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Weekly News from St. James' Episcopal Church | Leesburg, Virginia
August 30, 2024
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Watch the service live at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning or at your leisure at a later time.
Wednesday Worship (September 4)
11:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist
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Nursery and Children’s Chapel
Children are always welcome in worship! If needed, Nursery care is available beginning at 8:45. The Nursery is located through the front left doors of the sanctuary. Go through the Parish Hall and up the stairs – the Nursery is around the corner from the kitchen. All children under 10 are welcome to come up for a short children’s sermon, followed by Children’s Chapel in the Parish Hall. Children’s Chapel is for ages 4 to 10; however, ages 3 and under are welcome to attend Children's Chapel with a guardian. We will celebrate God’s love through music and a brief activity before rejoining our families to take part in the Eucharist.
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Children's Formation Registration is Open!
Register on Realm.
Teachers needed! To best serve multiple age groups, we would love a team of regular teachers. Reach out to Jess Eastridge if interested in teaching.
Calling all Children's Chapel Assistants
There are 16 Sundays between now and Christmas and many hands make light work. As partners with Children's Formation Minister, Jess Eastridge, no weekly preparation is required of Children's Chapel Assistants. Help welcome and support families and visitors in this essential ministry. To volunteer and then receive access to the schedule, let us know more about you.
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YOUP is for Youth Group
All 6th through 12th graders are invited to join Youp (a portmanteau of "Youth"+"Group") led by fantastic team of couples and parents. If you are interested in getting your student involved, let us know.
We hope to have enough to split into Middle School and High School groups. We offer a variety of formation and fellowship opportunities throughout the school year (often accompanied by pizza!) Take the YOUP survey.
Youth Confirmation
With enough interest, a youth confirmation class will be held on Sunday mornings at 9am. If your student, 8th grade and up, is interested in being confirmed on October 13th when the Bishop Shand visits, please let Rev. Marybeth know.
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Adult Forum: Exploring Our Episcopal Identity
Sundays, Sept. 8-Oct. 6 | 9 a.m., Parish Hall (live streamed)
Whether you’re seeking to be confirmed, received into the church or are a lifelong Episcopalian, this class is designed to deepen your understanding and appreciation of what it means to be part of the Episcopal Church. Led by Fr. Chad.
Learn more and register here.
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Centering Prayer Retreat
Saturday, September 14 | 8:45 a.m.-noon
Unlike other forms of prayer that might focus on requests, thanksgiving, or praise, contemplative prayer seeks to foster a quiet, loving presence to God’s own presence. Join us as we seek union with God beyond words, thoughts, and emotions.
You are warmly invited to join us for this in-person gathering of prayer, teachings, and reflection, led by LJ Milone. We hope you can join us for all or part of the morning!
Learn more here.
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St. James' Newcomer Class
Sunday, September 15 | 11:15 a.m.
Join Fr. Chad to hear more about the history, values, and mission of St. James, and discover what it means to be a member of the Episcopal Church. You will also learn more about our active ministries and ways to get involved.
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Men's Service Ministry Book Study
All men of St. James are invited to join a weekly MSM meeting at 7 p.m. Mondays in the lower level of the Parish House. The group is now studying the Gospel of John. For additional info or should you have questions, please email Mike Scott.
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Reaching Out to Our College Students--Addresses needed
This fall, the St. James’ Card Ministry will mail cards to our college students (grad and undergrad) to remind them that we are thinking about them and praying for them as they pursue their studies during the academic year. In order to make this happen, we need their families to provide us with their students' mailing address. Please send addresses to Ready Snodgrass, our Parish Administrator, at your earliest convenience. Cards will be mailed late September/early October.
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Sacred Soil Society
As cooler weather nears, the SSS will be turning its efforts toward planting on the grounds to fill a few gaps in the border beds. Watch for them and see if you notice!
Upcoming Workdays:
- Wed., 9/4, 1-3 pm
- Sat., 9/14, 10-12 pm
- Thurs., 9/19, 6-8 pm
- Tues., 9/24, 11-1 pm
You're always welcome to join us. We'll show you all you need to do to help out. Questions? Contact Pamela McGraw.
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Acolyte Training and National Acolyte Festival
Sunday, September 8 | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Join us for an enriching acolyte training and refresher session at St. James'! All current acolytes and students in 3rd grade and up are invited to participate. The event will take place on Sunday, September 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and lunch will be provided. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of our worship service! All acolytes will be eligible to attend the National Acolyte Festival at the Washington National Cathedral on Saturday, October 12. Adult acolytes are also welcome to attend the acolyte festival.
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Serving at St. James'
There are many ways you can serve at St. James', both in the local community and in our parish. There are several roles available to serve on Sunday mornings (acolytes, coffee hour hosts, etc.). You can join one of the many ministries that bring us together as a church family, and you can participate in outreach to our wider community through St. James'.
You can sign up for more than one. You can also “try out” a ministry and see how it goes. Don’t worry: we’ll train you. And if it’s not a good fit, we’ll help you find a ministry that is.
Click the link below to see a listing of all the serving opportunities at St. James', and let us know which ones might be a good fit for you.
If you have questions about any of these ministries, contact info@stjamesleesburg.org.
Thank you for your interest in serving this community of faith!
