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A HOLY MOMENT OF THE WEEK Send yours to goodnews@saintjamesgi.net
One of God’s critters left these prints outside our building recently. |
The Office will be Closed this Monday, February 20th, for President’s day.
The Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper is an extravaganza of chocolate, sugar and friends scheduled for February 28th at 6:00 PM in Galloway Hall. Get in one last Hurrah before the start of Lent!
Fr. Phil is looking for 5 households willing to host a series of 3 Bible Studies in your home during the months of April, May, and June. Hosting consists of preparing a light dessert (e.g. brownies) and welcoming parishioners for 60-90 minutes on a day and time of your choosing.
Ash Wednesday is March 1st. Short services will be held in our chapel from 6:15-6:45am, 10:15-11am & 7-7:40pm. Please make it a priority to attend services at Saint James or near your place of work to mark a holy beginning of Lent.
Lenten Potlucks begin on Wednesday, March 8th. The meal begins at 6:30PM in Galloway Hall. Come early at 6:15 for a meditative optional Evening Prayer service in the chapel. If you’re able stay afterwards for Fr. Phil’s program which begins at 7:15. Each evening will be finished by 8PM or earlier.
Private Confession is always available in the Episcopal Church. Lent is an especially good time to consider making a confession. Falling under the category of “All may, some should, none must” Confession is usually undertaken by a person entering a new phase of life, or who is having a hard time feeling forgiven for something that keeps eating at them, or someone who feels the desire to clean the slate and start fresh with themselves, their friends and family, and God. Contact Fr. Phil to schedule an appointment. rector@saintjamesgi.net.
Lenten Communion Bread Would you like to bake Communion Bread during Lent? Please contact Krista in the office if you can help.
Men’s Bible Study Are you a man of faith, or have a man in your life who is looking for an opportunity to deepen their relationship with Christ? Are you free on Tuesday evenings from 6:55PM to 8:55PM? If so, there is an awesome men’s bible study group called BSF that meets in Trenton at Community Bible Church (3700 Benson St., Trenton) that you may want to explore! See Anthony Baker for more details (908-338-4653) or abaker209@gmail.com
Are We Having Fun Yet? Dartball Might Be Just What The Doctor Ordered. On Monday evening, February 20 a field trip is planned to watch dartball games being played at East Ida Immanuel Lutheran Church / 6272 Albain Road in Monroe. Why not join the party?! You can either carpool with us from Saint James at 6:30 or drive yourself and meet us at East Ida Immanuel at 7:30. Come see for yourself if tossing darts at a dartball board and sharing fellowship with others is your idea of having fun. If there is enough interest Saint James may start a dartball team of its own. Please call or text David Hartwell at 313 318-9009 if you can make it on Monday.
Friday, March 3 Join Us For A Trip To The Bitter/Sweet: Coffee, Tea & Chocolate special exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts. It appeals not only to coffee lovers and tea lovers, but also to hot chocolate lovers! Why not join us? We plan to carpool from Saint James at 11:00 in the morning, grab a light lunch at a Detroit restaurant, take in the exhibition, and return to Saint James in the late afternoon. If you are a DIA member the special exhibition will cost you nothing, otherwise it only costs you $8.00 if there are 15 or more of us. We must provide the DIA with a final count of how many of us are coming by Friday, February 24, so please let David Hartwell know ASAP. Thank you.
The Middle School Youth Group meets twice a month after church for a relaxed conversation. We will cover Bible stories and share our testimonies. Upcoming gatherings: Feb 26 and March 12, all following the 10 AM service. (Parents can pick up at noon.) We will have snacks! Any questions please see Natalia or Anthony or call @ 908-656-0915.
Boxes of Offering Envelopes and packets of yellow Crowley fund envelopes are available on the resource table across from the office. Take some home with you. When you do, print your name on the attached insert and leave it behind in the same area, on the main office desk, or plate the insert in the offering plate.
