Happy Thanksgiving Week!

THE THANKS+GIVING FUN RUN is this week! Walk or run along East River on Thanksgiving morning for a 1-Mile Kids Dash at 8:30 a.m. or a 5K at 9:00 a.m. Bring kids, pets, and strollers, and invite family and friends. There are even prizes and free snacks! Pre-register at SaintJamesGI.net or register in person in Galloway Hall on Thanksgiving Morning.

AN ALL-ISLAND THANKSGIVING EVE service is planned for this Wednesday, November 24, at 7pm, at Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church (the location rotates). Each of the Island Churches participates in the service. Bring your family and friends and give thanks to God for all of our blessings. After the service, there will be refreshments and conversation. Such a wonderful way to begin your celebration of
Thanksgiving!

AN ECW GENERAL MEETING is scheduled for today (Sunday, Nov. 19) at 11:15am in the Fireplace Room. All Women are welcome to attend!

GREENS MARKET WORK WEEK is Nov 27- Dec. 1 Drop in any time to help build or decorate trees, swags, wreaths, and centerpieces. Comes with a FREE LUNCH at noon! If you have a few hours or a few days, please come help. No experience necessary. We will train you.  Also, we still need Birch branches if possible.

THE ANGEL TREE IS BACK! We need all of you to help bless over 40 needy individuals! Please grab a tag off the tree in the main church narthex and help a child/family this Christmas season. Please wrap gifts and keep the original tag. Turn in by Dec. 10th. Any questions please see Natalia Baker.

THE SEAWAY CHORALE will perform their Christmas Concert, “That’s Christmas to Me”, on Dec. 1 & 2 at Flat Rock Auditorium. The program starts at 7:30pm. Tickets are available from Colleen in the office, or at www.seawaychorale.org.  Don’t miss seeing Jennifer Engle and Colleen Herman in action! There may be a visitor from the North Pole as well!

CHRISTMAS COOKIES FOR INCARCERATED YOUTH  We need more cookies this year and we have an earlier deadline. I hope you can still help! Including youth, parents, and staff there are over 900 people who we would like to bless with cookies. I need to deliver by November 29. If you can just do one or two dozen, that would be a great help. Put them in the kitchen at St. James in a disposable container or cardboard box marked “Sue Anderson.” If cookies have NUTS, please mark container. As you’re making the cookies, please pray for all the incarcerated youth, both boys and girls. These are the type of prayers they tell their chaplain— Pray for: My dad. Strength to get through next program. Mom and siblings. Court date. Son’s protection. Mom needs food. Daughter. Forgiveness. Learn more about God. Mom’s health. Deeper prayer life. Go home to Mom. Dad’s recovery from gunshot. Mom’s court date. Can you imagine the fear some of these kids are going through? Bad circumstances. Poor health, living conditions. Little food. Some are guilty. Some were set up. At least at the facility they are warm, protected, and have food. As Bob Kirby always posts, locked up but not locked out of God’s love and protection.” I pray you have good health, a cozy Christmas dinner with family and friends, protected by God’s love and care, and peace in your heart. Thank you so much. Hugs, Sue Anderson Text 734-558-7106   sues389@yahoo.com

HOLIDAY GIFT CARDS BENEFIT ST. JAMES: The holiday season is officially under way and it is time to shop for your favorite people. If you order gift cards through the church, a portion of your order goes to support Saint James. You don’t pay extra; we get the percentage from the “Scrip” organization that sells the cards. Here’s the process:
1. Find an ORDER FORM on the resource table and a stapled packet of available retailers (there are 100’s). 2. On the Order Form, list as many cards as you want. 3. Return the Order Form and a check to “St. James SCRIP” to Lynn Blanks or the main office asap. We will purchase the gift cards on Sunday, Dec 3 and Sunday, Dec 10.  4. Orders can be picked up the following Sunday or from Colleen in the main office.
Avoid the stress and the crowds! All your favorite stores are offered: entertainment, dining, gas and auto, electronics, office, health and beauty, home improvement, clothing, sporting goods.  Thank you for supporting Saint James!

KRAVING A KRINGLE?  The Men’s Group is hosting its second Kringle fundraiser! A Kringle is a pastry of fruits and nuts that also comes in specialty flavors of chocolate, cinnamon, and cheesecake. There are 12 delicious “flavors” to choose from. Order now for delivery by the Christmas holiday. $12 each. Reach out to David Hartwell, Burdette Milkins, or Peter Jett to place your order. Their contact info is in the new directory. The proceeds will benefit the Friday Fill-Up Backpack project that benefits Grosse Ile schools children in need of food on the weekends.

