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Weekly e-Epistle
from
St. James' Mill Creek
Wilmington, Delaware
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October 24th, 2021
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.
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Here is a PDF of this Sunday's bulletin for you to enjoy. |
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10/3/21 Stewardship Sermon (Val Brunson)
This year our Stewardship campaign theme is ‘Nothing will separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus,’ which is from Romans 8:38-39. However, if you are not familiar with the chapter I highly recommend you read it (Romans 8), it is pretty inspiring. I know it spoke to me.
In the NIV version it says, and I am paraphrasing some parts:
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? And I would add pandemic here
No 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We have seen that demonstrated through the way we have pulled together as a parish during this past year. Even socially distanced we were able to accomplish some amazing things through our ministries.
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We served approximately 1400 people through our work with Emmanuel Dining Room.
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We fed six families and helped them find permanent housing through Family Promise.
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We delivered roughly 495 meals to seniors in Murray Manor through Meals on Wheels.
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We delivered clothing, sundries, and food to the Hope Center.
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We adopted 20 seniors without family support to provide them with Christmas gifts.
This coming year, not only will we continue to strive to stay connected and focus on our ministries to help those that are less fortunate than we are, we will also be welcoming Ben our new rector and his family. This is truly an exciting time in the life of this parish. I fully believe that God has work for us to do and continues to call us to be His heart and hands in the world.
As we look to the future, where will you want to direct your time, talent, and treasure? How will you want to be God’s heart and hands in the world? In the next week or so, we will be sending out stewardship letters to ask you renew your commitment to God’s work through St. James’. We ask you to prayerfully consider your commitment, and like last year we are asking everyone to proportionally give. Your commitment is an essential gift that fuels St. James’ ministries and allows us share the good news of the gospel that Nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
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Upcoming Visiting Clergy
Sunday, October 24th The Rev. Canon Martha G. Kirkpatrick
Sunday, October 31st The Rev. Emily Gibson
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2021 St. James’ Bazaar
Friday, November 5th 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Saturday, November 6th 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
This is a wonderful opportunity to support your church and spend time
with family and friends.
The Bazaar Ladies Need Help
Sunday, October 31st
After the 9:30 Service
Items in the Bazaar Workshop need to be brought upstairs.
This year it will be a little easier than in previous years.
All items are going to the Dining Hall.
We understand if you aren’t comfortable working closely with others.
These are unusual times and we appreciate any help you are willing to provide.
Masks and Hand Sanitizer will be available.
Things will be different this year.
All of the rooms will be set up in the Dining Hall.
The Raffle Table & Quilt Raffle will be in the Foyer.
There will not be a Luncheon or Turkey Dinner.
There will be Hot Dogs & Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Chips, Cookies, & Cold Drinks
All food items will be prepared in the St. James’ Kitchen.
All items will be individually wrapped or packaged.
Christmas Shop – Everything you need for the holidays: ornaments, wreaths, wall hangings, decorations, snowmen, angels, etc.
One Fine Yarn – The best handmade items you will find anywhere. There is a selection of quilted, knitted, crocheted, and sewn items.
Unique Gifts – This is the perfect spot for that special gift. The selection includes gift baskets, cross-stitch items, hand crafted jewelry, hand painted items, and a variety of gifts.
ABC – This shop has a variety of items for children. There are knitted and crocheted hats and assorted accessories. Jewelry, books, and stuffed animals are also available.
Chocolate Coated Treats – You will find a variety of chocolate coated items. We have pretzels, pretzel rods, marshmallows, peanut butter filled pretzel puffs, and peppermint bark.
All Chocolate items were dipped in the St. James’ kitchen by the Bazaar Ladies.
Quilt Raffle – We have a beautiful Quilt this year made by one of our Bazaar Ladies. It is on display in the Dining Hall and chances are available.
Raffle Table – You will be pleased with the items we have for the Raffle Table this year.
Door Prizes – Be sure to enter for a chance to win one of the WAWA Gift Cards.
The Bazaar Ladies are looking forward to seeing everyone on November 5th & 6th.
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Greetings from Russ's Angels team captain, Margaret Russ.
There is still time to donate to END Alzheimer's in 2021
St. James has been a great support over the years, I want to give you the chance to help again this year.
If you can donate there are three ways to do it.
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Use the link to my page http://act.alz.org/goto/margaretruss
- You can mail/hand me a check, written to Alzheimer's Association
- Or hand me cash at Church.
If you want to join our team the walk is Saturday 10/23/21 @Del Castle Park . Use the link above to join. Would love to have you.
Please feel free to reach out to me, Margaret Russ with any questions or to chat.
443-945-7230
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Help us welcome Fr. Ben and Family
The Welcome Committee (for planning activities to welcome our new priest, Father Ben Rockwell, and family) is putting together a "Getting to Know Us" booklet for Fr. Ben and his family that will include individual and family pictures of our parishioners, answers to three “Getting to Know Us” questions and contact information of members.
