Sunday, Dec. 24

10:15 a.m. | Christmas Pageant with Holy Eucharist in the Nave

5:00 p.m. | Holy Eucharist with Carols, featuring Amanda Horton in the Nave

8:00 | Choral Holy Eucharist with Choir, Brass & Instrumentalists in the Nave

Monday, Dec. 25

10:00 a.m. | Holy Eucharist Rite II with Carols & Organ

Monday, Dec. 25 - Friday, Dec. 29

Offices Closed

Sunday, Dec. 31

8:00 a.m. | Spoken Holy Eucharist Rite I in the Nave

10:15 a.m. | Nativity on the Square Sermon Drama and Holy Eucharist with St. James Players and Allelu! folk group

5:00 | Nativity on the Square Sermon Drama and Holy Eucharist with St. James Players and instrumental guitarist, Doug Woofter

Monday, Jan. 1

Offices Closed

Thank you to all our many, many ministries that make possible this holy season celebrating the birth of Christ. Almost every single ministry at St. James has a hand in these upcoming services and we give thanks for the dedication, faithfulness, and energy of these incredible ministers.

Thank you to all who wrote cards for our parishioners who cannot be with us in person due to illness or mobility. In total, we mailed 145 cards, an incredible reminder of this parish's love and support. Thank you to Patricia James from our Pastoral Care Team and staff member Mindy Campos who orchestrate this every year!

Please note the offices will be closed Dec. 25-Dec. 29 & Jan. 1 in observation of the the season of Christmas. May your celebration of our Lord's birth not end on Christmas Day but continue to shine for whole season, the entire 12 Days of Christmas!

Additional parking options on Sundays:  We want to ensure those with mobility needs, those with small children, and our visitors can find parking in St. James lots. This is a faithful gesture of Christian hospitality so please consider parking at one of these locations:



• Bruce Drysdale Elementary parking lot, adjacent to St. James on Bearcat Blvd (about 25 spots)
• The Staff Parking lot, behind the Memorial Garden
• On-street parking around St. James

St. James Annual Meeting

Jan. 21 at 11 a.m.

Join us at 11 a.m. in the Parish hall for our Annual Meeting to hear reports and updates about our common life together, including a budget presentation and election of Vestry members. The 10:15 a.m. Eucharist will be abbreviated significantly on this day.

It's not too late to return your commitment card for 2024! Your commitment makes a difference! Thank you to all those who have already returned their stewardship commitment cards for 2024. Your commitment makes a difference! It's not too late to return your commitment card by mail, in-person or even online.

Upcoming Baptismal Date: Sunday, Jan. 7 is our next baptismal date, celebrating the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. If you or a loved one would like to be baptized, please contact David+.

On Sunday, Dec. 31, the liturgy of the word (readings and sermon) at the 10:15 and 5 p.m. service will take the form of a sermon drama by the St. James Players. Come watch their thought-provoking and relevant piece on the Nativity.

Gluten-free wafers are available during communion for those with celiac disease or medical issues. You may request this gluten-free option at communion from the priest. 

St. James is joining with other Henderson County parishes for a deanery-wide Epiphany feast and worship at Kanuga on the Feast of the Epiphany, Saturday, Jan 6, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The cost is $12 per adults, $8 per youth and children up to 12 years old are free.

This intergenerational event will begin with a Eucharist in Kanuga's chapel and the traditional chalking of the doors. From there we will feast together with Kanuga providing pork tenderloin and baked chicken and hot dogs for the kiddos. Participants are invited to bring a side dish, salad/bread or dessert which will be assigned alphabetically. Registration is required and scholarships are available. The evening will be filled with fun activities such as a mobile planetarium which will allow folks to see the night sky as the Magi did as they sought the Christ child. There will be crafts for making crows and star lanterns. There will also be star gazing available as well as a candlelight labyrinth walk.

Tickets may be purchased on Eventbrite. If you have any questions, please contact Aimee Bostwick of Kanuga at abostwick@kanuga.org.

Centering Prayer with Rev. Wendy Pinzino will continue every Wednesday from 10-11 a.m. in the Chapel beginning Jan. 3. Please join us in this deeply meaningful practice.

Star of Wonder and the Search for Awe

Jan. 7-Feb. 4, excluding Jan. 21

Trinity Room

Where do you find awe and wonder in our world? Join us for an exploration of Epiphany, the liturgical season most often associated with wonder, as we consider why wonder matters—especially in our modern, scientific, and often cynical world. We'll be using Dacher Keltner's new book Awe as a guide and encourage you to purchase one for this series.