BOAR’S HEAD TICKETS are going fast! Find them at boarsheadgi.com for performances on December 7, 8, 9, 10. The Grosse Ile Boar’s Head Festival is a 400-person community event with full orchestra, an original score, a choir of 40-50, and many moving moments. Fun and simple roles are still available! Sign up at https://bit.ly/bhvolunteer23.

THE SAINT JAMES STEEPLECHASERS will be on the road once again—this time to First Baptist Church of Troy on Saturday, December 16 to attend a Christmas cantata that includes all 12 members of the Mieczkowski Family in the orchestra. “Reflections of Praise” is special, as is this family of 12, all with musical gifts. Call or text to RSVP, or for more information. YouTube.com/watch?v=nYC0iWvKRDU  We will start this holiday adventure from the Saint James parking lot, and we plan to caravan, but we can meet those of you who live off-island at a convenient parking lot in Trenton or Woodhaven. Kate Hartwell 313 318-3275  David Hartwell 313 318-9009

FORWARD DAY BY DAY booklets can be found on the resource table across from the office. These little books contain daily meditations to help you set your mind on Christ and refocus your heart. The books are free to church members. Give it a try! (We order them automatically, so if you don’t take a book we’ll waste it, so please grab one.)

CHARLES DICKENS IS COMING to Saint James on Saturday, December 23, at 7:00 p.m. in our historic chapel. Come and see our own Mark McPherson transform in character into Charles Dickens in a short two-act performance sure to get you into the Christmas Spirit. There’s no cost of admission, free-will donations will benefit the Friday Fill-Up Backpack project. Supported by the Men’s Group and ECW.

THE CHRISTNET WARMING SHELTER is returning to Grosse Ile in early January. We feed the Downriver homeless and give them a warm place to sleep. Volunteers from the island churches provide dinners and nightly supervision. St. James will be providing the dinner and supervision on Monday. Once the date is determined there will be sign up sheets for food and supervision times in the hallway. Sue Lowery, Interfaith Council Rep, 734-771-2503.

FRIDAY FILL-UP “BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK” is giving away pre-packaged food to help feed local kids and teens on weekends. You can help by donating food in the hallway basket or by helping to fill the bags on Friday mornings at 10am. Contact Mary Ann Danville at mdanville1@comcast.net for more information.

DO YOU ENJOY CRAFTING?  Handy Crafters are enjoying prep for the holidays.  Come join us with your portable hand crating.  We meet this month on November 7 and 21, Tuesdays, 1-3 at Mary Shelton’s home. Contact her for more information at mary@mshelton.net

BOOK GROUP MEETS THURSDAYS at 10:30 a.m. in the library across from the office. For December 7 we’ll read chapter 6 of “How the Irish Saved Civilization.” It’s an open drop-in study.

RECEIVE CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS BY EMAIL by adding yourself to the mailing list at http://eepurl.com/hfL-Az. Please also add us to your contact list: stjamessunrise@gmail.com

UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION OR PHOTO by sending an email to goodnews@saintjamesgi.net or calling 734-676-1727.

MEMBER DIRECTORIES are available on demand. Reach out to us in the office if you would like one, either in print or as a digital copy.

YOUTUBE SERMONS can be found at YouTube.com/SaintJamesGi and on our website at www.saintjamesgi.net

“SAINT’S STORIES” SERVICES are held in the chapel on Wednesday mornings at 10:15am. An optional potluck lunch follows.

CHECK THE OFFICE CALENDAR when scheduling events at Saint James. Contact Colleen in the office at 734-676-1727 or
office@saintjamesgi.net.

NEWER MEMBERS, please fill out a new member form on the resource table so we can reach out to you with parish updates!

FR. PHIL’S OPEN OFFICE DROP-IN HOURS are Tuesdays from 4-6 p.m.

SERMONS are posted online at SaintJamesGi.net

GLUTEN FREE WAFERS are always available at communion. Just ask!

SECRETARY OFFICE HOURS:  Tue 9-2, Weds 9-3 and Thurs 9-4.

CALL OR TEXT FR. PHIL at 734-775-7140.