April 23rd, 2023

We'd love for you to join us!

We would be pleased if you joined us in person or online from the comfort of your home for church services via Facebook Live at 9:30am.

https://www.facebook.com/StJamesEpiscopalChurchMillCreek/

On Easter Sunday we talked about the Marys and their reaction of both “fear and great joy,” and recently we heard the story of the Jesus breathing the Holy Spirit on the disciples, empowering them and enabling them to continue their ministry in a post-Resurrection world. This weekend, we go back to the day of the Resurrection and hear the account of Cleopas and his companion as they encounter a stranger on the road to Emmaus, a stranger who they later discover is the resurrected Christ, but this is only revealed to them in the breaking of the bread.

As we hear this story, we remember that we, as Episcopalians, are also a sacramental people. We believe that something about God is revealed to us when we gather together to hear the story of God’s work and to share a meal together.

This Sunday we will gather for our annual meeting. This meeting isn’t simply a time for us to check off a requirement of our status as a non-profit or to make sure we follow canonical rules. It’s a sacramental time that we intentionally set aside to see where we’ve been together and to see if we are still going in the direction God is calling us to go. Like the disciples on the road who heard from Jesus, we’ll hear about what’s been done this past year, and we’ll break bread together in a meal hosted by our Vestry.

I hope, and we hope, that everyone is feeling better and testing negative before next Sunday so that we can continue to be drawn together to do God’s work, remembering what we’ve done and looking forward together, as St. James’ Episcopal Church.

Bingo Night Update

Due to the COVID outbreak at St. James’ it has been decided to postpone Bingo Night for a couple of weeks.

A new date is not yet confirmed. You will be notified as soon as a date is set.

Annual Meeting - 2023

The St. James’ Annual Meeting will take place following the 9:30 AM service on April 23rd. At our Annual Meeting we hear ministry reports, financial reports, and elect our Vestry for the upcoming year. Those standing for election this year are the following:

Carol Bruno

Cathy Coppol (second term)

Jim Craig

Dave Perry

Jenny Vrana

These five nominees have been elected to fill five slots that are available for the next Vestry class.

Lunch will be provided for us by our Vestry members, and we look forward to having you join us!

2023 Flea Market

There will be a Flea Market again this year, on May 20^th 2023. Kathy Jackson is organizing it. You may drop off items to be sold at the Flea Market. Please leave them downstairs in the room to the right of the stairs.

We Will Accept:

Gently Used Household Items, Appliances, Toys, Jewelry, Hardback & Paperback Books.

We WILL NOT Accept Any of the Following:

Encyclopedias, Computers, TVs, Electronics, Clothes or Stuffed Animals.

Please do not bring in any of the unacceptable items. They can be donated to various local charitable agencies.

Electronic Items are accepted at the following Delaware Solid Waste Recycle Locations:

Delaware Recycling Center                                    Newark Recycling Center

1101 Lambson Lane                                                470 Corporate Blvd.

New Castle, DE 19720                                             Newark, DE 19702

Monday-Saturday: 8:30am-3:30pm                       Monday-Saturday: 8:30am-3:30pm

Please contact Kathy Jackson (302-690-3513) if you have any questions or would like to help prior to, or during the Flea Market.

St. James' Mission and Outreach updates

Sharing God’s gifts with others

Reaching out to those in need

And serving them with dignity and respect…

New Castle County HOPE Center-for Individuals and Families in need of temporary housing and support services.

What started as temporary housing during the cold weather of 2020-2021 has grown into a permanent center that provides housing and support services for individuals and families who are without adequate housing in New Castle County.  New Castle County (NCC) purchased the former Sheraton Hotel on Airport Rd (now named the New Castle County HOPE Center) and kept the hotel management staff to keep the facility running.  Working together, many non-profit organizations including Family Promise provide various services and support for individuals and families to obtain emergency and more significant housing and medical, psychological, and job skills opportunities as well. The hotel can accommodate 400 and suites and adjoining rooms are given to families and enable households to stay together. Housing is coordinated through the Delaware Housing Alliance. 

If you know of anyone who needs this housing, please ask them to call 1-833-FIND-BED (1-833-3463-233) and leave a message.

How can you help?

Review the list below and see where you might be able to help.

 Current items needed:

• Hygiene items such as deodorant, shampoo, and soap (regular and travel size)
• Individual sized peanut butter crackers, tuna, microwavable meals (pastas, soups, etc.)
• Non-alcohol hand sanitizer
• Tide pods or other laundry pods
• NEW Underwear, and socks - all sizes, children through adult
• New or gently used t-shirts and light jacket
• New books for adults and children

Please drop the items off:

     ·        Monday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the parish hall porch 

Please place your donations in the bin labeled Donations for HOPE Center on the porch of the parish hall. Liz will bring in the bin and any donated items at 12:30 p.m.

    ·        On Sunday, there is a container in the foyer of the church.

 We take the donations to the distribution center about every two weeks.

Thank you,

St. James' Mission/Outreach Ministry

Prayer Team Updates

The prayer team continues to lift up prayer requests shared by parishioners through emails or calls to the church office at 302-994-1584, to individual members of the prayer team, or requests left in the prayer basket in the church foyer. We collect the prayer requests and other concerns of the parish, community, and world. They are compiled weekly and then these requests are lifted up in the daily prayers of the team members. All are welcome and encouraged to share their prayers.

For those who have an immediate prayer need, we invite you to email your prayer needs and request to Carolyn Mack at cdmack37@gmail.com or call 302-565-8675

St. James' Pastoral Care Team

St. James' Pastoral Care Team continues to support our parish family and our community.

If you or someone you know is in need, we: 

·        send cards, make phone calls, and pray with you and/or for you.

·        Make home, hospital, and Eucharistic visits.

Please call the office (302-994-1584) and leave a message. Someone will get back to you. Messages are retrieved daily, seven days a week.

Please let us know if you need us or someone you know needs us. We will not know if you do not tell us.

“Blessful” Meditations

We all know that life can be a little stressful and hectic sometimes. We hope that by reading this short bible passage and watching a relaxing video will help you take a moment and reflect on God’s gifts.  

John 15:12

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

The Cross

So much healing grace radiates from that cross.

The cross meant to inflict pain, suffering and humiliation,

to the One man through it all; His death-resurrection purchase my salvation.

God saved us when He nailed all my sins on the cross

By His Son's death we are vindicated of all sins,

He bathed us in His love & won for us the victory.

The cross contains two beams:

Horizon beam; intonates the width of His outstretched arms,

full of Love-Compassion gathering us into His loving embrace.

Vertical beam; reflects the way we are to travel, a place of

unspeakable glory-joy that's inconceivable to us now.

Center or Heart of the conjoining beams; intersecting where we meet

to receive the Premise of the One who gave His life as a ransom

payment for all. Where Sins-Faults are forever washed away and

remembered, "No More!"

Having made the trek to that cross, the symbol of Peace-Love-Forgiveness.

Look closely, "Do You See His Tears?"

With tears streaming down my face they intermix with His, "that

when the true healing begins".

Trusting the Promise of eternal life made available to us through this

"one cross - one man!"

Laying down His precious life on the cross, that allows us to cross

that great-impossible chasm.

On our behalf, Jesus goes before Our Father to rectify us to Him.

Faye R. Hart

1/19/23

Prayer for the Third Sunday of Easter, from A New Zealand Prayer Book

Jesus, we believe you;

all we heard is true.

You break the bread, we recognise you,

you are the fire that burns within us;

use us to light the world.

Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.

Amen.

 Find more Morning Psalm and prayers please visit

https://delaware.church/psalms-and-prayers/