On Saturday, December 21, 2013, St. James' Episcopal Church will host a day of giving back to the community. On that day, The Gathering Community Meal Program, housed at St. James', will provide a Christmas dinner, from 11:30AM until 12:30PM, for our homeless and hungry neighbors. Approximately 300 people are expected.  

The Gathering is a nonprofit Milwaukee-based hunger relief organization focusing on feeding Milwaukee's hungry and homeless. Their Community Meal Programs have been in operation since 1982, serving between 90,000-100,000 home-cooked, free meals annually.

In combination with the lunch, St. James' Church invites The Gathering's guests to join church members for a caroling program in the church sanctuary. The church will be open at 10:30AM; caroling will begin at 11:00AM and continue until Noon. The church is open to all.

The day at St. James' will begin with Red Door Clothes distribution, from 8:30AM until 10:30AM. Red Door Clothes is a shared ministry with Trinity Episcopal Church in Wauwatosa, WI. For the past six years, the clothing bank has offered clothing to our neighbors in need. The bank is open on the first and third Saturdays of each month. December 21 will be no exception.

St. James' will also be distributing sundries on December 21. The sundries include individual-sized bottles of shampoo, lotion, lip balm, soaps, laundry detergent, etc. Parishioners collect sundries throughout the year, offering some of them before the Christmas dinner, at 11:30AM. The program also distributes sundries throughout the year, as well as sharing them with inner city churches in need of stock for their own guests.

There will also be a distribution of Goodie Bags for the holidays. Goodie Bags include hand-held foods and snacks, packaged foods which can be stored in pockets or backpacks. The church has been collecting the snacks for the past few weeks and will be sharing them on December 21 at 11:30AM. The Gathering will also provide their annual treat bags for Gathering guests.

St. James' Episcopal Church has been in existence since 1850. Their outreach programs and their willingness to serve as a site for services to the homeless and hungry have allowed them a voice with the broader neighborhood. They are pleased to be located in the city's downtown, at 833 West Wisconsin Avenue. All are welcome at St. James', where there are no outcasts.

E.Y.E. is Episcopal Youth Event 2014. E.Y.E. is held every three (3) years for the gathering of Episcopal high school youth. It is five (5) days of Episcopal youth, from all over the Episcopal Church International, coming together, to learn and share faith journeys with lay adults, clergy and bishops, being empowered and equipped to Christ's disciples in the world.

Youth currently in 9th-12th grades.

What is the cost? Total Cost for event plus air fare will be $575.00. A $250.00 deposit is due with submission of your application. Final payment of $325.00 is due by March 1, 2014.

Application process opens December 15, 2013. Apply online at www.diomil.org - EYE. Application DEADLINE is January 15, 2014. Spaces are limited to 24 youth. You will be notified by January 20, 2014 of your application status.  

1) You can encourage any young person you know to apply to go with us. The young person should be a mature, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade high school student, handle travel, able to speak in small groups, and share their own faith journeys, and be trustworthy in honoring covenant behavior.

2) We need individuals' and congregations' support. As you see above the cost is not slight. We do not want any eligible teen to not be able to attend because of finances. Send your checks, payable to Diocese of Milwaukee; Memo line: EYE, Attn: Rev. Carla McCook, 804 E. Juneau Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

As part of ECF's on-going efforts to assist congregations in developing their leadership and financial resources, we are offering a wide range of web conferences for clergy and lay parish leaders this winter. There is no cost to participate in ECF's web conferences and all lay and clergy leaders are welcome to participate.

Topics include planned giving, capital campaigns, vestry leadership, vision and planning, parish finances, stewardship, endowments, communications, and leading change.