Outreach Presents: Learning from Our Dreamers

Sunday, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. in the Trinity Room

Join us for this special conversation with the students St. James sponsors at Blue Ridge Community College. These are DREAM Act Students who have lived in the United States their whole lives are able to go to college through our sponsorship. Without that, they would have to pay significantly higher out-of-statue tuition rates. Join us as they say thank you and share their educational and vocational dreams.

Getting to Know St. James and the Episcopal Church

Sundays, Feb. 18-Sunday, March. 24 at 9 a.m. in the St. James Room

During these Sundays, we will give an overview and introduction to the Episcopal Church and St. James' place in it. Perfect for newcomers, visitors, or those wishing to renew or dive deeper into their understanding of faith in the Episcopal tradition. Participants are eligible for confirmation, reaffirmation of faith, or reception. 

Construction is underway for our new open-air Sanctuary Garden Chapel! The entire infrastructure for the project is a gift from an anonymous member, so no funds from the operating fund are needed. If you would like the opportunity to be a part of the installation of a grove of redbud and holly trees in dedication to a friend or family member, visit https://bit.ly/sanctuarygardenchapel.

For more information or to submit a dedication,

click here.

Yoga classes will take place all Wednesdays in January at 9:30 a.m. in the Trinity Room. Participants need to arrive 10 minutes early and be ready to begin promptly. Individuals who might have come to chair yoga are welcome and we will adapt poses into chair versions. Contact the instructor, Dianne Hunter, for any questions. 

St. James Single Women are invited to Patty Hanson's home on Friday, January 5 at 11:30 p.m. for Little Christmas 🎄 Brunch. For more information or to rsvp, email Patty at phanson70@comcast.net.

Calling all St. James artists and crafts-people!

SAVE THE DATE and start creating for our 2024 Art and Soul Gala and Silent Auction set to take place on Saturday, March 16 from 3-5:30 p.m. at St. James. Join us for a special, fun afternoon of fine art and crafts created by St. James parishioners and friends. Artwork will be available for purchase. Enjoy wine, snacks, live music and a thrilling silent auction with artwork and gift baskets from community vendors! Brought to you by the St. James Fun Force. For more information, email Laurie Parkerson at leparkerson@gmail.com.

Coins for Change in Cuba! Start collecting spare coins and pocket change as we join with other Episcopalians to provide Vacation Bible School for children in Cuba in collaboration with the Episcopal Diocese of Cuba. Contact Jack Watson for more details. Bring your coins to the Christmas Pageant on Dec. 24 at 10:15 a.m. to join with the Magi in placing your gifts before the Christ Child.

The Thursday Thrift Shop is in need of donations of clothing for ladies and men, all sizes, and for children, especially sizes 2T to 8. If you're cleaning out your closet please keep the thrift shop in mind. Sales of clothing accounts for nearly 35% of our annual sales and our current inventory is very low. As always, all donations are appreciated. The Thrift Shop will be closed from December 25 to January 1 this year. Our last sales day for 2023 will be December 21.  

HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE A SUCCESS! Thanks to your generosity, we delivered 583 pounds of food to Interfaith Assistance Ministries for their holiday food drive. Our contribution helped ensure those in need celebrated Thanksgiving with a meal in their own home. Our December collection will go to The Storehouse, so grab a purple shopping bag the next time you are at church, so we can continue to provide non-perishable foods and personal care and hygiene items to our neighbors who lack these essentials.

Stewardship Tip from the Creation Care Ministry:  Just because the new bins at St. James won't accept all your recyclables, don't throw it in the landfill. Here are some alternatives for recycling: If you don't use your own reusable bags, bring plastic grocery bags and plastic film to the grocery store for recycling. Watch for announcements of special collection days at the Stoney Mountain Convenience Center to recycle lithium batteries, Styrofoam, paint and other items.

Our St. James Christmas 🎄 Pageant will be on Christmas Eve at 10:15 a.m. during the Sunday Service. All children, from babies to high school teenagers, are welcome to join us as angels, shepherds, kings, animals, Mary, Joseph, and narrators. Please email or text Diane King at echomtn1@yahoo.com or (828) 674-1461 if interested. 

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd will take a break on Sunday, Dec. 31 and will return January 7 at 10 a.m.

Tired of Emails? Youth and Parents Can Stay Connected with St. James via text! Join our Remind account by texting @2fhfhb2 to 81010. We will post upcoming events, photos, and reminders here and all will go directly to your phone.

Fall & Winter Programs Brochure Available! Be in the know every week! Pick up our hot-off-the-press formation brochure today and mark your calendars for events and gatherings for all ages.

To ensure that you receive St. James emails in your inbox, please add office@stjamesepiscopal.com to your contact list. If you have issues getting our weekly emails, call Mindy at (828) 693-7458 or email mindy@stjamesepiscopal.com.