December 21, 2014 - The Fourth Sunday in Advent

Sunday Services

HOLY EUCHARIST – 8:00 am
Reader:  Jerry Keelen

HOLY EUCHARIST – 10:15 am
Reader:  Doris Crocker
Acolyte: Robin McKeever
Greeters: SandySandbach and Kevin Kelly
Altar Guild:  Robin & John McKeever
Music:
Processional:  #66:  Come Though Long Expected Jesus
Gospel :  #56:  O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (vs. 7 & 8)
Offertory:  #380:  Praise God
Recessional:  #65:  Prepare the Way, O Zion

Coffee Hour Sponsor:  The Morgan Family
 

Weekly Notes:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
December 19:  Evelyn Warren
December 25:  Anita Morris

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY:
December 20:  Agostino & Barbara Rivolta

CHRISTMAS EVE POINSETTIAS
If you would like to donate money for Christmas flowers for the church, please use the Flower Envelopes in your pew.  If you would like to donate in memory or in honor of a loved one, please indicate that with your donation.

PLEDGE CARDS

This is a reminder to send in your St. James pledge cards, if you have not already done so.

CHURCH DECORATION

Please help us with the greening of the church this Sunday after the 10:15 service.
If you have pine or holly trees in your yard and can bring some clippings that would be great!  Barb and Nicole will be bringing lots of clippings from the woods.   We will use the greens to decorate the window sills and more, and we will set up the nativity set and fill the sanctuary with fresh the poinsettias! 
Please join the fun - remember many hands make light work.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

Our annual Christmas Eve services will take place at 6:00 pm (Children’s Pageant) and the traditional mass will take place at 10:00 pm. If you know of any children who would like to participate in the Children’s program at 6:00, please contact Michelle O’Quend.

CALLING ALL CHILDREN!!
Michelle O’Quend is requesting that all children who plan on participating in the Christmas Eve Children’s Pageant attend a dress rehearsal this Sunday, Dec 21, directly after the conclusion of the 10:15 service.  All  children who are participating MUST BEAT THE CHURCH on Christmas Eve at 4:45 PM!!!

ADVENT STUDY FOR ADULTS
Beginning Sunday, Nov. 30, 9:15 a.m., and through the following Advent Sundays, Paul Meglathery will be offering: "Subversive Stories of the Bible, Part I: Old Testament".  A major tenet of Jewish orthodoxy, before and during the time of Jesus, was: God rewards virtue and punishes evil.  Our own experience tells us that it's not the whole story, and some biblical writers back then agreed.  We will look specifically at three Old Testament books: Ruth, Jonah and Job, to see how they challenged orthodox belief in their day and what relevance they may have for us today.  Sessions will last 45 minutes.

FUNDRAISING
As we close this year and begin a new one, please keep the St. James Fair in mind. As you come across items of some value that you don't use or like; please set them aside for our September event. If you or someone you know is downsizing or settling an estate, keep us in mind. All donations will receive a tax receipt. Carol and Jerry have pledged a real live boat to the fair! Such items create excitement and visibility for the event. Another need is storage space, if you can hold your donations until September great; if not, we are looking for free or cheap storage space so we can collect enough donations to meet or beat a $10,000 goal. Please feel free to reach out to me at: fundstjames@gmail.com

Here's to the next 150 years of St. James!