From the Rector – Confirmation Program for Highschoolers
Calling all youth and parents! We will be offering a Confirmation program for high school youth this year. Confirmation is a sacramental rite in the Episcopal Church, an opportunity for young adults to examine their faith and discern if they want to confirm the promises that were made for them in baptism. I am excited to again co-lead this program with Blix Winston. We will meet once a month beginning in October and running through April, including a weekend retreat. In addition, all participants will work with a mentor from the congregation.
For those who choose to be confirmed, we anticipate attending a Diocesan wide Confirmation service during the Easter season next spring. There will an information session on Sunday, August 25th at 10:30 am with more details about the program including the schedule and what it will mean to commit to it, as well as time to answer questions you may have. Feel free to contact me in the meantime as well. Yours in God’s peace, Kristin+
It’s hard to believe that summer is almost at an end and kids are returning to school and college. We are winding down on our collection of breakfast and lunch items for Mt. Airy Net. The last drop off for those items will be August 26. We are gearing up for our collection of snack items for our wonderful young adults heading off to college this year. There are about 16 kids in our congregation attending college this fall. Let’s show them how much we care by donating snack items such as: cheese crackers, popcorn, fruit snacks, hot chocolate, cookies, tea, granola bars, goldfish, trail mix and pop tarts or anything else you think they may like. Hand sanitizer, razors, and small packages of Kleenex are also items that are appreciated. Daughters of the King
Meetings: 1st Tuesdays of the month Church sitting area 4:30 p.m.
An Order for laywomen of the Episcopal Churchwho undertake a Rule of Prayer and Rule of Service by reaffirmation of promises made at Confirmation.
Karen Dulany, Joan Fader, Margaret Neff, Peg Pelch
How refreshing it is to be able to enjoy fellowship with one another during our combined summer services at 9:30 each Sunday. The Daughters of the King continue to pray for parish members on a rotating schedule. You may contact any of the above persons if you have a prayer request at any time. The heavens declare the glory of God; The skies proclaim the work of His hands. (Psalm 19:1) The earth is a beautiful place and yet, we often forget to see the sunrise, notice the miraculous flower sprouting in a crack in the sidewalk, or appreciate the glorious taste of a fresh-picked apple. The world’s blessings are testimony to God’s brilliant creatorship. Be mindful of His many glorious gifts; look closely at the grandeur all around you. (From 60 Days of Prayer)
Join us for our final prayer hike of the summer along the lovely C&O Canal on 8/25. This is a flat trail**– perfect for strollers and folks up for a nice afternoon walk. We will meet up at 3:00 pm at Monocacy Aqueduct (21115 Mouth of Monocacy Rd., Dickerson, MD 20842) and walk for about a mile and a half total. Our hike will begin and end with prayer and include a time of reflection in the middle – with space for conversation and silence along the way. Sign up in the narthex and invite a friend!
**Previously we indicated that the trail is paved – it is not paved, it is hard packed dirt and gravel. Still flat and still great for strollers!
WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Parish Administrator Hours for the week of Aug. 11, Monday through Thursday 10-4.
Fall Grace & Grub Dinner Groups Fellowship dinners are back for the fall! Sign up in the narthex to join a small group to gather in homes for conversation and food monthly from September to November. You’re invited to sign up if you weren’t able to be a part of a spring Grace & Grub group. You’re invited if you were a part of a spring Grace & Grub group and enjoyed it so much you want to get to know more folks this time around. You’re invited if you’re a family with small children or older kids. You’re invited if you’re a couple or single. The joy of these dinners are all of us getting to know one another more deeply and being knit into the St. James’ family.
Dinners will take place on 2nd Saturdays (9/14, 10/12, 11/9) and will rotate among members homes. When you sign up you can indicate whether you’d like to host or just be a part of a group. Each Sunday in August, look for reflections from people who enjoyed being a part of a group in the spring. If you have any questions please contact Rev. Kristin.