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Parish Retreat at Shrine Mont
Friday, Sept. 20-Sunday, Sept. 22
Relax, spend time with your St. James’ family, and take advantage of opportunities for games, hiking, prayer labyrinths, and even salamander catching!
We would love to have any guitar players who are coming to Shrine Mont bring their guitar/s and provide music for the group. Contact Dottie Brannock.
Our goal is to ensure that every member of our congregation who wishes to participate in the retreat can do so. If the cost of the retreat presents a challenge, please contact Fr. Chad. Your request will be kept confidential.
Register today by clicking the button below, or find a paper form in the narthex.
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You're Invited to Join a St. James' Foyer Group!
Foyer Groups are small groups of parishioners who meet monthly during a six-month period for simple meals and conversation.
There’s no agenda or formal program. Members simply get to know each other as part of our community of faith. It's the perfect way to get to know folks you might not otherwise have had the chance to interact with.
The Fall/Winter Session runs from October-March. To sign up, email Carol Chapman at cchapman516@aol.com, or Donna and Mike Cash at cashfamily1@gmail.com, or call the Parish Office (703-777-1124), no later than Sunday, September 29.
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St. James' Preschool
Providing children with a creative learning experience in a Christian atmosphere of love and acceptance since 1972.
- Registrations now open for age 2-PreK-SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE FOR 2024-2025!
- Now hiring assistant teachers!
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Toward Becoming a More Inclusive and Welcoming Parish
Nave Accessibility Information Session
Sunday, September 1 | 9 AM | Parish Hall
Please join us for a very important information session as we discuss plans to make our church seating more accessible to members and visitors who use walkers and wheelchairs.
This will involve reconfiguring a few of our pews to accommodate mobility equipment. Diagrams will explain exactly what changes are planned, and the Accessibility Committee will be there to answer your questions. If you are unable to attend, the session will be livestreamed and recorded.
We are committed to honoring the historic beauty of our worship space while also striving to be welcoming and inclusive to all who enter our doors. We thank you in advance for bringing an open mind and collaborative spirit to this gathering.
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Blessing of the Backpacks
Here's a look back at our Blessing of the Backpacks during worship on August 18, when we were also treated to a musical moment by VBS campers. It is a blessing to highlight our children's spiritual growth within the context of our congregational worship. We'll be doing this even more often with our Fifth Sunday Family Services this fall, starting on September 29 at 10 a.m.
Please continue to keep the children of St. James' in your prayers as they continue on their journey of growth and learning.
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Those Requesting Prayers This Week: The Porter family, Ralph Dale, Brayan Cruz, Jefferson Zapata, Dwayne Traylor, *Michael Dowling, *Harold Neely, and *Rachelle Graves.
Those on Our Long-Term Prayer List: Darrell Ackman, Kaleb Cortes, Peter Schweitzer, *Charlotte Woods, Joan Douglas, Brad Douglas, Sr, *Joan Corderman, Martha Burton Huie, Skip Hovsmith, Adam Gedney, Stephanie Kreuger, Tony Beltrano, Pat, Ethan Stoller, Bob Menas, *The Murphy Family, Gale Hudson, Emily, Nesbit Hatch, Kenneth Wurster, *Keith Castilon, Mary Ellen Hurley, *Barbara Roark, *Fran Smith, Nicholas Rodney, Ed, *Scott Clark, *Pam Mossburg, Virginia Laughlin, and *Alice Lynn.
Those who have died: James Muse, Stephanie Wishmyer, Arthur Guari, Juan Jose Osario Perdoma, John Ballagh, Mary Page Lay (Former organist & choir member at St. James'), and Joseph L. Arrowood.
Those Who Need Our Prayers:
All those impacted by acts of violence, those affected by COVID-19, the Holy Land, the people of Ukraine and those involved in the Ukraine war, those who are unemployed or underemployed, those serving in the armed forces at home and abroad.
Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Virginia's Continuing Care Communities within the Diocese and their Residents and Staff
Anglican Cycle of Prayer: The Anglican Church in Kenya
Do You Need Prayer or Care?
"In case of illness, the minister of the congregation is to be notified." (BCP p. 453)
Make a prayer request here.
Call the Church Office | Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(703)777-1124 ext 1 | info@stjamesleesburg.org
After Hours Pastoral Care Line | (202)750-4247
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Prayer List Changes
The clergy and Pastoral Associates of the Parish have been considering ways to deepen the prayer life of St. James’. Our parish prayer list is a vital part of our corporate and individual prayers. We also know there are many in need of prayer who are known to God alone.
One of the ways we hope to hold our St. James’ family in prayer is to denote St. James’ congregants using and asterisk in our printed list. This way, whether on the short-term or long-term, those praying in worship will be able to hold those closest to us in mind. We will always continue to pray for friends and family.
Though we only name a few names out loud, please use the long-term list in your personal prayers. Many who reside on the list are our home bound folks we send communion to. They are a part of us. Please check our weekly email each week for suggested prayers and our diocesan and Anglican prayer cycles. For questions or suggestions, please reach out to Rev. Marybeth.
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Click the image to view our full weekly calendar | |
Fall At-A-Glance
Get a bird's eye view of (almost) everything going on at St. James' this fall. Keep up with the weekly e-Pistle for additions and updates!
View the fall brochure
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