We are asking for your help to add a picture of yourself (or your family) and answer these three "getting to know us questions" to be included in the booklet.
1. What attracted you to St. James' Mill Creek and how long have you been here?
2. What ministries do you actively participate in, or have you actively participated in at St. James?
3. What's your favorite memory or activity at St. James?
RE: pictures
· You are welcome to submit a picture that you have. Please send one that we can see your smiling face (without a mask). We can return your picture if you'd like.
· For those who would like to have their picture taken on Sunday or at another time please let Cindy Fauerbach know. We will be taking pictures at the Lemonade in the Circle after our services or we can set up another time.
We would like to have this booklet for Fr. Ben soon. So, please email or mail your responses and pictures as soon as possible to the parish office: office@stjamesmillcreek.comcastbiz.net or 2106 St. James’ Church Road Wilmington, DE 19808.
THANK YOU for helping welcome Fr. Ben and his family.
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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.
· Also, during this time of transition, if you need a priest, we will help with that, too.
· For now, in an abundance of caution, our home, hospital, and Eucharistic visits are on hold.
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.
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“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.
Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
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We are grateful for the support that enables us to serve lunch at the Emmanuel Dining Room and provide needed clothing and food for those being served at the Hope Center.
EMMANUEL DINING ROOM
Providing a daily lunch to those in need in Wilmington
Our next date for providing lunch for Emmanuel Dining Room will be Sunday, October 31st, 2021. We continue to deliver our lunch items and extra bottles of water. We hope we will be able to actually serve our guests in the dining room sometime this fall.
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 St. James' can help:
Review the list below and see if there are items you could provide.
Drop the items off:
· Monday-Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 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 1:30 p.m.
· Weekly, we will take the donations to Friendship House
Items needed:
- Diapers - all sizes - Urgent need for size 5 & 6
- Uber/Lyft Tickets in $25 increments
- Washable Mesh Laundry Bags with drawstring
- individual size creamers for coffee
- Snack bags - pretzels, chips, or goldfish
- Powdered Drink Mixes - Iced Tea/Lemonade
- Small containers of peanut butter and tuna fish (easy open)
- Microwaveable one-dish meals
- Quart size/ Gallon size and sandwich size Ziplock bags
- Fruit cups, apple sauce, and pudding
- Individually wrapped crackers, granola bars, and cereal bars
- $5 gift cards - Target, Acme, Wawa
- Hot Chocolate mix
- Baby wipes
- Non-alcohol hand sanitizer
- Non-refrigerated milk and powdered milk
- NEW Underwear, and socks - all sizes, children through adult
- New or gently used t-shirts and light jackets
- New books for adults and children
- New puzzles, crossword books, and puzzle books - adult/children
- Art kits, adult and children coloring books, colored pencils
- Sunscreen
- Umbrellas
- Hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap (regular and travel size)
- Tide pods or other laundry pods
- Containers of ground coffee (the staff brews coffee daily for the guests)
Thank you,
St. James' Outreach Ministry
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Prayer Team
One Sunday of every month, the members of the prayer team hold a “virtual” ZOOM prayer service (focusing on the prayer requests shared by parishioners through calls or emails to the church office 994-1584 or to individual members of the prayer team.) We lift up these prayer requests and other concerns of the parish, community, and world.
Also, weekly we share the prayers and petitions that have been given to us and they are lifted in the daily prayers of the team members. All are welcome to provide their prayer requests and participate in these services.
For those who have an immediate prayer need or would like to receive the ZOOM codes and join the prayer team service, we invite you to email your prayer needs/requests to Cindy Fauerbach cindyfauerbach@verizon.net or call Cindy at
302-584-8053
NOTE: Our NEXT prayer ZOOM gathering will be in the EVENING and will include the evening prayer service (found on page 109 in the Book of Common Prayer)
November prayer meeting -- Sunday, November 14th at 5:00 p.m.
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A Prayer for Wisdom, from Daily Prayer for All Seasons
Holy Lord, giver of all wisdom: Set for us this day
the banquet of your word; invite us to feast on
the genius and beauty all around us. Then, turn
us in humility toward the poor, the oppressed and
the weak; we ask this in the name of Jesus, who is
Wisdom for ever and ever. Amen.
Find more Morning Psalm and prayers please visit
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COVID-19 Restrictions
Our firm desire is to worship our Lord in beauty, holiness, AND safety! Please be assured that the St. James' leadership team has worked hard to have meaningful worship while at the same time making our environment as safe as possible for everyone.
- Church entry time will be 9:15 a.m.
- Please sanitize hands before entering the church.
- Face masks are mandatory.
- At communion, please wait until you are back in your seat to consume your wafer.
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For Access to the News of the Diocesan Publications |
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St. James' Mill Creek
2106 St. James Church Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
302.994.1584
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