St. James Episcopal Church's Weekly Epistle
Approaching the Fifth Sunday of Easter |
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Alleluia - Christ is Risen
Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ( John 13: 33-34) Read Sunday's Lessons here.
agapaō (to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly persons) allēlōn (one (each) another, reciprocally, mutually).
Jesus' "new" commandment to his disciples is to fondly and dearly love themselves as a community of people who believe in him. His examples of such love are demonstrated in his willingness to wash his disciples' feet at the Last Supper as well as to offer up his own mortal life as a sacrifice for many other lives. Tough standards to live up to but those guidelines assuredly exist in John's Gospel. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
This Sunday nine members of St. James' community will reaffirm their mature Christian faith. They'll renounce evil and renew their commitments to Jesus Christ. Those of us who are there (and I'm hopeful that we will be more than plentiful in number) will vow our support to support them in their lives in Christ. These rituals are outward expressions of our shared love toward and for one another. They demonstrate that we will in thought and deed heed Jesus' commandments regarding love.
About three years ago, Bishop Breidenthal offered these words to the Diocese of Southern Ohio Conventions delegates. He said: "To be related to one another in a new way - and to acknowledge our relationship with people we would never 
have felt related to before - is to begin to be a new kind of community. Paul often describes this as the discovery that we are all part of one body, which is Christ. Here it may be appropriate to say that light radiates from us directly - as the Body of Christ. But what does this really mean? My answer: light is energy. Congregations release energy whenever they see themselves as Christ sees them and yield themselves to the Holy Spirit to become whatever God intends them to be." (Breidenthal, Nov. 2009, paras. 5 &6) The rite of confirmation reminds us that Jesus calls us into loving relationships with each other within our shared Christian community. Such love is more than words. It is simple yes complicated. Agape love means figuring out how all of us can grow more fully into who Christ calls us to be. Such compassion provokes us to tell the truth to one another in confrontational yet consoling ways. Seemingly we are not yet ready to travel to where Jesus is; therefore, he has sent the Holy Spirit to dwell with us.
This Sunday is a special day. It's a day to welcome Bishop Breidenthal who hasn't been here for a formal Episcopal visitation since 2008. There haven't been confirmations here since 2010. St. James has traveled many faithful miles in those years. God's Grace has been sufficient. People have shared Christ-like love. The church has looked faithfully to call new ordained and lay leaders. We've been extremely busy since the first of the year raising up new music and outreach programs. We've got plenty to share with our bishop even as we congratulate Brandon, Brooks, Bryan, Deborah, Jason, Jenna, Jennifer, Kelsee, and Tim into deeper relationships with Christ and us. Let's celebrate the day with anticipation and joy even as we continue to look for the Risen Christ among us who beckons us into deeper, more loving relationships with one another, God, and our neighbors.
Blessings Along The Way, Jim+
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This Week at St. James
 | | Check out our calendar for everything happening at St. James |
Wednesday - April 24th @ 7:30 PM
NA Meeting - Parish Hall
Thursday - April 25th @ 5:00 PM - Community Supper
@ 7:00 PM - Vestry Meeting
Saturday - April 27th @ 8:00 AM
8:00 - 11:30 AM - Church clean-up
9:00 - 9:30 - Confirmation Rehearsal for persons being received and confirmed (Sponsors if avail.)
10:00 - 11:15 AM - Acolytes
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM - Open Space Follow-Up meeting w/ discussion group conveners
1:30 -2:00 - Confirmation Rehearsal (meet as necessary) for persons being received and confirmed (Sponsors if avail.)
Sunday - April 28th @ 8:45 AM
Choir Practice
@ 8:45 AM
Adult Christian Education (with Bishop Breidenthal)
@ 10:00 AM
Rite II Eucharist (Communion) & Confirmations
Children's Sunday School
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More exciting events coming in May.
and later this summer
From July 22-26, St. James Episcopal Church is hosting a new week long summer music camp devoted to private musical study and fellowship. This camp is offered to students ages 9-14, and there are only 24 spots available; 8 for each discipline of voice, piano and guitar.
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 Nursery Coordinator and volunteers
Lisa Jones regrettably offered the parish her letter of resignation on Sunday morning. Fr. Jim accepted her resignation and Lisa will no longer be serving in St. James' nursery. We will miss her diligent and devoted service to our church's children and families. We will also now be more able to fully explore how to more hospitably and safely offer our nursery space and resources in a sanitary and joyous way to parishioners and neighbors alike.
To be clear, the vestry and the rector have not discussed hiring anyone to be the nursery coordinator and/or replace Lisa. Presently, many volunteers already help provide childcare to the children of parents who attend the NA meeting here on Wednesday nights. We also have a healthy cadre' of volunteers, including some of our youth, who support the nursery on Sundays. Michele Ludwig Evans and Karen Dewar are filling in for Lisa over the next couple of Sundays even as Michele continues to schedule volunteers for Wednesdays. Please contact one of them if you'd like to help out in the nursery. Thanks. |
It won't be long now. School will be letting out and it will be time for CAMP AT PROCTER! Check out this excellent video with a classic Mr. Mister 80s tune as the backdrop.
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St. James Episcopal Church Jim Strader - Rector - email Jim
St. James Episcopal Church is called to be a center of worship and common life where Christ's love is visible and experienced in order to seek and serve Jesus in others.
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