Fried Chicken Dinner, August 9

The Women of St. James’ Parish have scheduled a Fried Chicken Dinner, which will be held on Sunday, August 9, from about 11:00 - 2:00. It includes ½ a fried chicken, potato salad, 3-bean salad, roll with butter, dessert, and a beverage, and will be available mostly as carry out. The cost of the dinner with all the fixings will be $13. A few tables will be set up for those who wish to eat in the hall. Some helpers are needed at 10 a.m. on Saturday the 8th to make and package the potato salad and 3-bean salad, and to help get things set up. Additional helpers will be needed on Sunday.

Keeping Up-to-Date With Your Pledge Payments

Our Parish needs your help. If you are not up-to-date with your pledge payments, please respond to this appeal. At this time of the year, with people being away, our income drops significantly, but our expenses continue.

The Women of St. James’ Parish Invite You to Come for Sunday Brunch, June 14

You are invited! The Women of St. James’ Parish invite you to come for Sunday Brunch June 14th after the 10:00 a.m. service, the first Sunday of the summer schedule. We have prepared the brunch as a thank you for your support during the year. The menu includes breakfast casseroles, fruit, Danish, coffee, tea, and punch. Please join us!

Youth Group, June 21

Please join us June 21 at 12:30 for Youth Group. We will be setting up for Vacation Bible School and planning for the Camping Trip. All youth grades 6 – 12 are welcome. See you the 21st!!!

Bishop John Rabb will be visiting St. James’ Parish, June 21

Bishop John Rabb will be visiting St. James’ Parish on June 21st at the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services. A coffee hour will be held after the 10 a.m. service at which time you may enjoy an opportunity to visit with Bishop Rabb.

EfM Graduation Recognition, May 31

Two Education for Ministry (EfM) participants - Jeanie Zseltvay and Beverly Breitman - will receive their graduation certificates for completing the EfM program on May 31st. Please join us in saying the following prayer as we wish them well and honor their perseverance and commitment to serving God and ministering to his people.

A Prayer of Self-Dedication (BCP, P. 832)
Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray you, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

There will be an EfM table today at the coffee hour. For more information on EfM, contact Linda Stewart (lstewart54@aol.com) or Marjie Mack (mmack3108@comcast.net).

West Virginia Mission Trip, July 12-18

Please consider joining fellow parishioners on a mission trip to Beards Fork, West Virginia, doing such tasks as the Southern Appalachian Labor School has for us to do - be it helping with new construction, renovation, and repair or helping with the 30-40 children that participate in the Energy Express program at the school. While we intend to spend a week – 2 days of travel and 5 days of labor – we would be delighted to have volunteers for even a few days. At a cost of $150 per person to cover lodging, we will stay in an old church building that provides adequate, though not elegant, accommodations. Food will be provided. Fellowship is a given. This is a wonderful opportunity to help others less fortunate than ourselves. Please give this prayerful consideration and should you find it in your heart to join us, please sign up on the sheet in the parish hall hallway. Should you have questions, please contact Susan Whitehead at swhitehead84@comcast.net.

Heavenly Trash Sale, May 30, 2009

We will be accepting all of your treasures on the Wednesday prior to the 30th of May. You can drop them off at the hall. We would love all of your treasures. We would love HELP if you can. If you need someone to pick up something, just call anyone on the Outreach Committee or Caroline Chisum. We will arrange to have a pickup. We hope to have a great day and make lots of money for the poor individuals in need in our area. All money will be donated. God bless you.

Attention Parents of Graduating High School and College Seniors

Do you have a child graduating from high school or college this spring? High school graduates will receive a personalized Book of Common Prayer from the parish. Please call Amanda to be sure that your child’s gift will be ordered in time.

Recognition of graduating seniors will take place on June 7 at the 9 a.m. service.

Parish-Wide Picnic! June 7th, 2009

Please join us June 7th at 12:30 for a parish-wide picnic. Enjoy food, fellowship, and games as we kick off the summer. Everyone is welcome. See you June 7th! Just so you know, here are a few of the activities that will be offered: kickball, egg toss, corn hole, bingo, shuffle board, wiffle ball, sack races, volleyball, and Bible trivia. LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!

Christmas at The Biltmore, November 16-19, 2009

Christmas at The Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina

• 3 Nights Lodging
  
• 3 Breakfasts, including Grove Park Inn Buffet
  
• 3 Dinners, including Deerpark Restaurant at Biltmore, Carolina Nights Dinner Show
  
• Biltmore House Candlelight Tour
  
• Daytime Visit to Biltmore Estate, Winery, and Riverbend Farm Village
  
• BiltmoreVillage: Grove Arcade
  
• Gingerbread Houses at The Grove Park Inn (based on availability)
  
• Tour Asheville: Folk Art Center
  
• Chimney Rock Park
  
• Harrah's Cherokee Casino
  
• Gift for All: Luggage Handling
  
• All Taxes and Gratuities
  
• Cost: $520.00 per person / double occupancy $250.00 is due at the time of reservation. Balance will be due six weeks before trip.

Contact: Lillie Barret for more information.

Vacation Bible School - June 22-26

The Christian Formation Committee is beginning preparations for Vacation Bible School (VBS) to be held June 22 – 26. BUT WE NEED MANY VOLUNTEERS. If you can help, please call Amanda. It is only through the help of volunteers that this VBS will be successful.

Adult Study Forum - Saint James: the Parish, the Saint(s), and the Writing(s)

Having (patiently) finished The Book of Job, the group seeks recruits for a new adventure tentatively titled "Saint James: the Parish, the Saint(s), and the Writing(s)." Starting with Old Herring Creeke Parish, renamed St. James' Parish (When? Why the name? Which James? - there were at least three!), and moving to both the Epistle of James and The Gospel of James (the latter not included in the Bible!) we hope to learn more about our Parish namesake and the notable early Christians who shared the name. The first meeting of the group is scheduled for the St. James' library at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 19th.

Redesigning stjameslothian.com

Do you have an opinion about the St. James' Parish web site? Is there some new feature or content organization that you would like to see? The communications committee is beginning a redesign of the St. James' Parish web site and we want to know what you think! We are putting together a group to provide input to the site design and review draft implementations. Time commitment will be minimal and no particular computer expertise is required. Please contact Rick Downs at stjameslothianweb@gmail.com for additional information.

6th – 12th Grade Camping Trip!!! June 26th – 29th

Please join us June 26th – 29th for our first ever youth Camping Trip! We will travel to Central Pennsylvania for the Creation Festival, which happens to be the largest Christian festival in the country! The festival includes music, speakers, and over a hundred thousand folks to worship with! We will camp at Lake Raystown where we will cook meals over an open fire, explore God’s creation, and swim! A signup sheet is outside of Amanda’s office!