A Winter Clothing Drive for Men organized by our Men’s group is now in gear. Saint James is collecting warm winter clothing (coats, scarves, sweaters, gloves, mittens and blue jeans) for those less fortunate. A collection box is located outside the office. Gently used or new items are welcome!
Love To Read? Take Advantage Of Our Book Exchange! There’s a shelf outside the kitchen where we encourage you to bring your old books and pick up new ones.
A Children’s Choir (K-5) meets on Sundays after the 10am service. Talk to Jill Robinson (robinsonjill25@yahoo.com) or Bobby to find out more.
Have You Been Enjoying Our Recital Series? Mark your calendar for February 25th to hear more great music at Saint James!
Group Studies of many kinds are offered through Saint James. On Sunday mornings we gather at 9:05am in the Fireplace Room for an open Bible Study. On Thursday mornings we meet at 10:30am in the library to discuss the writings of famous Saints. On Wednesday mornings we have a 10:15am service of Holy Communion in the chapel. Contact the office for more information on any of these open studies.
Beginner’s Belly Dance meets every Wednesday at 7pm in Galloway Hall.
Fr. Phil’s Open Office Hours: Drop in for up to half an hour with the rector on any Tuesday between 4:00-6:30 – no appointment necessary! Fr. Phil is also available for hour-long conversations on any day by appointment. Contact him by email: rector@saintjamesgi.net, cell: 734-775-7140 or at the office: 734-676-1727.
Features & Articles
Long-form stories about upcoming events, or events just passed are printed here. Submit a Feature or Article by sending to goodnews@saintjamesgi.net. Photos are always welcome.
Lent Madness 2017
The Saintly Smackdown! www.lentmadness.org
Are you looking for something fun to focus on? Are you longing for inspiration and joy? For the eighth year running, people of faith are gearing up for Lent Madness, the “saintly smackdown” in which thirty-two saints do battle to win the coveted Golden Halo during the season of Lent.
With its unique blend of competition, learning, and humor, Lent Madness allows participants to be inspired by the ways in which God has worked through the lives of saintly souls across generations and cultures. Based loosely on the NCAA basketball tournament, this online devotion pits saints against one another in a bracket as voters choose their favorites throughout the penitential season of Lent. This year’s competition begins on “Ash Thursday,” March 2.
Here’s how to participate: on the weekdays of Lent, information is posted at www.lentmadness.org about two different saints. Each pairing remains open for 24 hours as participants read about and then vote to determine which saint moves on to the next round. Sixteen saints make it to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen; eight advance to the Round of the Elate Eight; four make it to the Faithful Four; two to the Championship; and the winner is awarded the coveted Golden Halo.
The first round consists of basic biographical information about each of the 32 saints. Things get a bit more interesting in the subsequent rounds as we offer quotes and quirks, explore legends, and even move into the area of saintly kitsch.
This year Lent Madness features an intriguing slate of saints ancient and modern, Biblical and ecclesiastical. If you’re looking for a Lenten discipline that is fun, educational, occasionally goofy, and always joyful, join the Lent Madness journey. Lent needn’t be all doom and gloom. After all, what could be more joyful than a season specifically set aside to get closer to Jesus Christ?
SERVING THIS WEEK
THESE ROLES ARE ALWAYS OPEN to new participants.
To join a team contact the office at goodnews@saintjamesgi.net
| February 19 | |
| Altar Guild | Linda Kurth, Cathy Kalafut, Jennifer Engle |
| 8am 1st lesson reader | Meren James |
| 8am Eucharistic Minister | David Hartwell |
| 10 am 1st lesson reader | Mike Bisaro |
| 10am 2nd lesson & chalice | Jane Colwell |
| 10am prayers & chalice | Todd Rankine |
| Ushers | Walt D, Jack H, Robin K, Chuck K |
| Greeters | Marie Johnson, Robin Knudson |
| 10 am Crucifer | Max Bearden |
| 10am Acolytes | Sam Rankine, TBA |
| Prayer Team | Sue Anderson, Madeleine Jones |
SAINT JAMES WISH LIST
Below are some things that St. James would love to have, but the budget does not allow them at this time. If one of these items speaks to your heart, please make a donation toward the purchase. All partial gifts will be gratefully accepted and put toward the total cost. Also, if you see or think of something that should be on this list, please let us know.