Saying Farewell
Liz and Jon Peterson, faithful members of St. James’ for over 20 years, are moving from Mt. Airy in mid-August. If you would like to wish them well on Saturday, August 10th, please drop by between the hours of 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. for a wine and cheese gathering at the home of Joan Fader, 812 Roller Coaster Court, Mt. Airy. RSVP faderj1@juno.com
Contribution Statements
Please pick up your 6 month 2019 statement from the basket in the narthex. They will be available thru Aug 30th; after that they will be shredded due to the rising cost of postage. Please contact Aline if you have any questions about your statement. Thank you.
What kind of VBS do YOU want next summer? Last Sunday to vote will be August 11!
We are excited to begin planning for re-launching a traditional Vacation Bible School here at St. James’ next summer. As we start looking a different programs, we first want to know what YOU want from a VBS. To this end, for the next month or so there will be a poster set out during coffee hour where you can vote. The options include: a week long weekday VBS for children (from 9am – 2 pm / option of extended care if needed), a week long weeknight family VBS (5:30-8:30 pm OR 5-9 pm with dinner included), or a single weekend whole parish inter-generational VBS (Sat 10-4, Sun 11-4).
Other ideas are also welcome, please email them to Kristin+. Everyone is welcome to vote, and we *especially* hope folks with children in their lives will share their hopes as we work to create something new and enriching. Exciting News – Scouts are coming to St. James’! Recently we shared the news that St. James’ is becoming a new Charter Organization for the Boy Scouts of America. Click here to see all the information.
2019 ST. JAMES’ BASKET RAFFLE & SILENT AUCTION
Our 13th Annual Basket Raffle & Silent Auction will be held again this year at two of our town events—the Mt. Airy Lions Club Fall Yard Sale on Saturday, September 21st at the Firemen’s Carnival Grounds at the intersection of Twin Arch Rd. and Rte. 27 and the Oktoberfest in downtown Mt. Airy on Saturday, September 28th-–please mark your calendars! As in the past, the completed Baskets and Silent Auction items will be on display at St. James’ for two weeks before the town events beginning September 8th. Tickets will be on sale at the Church during that time. Winning tickets will be drawn on Monday morning, September 30th at the Church.
Here’s how you can help: Volunteer to be a part of the Basket Raffle committee to assist with publicity, flyer distribution, soliciting donations and gift certificates from local businesses, or make/donate a completed basket using a theme of your choice or bring new or like new items from home to donate. Place your donations in the marked BASKET RAFFLE DONATIONS containers in the Narthex. Committee members and volunteers will design and create themed baskets during August and early September. This year, we are fortunate to have some baskets on hand ready to be filled with donated items, but can always use additional medium to large baskets.
Unfortunately, the deadline for donations of basket contents has passed, but there is still time for donating finished baskets with a deadline of Sunday, August 25th. If you have questions about baskets, want to donate a finished basket, or want to volunteer for the Basket Brigade (August/September) call or email Joan Fader at 301-703-8787 or at faderj1@juno.com. Join the fun and make new friends!
Items for the Silent Auction are also being accepted through Sunday, September 8th. These are items that would generate higher bids by themselves than as a part of a basket. Such items could include paintings, quilts, unopened perfume, fine jewelry or, high-value gift certificates, and the like. If you have questions about the Silent Auction, please contact Mary Hutchins-Danna at 443-277-0505 or at mhdslp@hotmail.com
Event Volunteers are needed to assist with ticket sales before and during the Basket Raffle & Auction, to assist with transporting baskets between St. James’ Church and the carnival grounds or downtown, setting up tents and tables, as well as, calling winners of Baskets and Silent Auction items. Contact Betsy Davis by email at jbeezd@aol.com if you have questions, or you can sign up for times to assist on SignUp.com beginning in late August. Let’s, once again, make the St. James’ Basket Raffle & Silent Auction a huge success! Thank you in advance for your generosity of spirit and continued support. Your Basket Raffle & Auction Committee