04/26/24 News and updates from St. James Church

First Things First

Reminder from Creation Care: It’s Earth Day week - reuse, recycle, repurpose —— repeat —— 🌎

Message of the Moment

Thank you, Gracias, Merci, Much obliged,

Mahalo, and Kudos

With the Oyster Dinner, Holy Week, and Easter in our recent past, and The Olde English Tea, more Fourth Sunday Lunches, and Breakfast in our very near future, this is the right time to unveil the latest feature of the eTower. Here we intend to give thanks to those who have lately gone above and beyond in service to our community. You are asked to send the names of people to be appreciated (and a brief statement of what they are thanked for) in forthcoming versions of this publication. Send your recommendations to the church office. The simplest was is by email to: office@stjameswichita.org.

In this initial posting of our kudos, we send our gratitude and lift our prayers of thanksgiving for:

The Altar Guild for their unfailing support of corporate worship behind the scenes (especially: Holy Week and Easter services, and many recent funerals).

The All Souls Guild for providing gracious funeral receptions.

Betty Shaw and her family for her bequest of $50,000.

The Ushers of St. James Church for their frequently underappreciated service which helps worship of all kinds flow more easily.

Danny Blair for his embodiment of Christian service in care of the St. James facility.

Jose Alonso for knowing what needs to be done and giving us security.

Randy Harrison and many helping hands for the preparation of Breakfast on the second Sunday of most months.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the

will of God in Christ Jesus for you” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

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 Fifth Weekend of Easter

Revised Common Lectionary, Year B

April & May Schedules

Through Pentecost

5:30 Service Volunteer Schedule

8:30 Service Volunteer Schedule

10:45 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

Daughters of the King

This Sunday we will have our St. James DOK April meeting at 1 pm in the Lounge. It will feature news from the Spring Assembly in Topeka that was held on April 20.

Seasons Newsletter

Don't forget! Articles for the Summer Seasons newsletter are due by May 5! This newsletter will focus on Pentecost and the summer season.

For everyone who would like to volunteer, here is the Old English Tea kitchen schedule for April 30 through May 4:

Tuesday: Bread rounds are cut, garnishes and sandwich spreads are made. Lemon and orange wedges with cloves are made and the plates assembled.

Wednesday: We make 2-layer finger sandwiches, 3-layer ribbon sandwiches—by the hundreds.

Thursday: We make pinwheels and mini-wrap sandwiches.

Friday: all sandwiches are trimmed of crusts and cut, yielding well over a thousand dainty tea sandwiches. Garnishes and fruit/vegetable trays are assembled. Cucumbers and strawberries are sliced for the open-faced sandwiches. (There are no sit-down jobs. We're on our feet.)

Saturday (Tea Day): Open-faced sandwiches are made before and during the Tea. These include the famous St. James Cucumber Sandwiches (on the tea table at all times), strawberry/cream cheese sandwiches, and others.

We typically work from 10:00-2:00 every day Tuesday through Friday. Saturday is 9:00-2:00. We clean up and end with a champagne toast! To be a Kitchen Angel, just show up with willing hands and a smile!

Bakeshop and Tea Table Bakers Tips

Purchase your Olde English Tea Tickets here!

Community Outreach

BREAKING NEWS - JUSTICE TOGETHER MAY 9

It won’t be necessary for us to drive and park at Century II on the evening of May 9, in order to join our fellow faith community members of Justice Together and attend the Nehemiah Assembly.

We will meet here at St. James on Thursday evening at 5:00 in order to board the bus. The bus will deliver us to the entry at Century II. The doors will open at 5:30. The Assembly will begin at 6:00 and end at 8:00pm. The bus will pick us up and deliver us back to St. James.

IMPORTANT: We need to know how many passengers in order to reserve the proper sized bus. So, please sign up on the clip board at the front desk as soon as you can! (or, email Vicki to reserve a seat)

There is no charge to attend this Assembly. It will only cost a few hours of our time in order to be there and advocate for our neighbors in need of housing and increased access to mental health care.

….”and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” - Micah 6:8

The St. James Outreach Committee invites YOU to join us for a special one hour tour of the Sedgwick County Child Advocacy Center, 1211 S. Emporia, on Tuesday, May 7 at 3:30 p.m. We will gather in the St. James parking lot at 3 pm on May 7 to carpool.

Please plan to join us, and please email me to let me know if you can come.

We will learn a great deal about the issues of child abuse and neglect as well as family therapy. Bring a friend and join us, but please email me with your names.

IRC Update

After a long and somewhat complicated labor and delivery, “Z” gave birth to a baby boy on the evening of April 12. They were able to go home on Wednesday. There are a lot of cultural differences in caring for an infant here in America compared to what the family is used to. Please pray for them as they continue to settle in, and especially for the baby and mother.

We have been able to find resources for various programs throughout the city that help babies and mothers. We will be getting them enrolled in as many programs as possible in the near future.

Our official contract with IRC is coming to an end at the end of April. We will continue supporting the family and walking alongside them through the end of their first year here. Your continued generosity is appreciated!

Children and Youth

Next Sunday, May 5, is Children's Sunday School and Children's Chapel starting at 9:30 am upstairs in the Kidz Zone. All kids in preschool- 5th grade are welcome. Questions? Contact Chelsea.

Junior High Retreat

When: April 27-28, 2024

(Adult Staff and High School Youth Staff arrive Friday evening; first-time attendees arrive Saturday morning. We will be done around 2 pm on Sunday.)

