ADVENT HAPPENINGS at ST. JAMES'

Same-sex blessings discussion

The first event is the discussion of the Episcopal Church's rite for blessing same-sex relationships. This will be held this Sunday, December 8, immediately after the 10:00AM service. The information we collect will be shared with the Bishop's office, to help guide them in making decisions about the Diocesan stance on same-sex blessings. Your voice in this discussion is very valued; we look forward to seeing you there.

Christmas lunch at The Gathering

On Saturday, December 14, St. James' will be serving lunch at The Gathering. We seek volunteers to help serve the meal. Volunteers are asked to please be at the church by 9:45AM. Clean-up will be done by approximately 1:30PM. Please bring a gallon of fresh milk and/or two dozen cookies and/or ground coffee. These items are very much appreciated by our guests at lunch. And your volunteer hours are very much appreciated by St. James'!

Lessons and Carols service

Our annual Lessons and Carols service will occur on Sunday, December 15, at 10:00AM. The service features the traditional Anglican format of readings followed by carols. Joyful Noise will provide musical leadership that day. The service is a peaceful and introspective way to celebrate Advent.

A day of giving to the homeless

Please mark your calendars for Saturday, December 21, 2013. That will be a big day at St. James', a day of giving to our homeless neighbors. Red Door Clothes will be distributing clothing in the morning. Sundries on the Avenue will be distributing sundries to our friends in need. The Gathering will be serving Christmas dinner on that day, and we will feature a caroling sing-along in the nave of the church. St. James' and The Gathering will also be distributing Goodie Bags on that Saturday. Goodie bags contain hand-held foods and snacks, which our homeless guests can take with them on their journeys while The Gathering is closed for the holidays. We are in need of volunteers to facilitate these events. Should you be so moved, please contact me about volunteer opportunities. You are also welcome to attend any of these events to experience St. James' outreach in our community.

May the joy of the Advent season be with you. May you know the peace that Christ gives.

A CELEBRATION OF NEW MINISTRY
for Pastor Drew Bunting
Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at 6:30 PM

Save the date for a party!  Bishop Miller will join us for the evening to formally recognize our ministry together as priest and congregation. It promises to be a great service and will surely be followed by a great party.

Years ago, this service would have been called a priest's installation. The name has since been changed to reflect the fact that ministry isn't just about the priest. It's about the priest and congregation working together to serve in Christ's name. It's about all of us, and I hope all of us can be together on the 5th to celebrate.

Pastor Drew

BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS
Sunday, October 6
during the 10:00 a.m. service

In observance of St. Francis' Day, St. James' will host a Blessing of the Animals during our regular 10:00 service on Sunday, October 6. If you can get it to the church, we'll bless it!  

Please be sure your animal friends are leashed or contained.  

NEXT SUNDAY - September 22, 2013
Worship - 10:00 AM
Godly Play (Christian Formation for children) - 11:15 AM

Rally Day + Relationship Sunday = Relally Day

September 8

Who’s afraid of Rally Day? More people than you might think. Rally Day is that day of the year when churches put out displays and sign-up sheets for all of their ministries, so people have the chance to get involved. It’s a great way to learn what goes on in a church, but for a lot of folks it’s terrifying. Why? Because that sign-up sheet can look like a lifetime contract, and that’s not always what people are looking for. “If I sign that sheet,” they think, “I’m signing up for eternal duty in the Children of St. Martha Dishwashing Guild.”  That person might be interested in washing dishes. They might be called to that ministry in a deep and lasting way. But they might not be, and it’s important that we respect that.

Changes this year
So this year, we’re making sure that our Rally Day materials don’t just have a place where you can sign up to join a ministry. There will also be places to sign up for a specific activity on a specific day. That way you can test the waters and see if it’s a fit for you and your gifts. I hope people will take advantage of this opportunity to try out the ministries of St. James’ and learn more about how we fulfill our mission.

September 8th will also be our annual Relationship Sunday. This tradition began several years ago as an occasion to recognize and give thanks for the different relationships God has called us to. This is especially significant for the same-sex couples in our community, since the Episcopal Church’s rite for blessing same-sex unions is not authorized for use in our diocese. Relationship Sunday is an opportunity for us to give thanks before God for loving relationships of all kinds, and for the blessings we receive in them. I can’t wait.

All should be honored
But as we celebrate Relationship Sunday, we should also be attentive to those in our community who are single. Some people are called to be single. Others want to be in relationships but are not. All are equal before God, and all should be honored. I haven’t decided yet how we will do that on September 8th, but my first goal is that our worship that day will honor the God who loved us enough to come and be in relationship with us in human form. Even more than the rich blessings of human love, the Incarnation of Jesus Christ is the greatest reason to give thanks.

I look forward to what I am calling Relally Sunday, and I hope you will join us that day as we celebrate our ministries and our relationships. May they both be to the glory of God.

Pastor Drew

Welcome, Father Drew!

The Rev. Drew Bunting

St. James' is honored and blessed to announce that The Rev. Drew Bunting will begin serving as our new Priest-In-Charge effective Monday, March 18.  His first Sunday will be Palm Sunday, March 24.

After completing his Master of Divinity at Yale, Drew served parishes in Miami and Washington, D.C. before moving to Milwaukee with his wife April, the rector at St. Mark's on the East Side.  They have a two year old son, Elijah, and their next son is due in April.  Most recently Drew was the Priest-In-Charge at Resurrection Church in Mukwonago.

Drew's position with us will be half-time; outside of his work at St. James', he is a full-time dad and husband, a part-time student at Marquette, and a passionate amateur musician.  Drew wants everyone to know that he's truly excited to serve as the priest at St. James'.

We look forward to welcoming Drew to our community, and we give thanks to God for his faithfulness to us during our transition.  Please pray for Drew, his family, the people of Resurrection Church, and our congregation as we all prepare for this transition.  

Join us on Palm Sunday, March 24 at 10:00 am as we begin Holy Week
and welcome Fr. Drew to St. James'!