I'd like to thank all my friends from St. James who came to support the event and those who brought the wonderful goodies to make the American Aperitif delicious and abundant. A special thanks to Beth Tappero who coordinated the evening. Also many thanks to St. James Church for the use of the facility which I appreciated very much. A special thanks to Riccardo Foti, who is so generous with his time and talent. Thanks to Scott Beasley who sang beautifully and to Camilla Jackson and Christy Dickert who helped organize the whole event. We brought in about $1700!!!! This will help place many beautiful nature photos in hospitals around the world!!!

Although we are blessed with a beautiful church in a beautiful city, St. James is a parish of modest means. People are often surprised to learn that we are financially independent, and receive no financial support from the national Episcopal Church, from any missionary agency, nor from the US or Italian governments. Our mission and ministry is kept alive year to year by God's grace and the extravagant kindness of people like you.

All donations to St. James are fully deductible for US tax purposes. St. James Church is a parish of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. Our tax ID number is 13-6132268. In accordance with Section 170 (F)(8)(B), any goods or services provided to you consist solely of intangible religious benefits.

Personal checks should be made payable to "St. James Church" and sent to:

St. James Church

Via B. Rucellai, 9

50123 Florence, Italy

or to:

Friends of St. James Church

c/o Anne Bowen

P.O. Box 352

Salisbury, CT 06068 USA

It is also possible to donate online at the St. James website:

http://stjames.it

Unless you wish your gift to be earmarked for a special fund or purpose, it will be used by the Vestry wherever it is needed the most. Please use the "Item" box to indicate the gift's allocation, if any, as well as dedication (e.g., "made in memory of..."/ thanksgiving for.../celebration of... etc.) You will receive an electronic confirmation of your gift, followed by a thank you letter that will also serve as an official document for IRS purposes.

Gifts of stock are gladly accepted. Transfer instructions are provided on request.

If you might consider the inclusion of St. James in your estate planning, please contact our rector at rector@stjames.it and a time to discuss it in person will gladly be arranged.

For more information, please contact friends@stjames.it or call the church office at 055 294417.

St. James' Town House, in the heart of Florence, is the perfect place to stay with friends or family. We are centrally located near the train station, the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, and many other favorite places to visit. We accept reservations for a minimum of 1 week and a maximum of 3 months. Your stay with us is considered a donation to St. James Church. Contact us for availability and further information. Everyone is Welcome at St. James' Town House!

St. James' Town House is a three story apartment with its own entrance on via Bernardo Rucellai, next to the church rectory and part of the parish complex. It is a spacious 3-bedroom, 3-bath apartment, furnished with antiques, including a beautiful 1826 John Broadwood fortepiano, and overlooking the church and the rectory garden. It is fully equipped with linens for both bed and bath, along with kitchen supplies. There is satellite television that includes many English language programs, a washing machine, microwave oven, and iron. The bedrooms and living room are air conditioned. Off- street parking within the grounds of the church for one car.

New York University La Pietra Policy Dialogues invites you to the International Conference, "Politics 2010: America and the World," on November 16-17, 2010 at Villa Sassetti.

Keynote Address: Former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown

Top American and European political analysts, media experts and scholars will meet at New York University in Florence to discuss the results of the U.S. mid-term elections and their impact on political dynamics in the U.S. and the world.

From the U.S.:

Michael Donilon, Former Counselor to Vice President Joe Biden

David Frum, Author, journalist, former speechwriter for President George W. Bush

Kenneth B. Lerer, Co-Founder and Chairman of The Huffington Post

Bruce Haynes, Republican Political Advisor and Public Affairs Strategist

Steve McMahon, Democratic Political Advisor and Public Affairs Strategist

David Muir, Former Director of Political Strategy and Special Adviser to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown

Marylouise Oates, Author and activist

Robert Shrum, Senior Fellow Wagner School of Public Service, New York University, and longtime Democratic Strategist

From Europe:

Nicole Bacharan, Researcher, National Foundation for Political Science, France, specialist in transatlantic relations

Giuliano Da Empoli, Deputy Mayor for Culture, City of Florence

Sergio Fabbrini, Director and Professor of Political Science and International Relations, LUISS School of Government

Monica Maggioni, Journalist and Host of Speciale RAI TG1

Alberto Simoni, Journalist, Foreign Desk, La Stampa

Paolo Valentino, Washington D.C. Correspondent, Corriere della Sera

Claudius Wagemann, Professor of Political Science, NYU in Florence and the University of Florence

For more information or to R.S.V.P. lapietra.policy.dialogues@nyu.edu or 055 5007.202

The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies invites you to a lecture by Patricia Simons, "Sex in the Kitchen: Embodied Masculinity during the Renaissance," on Tuesday, November 23 at 6:00 PM at Villa I Tatti.

Patricia Simons was born and educated in Australia and currently teaches art history at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she specializes in gender and sexuality during the European Renaissance. She has curated several exhibitions, including "Seeing is Healing? The Visual Arts of Medicine" (2000). Publications have treated such issues as the portraiture of women, the visibility of female-female eroticism in the Renaissance, anatomical secrets, the iconography of Hercules, and obscene jokes in a Roman academy of the early sixteenth century. She co-edited with Bill Kent Patronage, Art, and Society in Renaissance Italy (Clarendon Press, 1987) and is at work on a book about the Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii. The lecture draws from her forthcoming book Embodied Masculinity in PreModern Europe (Cambridge University Press, summer 2011).

r.s.v.p. 055 603251 or www.itatti.it/reply101123.