Where: St. Michael & All Angels, Mission

Who: Youth in grades 6-8; High School youth and College students are invited and welcome to serve on staff.

Fee: $65, includes all meals and a personal copy of the Teen ‘Zine for each participant

Priority deadline: Sunday, April 21 (fee increases by $15 after this date)

Registration form: https://bit.ly/EDOKSessions

You can read more about the event here:

https://edokformation.wordpress.com/junior-high-retreat/

Attention high school students and parents:

We are planning to take high school students to Washington D.C. in the summer of 2025. If you have a student that would be interested in attending, please let either Chelsea or Anne Clark know so we can start fundraising to cover expenses.

Volunteers needed!

We need Nursery volunteers! We are looking for those that want to supervise and love on the kiddos in the Nursery at the 8:30 or 10:45 service. You decide how often you'd like to volunteer and when. Safe Church Training is required and provided by the church. Please let Chelsea know if you are interested, formation@stjameswichita.org or call the church office.

The Nursery is open each Sunday from 8:15 am - 12:00 pm and special events for newborns to five years of age.

Prayers

Parish Prayers for the Week of April 21

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer:

The Church of Bangladesh

In the World Council of Churches Cycle of Prayer:

Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

In the Kansas Cycle of Prayer: Pray for the retired clergy of the diocese

Our seminarian, Maddy Bishop

Those discerning a call to the priesthood:

Paul Leeker, Elizabeth Wenger

Those serving in the military:

Davis Jackson; Will Corkins; Maureen Tanner

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

Gus G.; Buck & Gladys; Erin S.; Helene; Fred; Gerry H.; Gail P.; Thelma; Tom H.; Bill M.; Robin S.; Erin C.; Joan M.; Peg B.; Diana M.; Ed & Kim; Susan G.; Peggy S.; Jean E.; Kelby; Judy T.; Mary; Darwin P.; Sam & Beth; Barbara S.; Hazel S.; Allie N.; Kris S.; Judy; Larry R.; Jodie & family; Simon family; Nancy C.; Drew H.; Elena S.; Bella P.; Ann B.; Daimon; Anna; Dick & Judy; Liz; Peer M.; Brianna P.; Sylvester; Sharon & Jerry; Jan M.; Pat; Andy S.; Sue C.; Martha L.; Joseph B.; Joan J.; Jayne P.; Deb H.; Dal H.; Carole

Those who have recently died:

Terry House; Jeri Moss; Peter Criss (son of Sam Criss); John Osborne;

Some who have died in April in the past:

Martha Allen; Glenn Cooper; Jean Crutchfield; Peggy Joy Day; Mildred Early; Betty J. Bowman Edwards; Gary Fast; Thomas Faulkner; Kendall Curtis Jones; Susan Jones; Sharon Lawrence; Beverly McCausland; Jan Moreland; Thelma Ross; Bettie Jane Salter; Arthur Skaer; Mary Smith (Solbach); Larry Soice; Sharon Spencer; Nancy Tapp; Marie Taylor; Kansa H. Unruh; Earl Whepley; Mary Yeager

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. We do our best to include last name initials in the event that two parishioners with the same first name exist.

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

Bishop DeDe Duncan-Probe nominated by petition for election as presiding bishop

The committee said that Duncan-Probe was vetted through the same process of background and reference checks as all nominees, as required by Canon I.2.1(d)(4). The election will take place on June 26 during The Episcopal Church's triennial General Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.

Slate of 4 bishops announced for 28th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church

Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Church's next presiding bishop will be chosen this June from a slate of four nominees, whose names were released April 2: Nebraska Bishop J. Scott Barke...

Episcopal Summer Camp registration on-going

Camp Wood YMCA features a variety of activities such as horseback riding, archery, climbing tower, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, water slide, mud slide, arts and crafts, and sports. The volunteer Episcopal staff provides solid Christian education, featuring worship, music, small group discussions, and prayer.

When: June 2-8, 2024

Where: Camp Wood YMCA, Elmdale, KS

Who: Young people in grades 3-12 for 2023-24 school year (you must have finished third grade to attend)

Cost: $525 through May 1, payment plans are available.

Registration: online via UltraCamp; priority deadline is Wednesday, May 1

Scholarships: You can apply for scholarships on the registration form.

Learn more about Mega Camp. Check these out:

Full Camp Promo Video (on YouTube)
Camper Testimonials (video on YouTube)
12 Steps to prepare you and your camper for camp
Parent Handbook (PDF)

Living God’s Future Now: A 2024 Tocher Event

The Diocese of Kansas is pleased to welcome the Rev. Dr. Sam Wells for the 2024 Tocher Lecture on May 15-16 at St. Michael and All Angels, Mission.

The Lecture will truly be an event with the St. Martin’s Voices choral ensemble joining from Vicar Sam’s parish, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London under the leadership of Dr. Andrew Earis.

Funded through the generosity of the Diocese of Kansas’ Tocher Fund for Clergy Education and the St. Michael and All Angels Foundation, this is a formation event for the clergy, musicians, and other lay leaders of parishes and institutions in the six Bishop Kemper School for Ministry partner dioceses: Kansas, Western Kansas, Nebraska, West Missouri, Missouri and Iowa.

Focusing on themes of evangelism, community and parish development and the Church’s role in God’s future, Sam Wells and his musicians will gather participants for seminars and worship. This will be an exciting formation endeavor for the BKSM dioceses outside the classes and programs offered directly by the School.

Click here for more information

Click here to register for Tocher Event