week of December 15

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer:

The Anglican Church of Tanzania

In the World Council of Churches Cycle of Prayer:

Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and the Mainland of China

In the Kansas Cycle of Prayer:

Pray for Grace Cathedral, Topeka

Those discerning a call to the priesthood:

Paul Leeker, Elizabeth Wenger

Those serving in the military:

Anna Broadbent; Davis Jackson; Will Corkins; Maureen Tanner

Those in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness or any other adversity:

Richard H.; Kelby; Aileen Z.; Vicky R.; Susan G.; Barry K.; Claire B.; Kate M.; John R.; Kris & Bill; Will F.; Tracy B.; Margi Y.; Dan.; Vicky P.; Jane S.; Bill M.; William H.; Alex W.; JD; Dairon; Paula M.; Michael; Julie; Marie G.; Ivan; Gabe; Brad M.; Shonda C.; Matt R.; Michael H.; Emma R.; Wes R.; John D.; Michelle L.; Janet C.; Buck & Gladys; Fred; Gail P.; Gerry H.; Thelma; Mary K.; Susan G.; Peggy S.; Ed & Kim; Jean E.; Judy T.; Sam & Beth; Barbara S.; Bill M.; Hazel S.; Allie N.; Kris S.; Larry R.; Drew H.; Elena S.; Bella P.; Daimon; Anna; Sylvester; Pat; Andy S.; Sue C.; Martha L.; Joseph B.; Joan J.; Jayne P.; Deb H.; Dal H.; Carole U.; Bill & Carolyn; Janice M.; Marge R.; Marcia & Lowell; Gus G.

Those who have recently died:

Janice Orlando; James Gilman (father of Eric Gilman); Dudley; Ruth Bennett; Nancy Hercher

Some who have died in December in the past:

Mary Albright; Holly Bell; Martha Black; Helen Bousfield; Carl Brink; Charlotte Cochran; Dorcas Cooper; Flo Duncan; Peggy Duncan; Ruth T. Elrick; Pat Evans; Ron Harrison; Betty Holmer; Helen Hope; Tomora Jennings; June E. Morell; Gladys Osborne; Tom Reid; Mary Rickman; Betty Robinson; Wanda Sanders; Margaret Sandlin; Elizabeth Sheffield; John Sheffield; Lois Smith; Ev Stephenson; Norris Taylor; Marcia Thudium; Gretchen Waite; Mary Jo Watson; Richard Wingell

For the sake of privacy, we do not list the last names of those who are on our prayer list because of trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or adversity.

If your prayers have been answered, let us rejoice with you. Please contact the office to let us know we can remove your prayer request. If you have prayers you would like added to the prayer list, please contact the office at office@stjameswichita.org or 316-683-5686.

Loving, Liberating and Life-Giving

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Diocesan News

St. John's Episcopal Church is holding a memorial service for people in our community who died in 2024 while unhoused. Click the image below for more details.

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