Parishioners bake 592 dozen Cookies for Kairos!
The wonderful aroma of cookies baking filled kitchens all over North County on the weekend of Oct. 14 and 15. The parish was preparing for our Cookies for Kairos collection. Our “pastry chefs” baked 592 dozen in all! This annual cookie drive is part of a larger one sponsored by the Christian community in North County for Kairos Weekends, part of the Prison Ministry. Many churches in the area participate. All the parishes bake hundreds of homemade cookies to go to Donovan State Prison where they are wildly popular with the inmates. These delicious treats send a message of comfort and support to the prisoners. The cookies also act as a draw to get the inmates interested in attending a religious retreat to help them find the peace of the Lord.

One of the busiest cookie-baking kitchens was in the parish hall on Oct. 14. Pam Smith’s Faith Formation Class of teens and pre-teens as well as some parents, baked sheet after sheet of cookies — and the kids didn’t even sneak a bite! Our thanks to everyone who took part in this compassionate effort.   

Mission Circle Annual Fundraiser
Mission Circle is...
  Celebrating 40 years of volunteers helping those in need 
& 40 years of compassionate donors who support the work we do

Through your generosity, Mission Circle volunteers:
Make 800 sandwiches every week for hungry men in prison & the homeless in Tijuana

Provide dinner once/month for the homeless at Bread of Life Rescue Mission, Oceanside

Packaged 60,000 meals for people devastated by recent hurricanes

Support maintenance of the Girls Home and activities for the girls at Casa Eudes, Tijuana

Provided 1300 pairs of new shoes for the children of migrant workers in Coachella Valley

Support 3 Casa Eudes girls going to college in Tijuana

Provided comfort backpacks for 50 children taking a long bus ride to visit a parent in prison.

Please be generous with your donations!

Help Us With Our Mission.
Donate To Mission Circle by clicking the button below!
 
Send checks payable to
St. James Mission Circle to:
St. James Mission Circle
P.O. Box 1376
Solana Beach, CA 92075

Mission Circle is an all-volunteer organization
100% of all donations support our mission
Check out the Video by clicking below...
High school students get gold stars for
donation work
The teen - agers we know are the best! They are the high school kids from Canyon Crest, San Dieguito, Westview, University City, and Torrey Pines who pitched in to help organize our donation sheds on a recent Saturday. While the students were busy working, our donation team brought a family to the sheds to “shop” for much-needed furniture. The kids had a chance to meet some of the people they were helping. We want to thank all the high school students for their hard work. The work party was so successful, we’re planning more in the future! Come join our team, Kathy and Jeanne, at the donation sheds on the 1 st and 3 rd Saturdays each month from 9:00 am-1:00 pm!
What Happened to our Old Pews
They are still in use! When we found out our church remodel required new pews, our Mission Circle donation team, Kathy Faller and Jeanne Hansen, found churches in Mexico who were thrilled to get our old ones. Some of them were recently installed in a church, Fuente de Agua Viva, and others will soon go to Pena de Horeb. Both of these parishes are located in Colonia Cumbres in Tijuana. The rest of our “gently used pews” will make a 3-day trip to churches in Vera Cruz, which is in central Mexico. This repurposing of our old pews is a win-win for everybody. St. James did not have to pay to have the old pews removed because a crew from Mexico came up to help our donation team dismantle them. We’re really happy the pews our parish used for years can “give support” to churches across the border!

Make the Holidays Brighter!

C ome help the Encinitas Community Resource Center distribute holiday baskets to those in need!   On December 15, 16, & 17 volunteers will come together at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Grand Stand to provide a dignified and free shopping experience for families and individuals in need. Over 1500 households will receive food boxes, basic necessities, and a few gifts to brighten their holidays! Questions? Contact Pierre Godefroy at  peteg732@gmail.com
 
Volunteer shifts are filling up fast! Grab your shift quickly!
 
To register for a Holiday Baskets volunteer shift as an INDIVIDUAL, go to this easy volunteer application at:
 
To register for a Holiday Baskets volunteer shift as a GROUP (two or more persons), go to this easy volunteer application at:
Happy Thanksgiving & Holiday Season