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