- New tiles for the River Room kitchen – $200
- Music for the bell choir – $250
Thank you, thank you, and thank you!
🎵 🎶 🎶🎵 MUSIC NOTES 🎵🎶🎶 🎵
If you have been on the fence about joining bells or vocal choir, it’s a great time to start! We will be starting fresh with new rep and learning musicianship skills, so swing on by and make music with us! Please let me know if you plan to attend! The St. James Bell Choir rehearses Thursdays at 6:30PM, and the St. James Adult Choir rehearses Thursdays at 7:30PM. The children’s choir meets after the 10AM service. All are welcome! Please consider joining in the music at St. James, we have lots of excellent programming this year. If you have reservations about joining that I can smooth over, or even just want to chat and learn some more about music, I’m always happy to talk! I’m easily reached at music@saintjamesgi.net.
This morning’s musical point of interest: Pavel Chesnokov’s “We Praise Thee” is a staple of Russian Orthodox choral repertoire. The text translates as: We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks to Thee, O Lord, and we pray unto Thee, O our God.” Chesnokov was a prolific Russian and Soviet composer, composing over 400 sacred pieces including full-fledged mass settings. His All-Night Vigil, Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts, and “Salvation is Created” anthem are some of his most popular works. His music is a prime example of the Eastern Orthodox tradition of sacred choral music, with low part-writing, reliance on chromaticism, and strong influence from the Orthodox chant tradition.
Stay tuned for upcoming music events in the area:
February 25, 7:30PM: Join us in the chapel as Minister of Music Robert Ragoonanan and guests perform music from the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods, in the next installment of our Special Music Series!
March 25, 7:30PM: St. Paul based tenor Benjamin Wegner will join Minister of Music Robert Ragoonanan on the piano in an explosive recital featuring Benjamin Britten’s Holy Sonnets of John Donne and Gustav Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder, right here in Galloway Hall!
CELEBRATIONS & PRAYERS
We Celebrate Birthdays This Week
| Anthony Baker (2/19) | Austin Saavedra (2/20) | Karen Brock (2/21) | |
| Angelique Campeau (2/22) | Joe Hopkins (2/22) | Garbriel DeFrain (2/25) | |
| Gena Lorenz (2/25) | Sandra Rutledge (2/25) | Sarah Shamus (2/25) | |
| Elizabeth Bisaro (2/26) | Barb Church (2/26) | Tina Wirtel (2/26) |
We Celebrate Anniversaries This Week
| Kate Sullivan & David Hartwell (2/23) | Mary & Gary Sawnick (2/25) |
Please Pray This Week For Healing
| Lee | Jerry Zavadil | Maureen Kohn | |
| Jerry | John Kurth | Nancy Clark | |
| Pete Fernandes | Jean Fernandes | Andrew Brunell | |
| Rebecca Grossklaus | Tamara Howes | Laura Crawford | |
| Allison Bell | Charles | Michael Stoddart | |
| Joan Klose | Jackson Bruce Beidler | Annie Krueger | |
| Irene John | Art John | Rhonda Boitkus | |
| Carol | David H | Teddy Cleaver | |
| Misty | Joe Radelet | Amy Brockmiller |
Pray for those serving in The Church For leaders of the worldwide church, for Philip our priest, members of our vestry, heads of our guilds & committees, and the staff and lay leaders of this congregation; for those engaged in mission work, for Jamie Treadwell in England, Todd and Patsy McGregor & family in Kenya, El Hogar in Honduras, and the Spirit of Hope Soup Kitchen in Detroit.
Pray for those serving in the military AJ Allen, Buckley Neal, Brett Ready, Dr. Bettina Sauter, and Alexander Turin.
To ensure our Lists are current petitions for healing are listed for 4 weeks per submission. Names may be re-submitted any number of times to office@saintjamesgi.net.