WEEKLY e-EPISTLE
Saint James Mill Creek Hundred, Wilmington, Delaware
February 22, 2012
Ash Wednesday
To my Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
Shrove Tuesday: Last night’s Mardi Gras Dinner was a great success! New Orleans Jazz, Cajun Food, Mask Making, King’s Cake, and a Trivia Contest – we did it all. Thanks go to Sam White for her marvelous cooking, to Moriah Niehaus for baking the King’s Cake, to Jim Burns who organized the mask making, and to all the youth who came out to help set up the hall, serve the food, and clean the dishes and the kitchen. Pictured below are the three top mask makers (as chosen by applause) from the 19 participants.
Friday Night Hosting: This Friday evening we will be hosting 40+ high school students and their chaperones who are on a community service bus trip that starts in Clinton NY, with stops in Williamsport PA, Baltimore MD, Wilmington DE, and Philadelphia PA. This is a sponsored trip of Students Today Leaders Forever that is based out of Minnesota. While they are in Wilmington they will be working on the Formal Dress Project that was started in our Parish House by Tracey Burns, and then sleeping overnight in our building before leaving at 8:00am on Saturday morning. We were only asked to provide housing, as they will be cooking their own spaghetti dinner in our kitchen, but if anyone is interested and willing to donate some salad and dressings, or some desserts (cookies are fine), please call me at (302) 345-9772.
First Sunday of Lent: We will begin this Sunday’s service with The Great Litany which can be found starting on page 148 of the Book of Common Prayer. This litany was first published for public use in 1544, predating the first edition of the Book of Common Prayer, which was not issued until 1549. The litany was written by Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the English Reformers, and was the first prayer written specifically in the English language (meaning it was not a translation from another language). It originally was used during services of Morning and Evening Prayer and at the beginning of every service of the Holy Eucharist. Today, the Great Litany is used only rarely by most Episcopal Churches, typically at the start of the Lenten season. It will be read at the 8:00am service, and (more traditionally) chanted at the 10:15am service.
Sunday Adult Education: This Sunday beginning at 9:15am, Sister BJ will lead a Sunday morning class on "Mussar Practice", a Jewish spirituality tool that leads toward personal holiness. This is a continuation of what she presented during Advent, and so will facilitate discussion of its practical application as a Lenten discipline and beyond.
It’s a Mystery: Our nice heavy-duty hand cart has disappeared. After searching high and low around our buildings and coming up empty, we are turning to the congregation to see if anyone might be able to solve this mystery. If you know where it is, or who might have it, please let us know.
Lenten Book Study: There are still books available for the five-week book study and discussion on “Blessed is She – Living Lent with Mary”. We begin next week with two meeting times to choose from: Monday at 10am, or Tuesday at 7:00pm. The book costs $10 and you can reserve one for yourself by contacting Genia in the church office.
May the peace of the Lord be with you . . .
Your brother in Christ, Fr. Jim Bimbi
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sunday Morning Adult Ed Class
Sister BJ will be leading a Sunday morning class on "Mussar Practice". This is a continuation of what she presented during Advent, and so will facilitate discussion of the practical application of a Jewish spirituality tool that leads toward personal holiness. It is a program of learning how to put God back in the center of our lives while we seek to strengthen our human character traits. It's a perfect Lenten discipline that hopefully will become a perpetual spiritual practice far beyond the 40 days.
Lenten Book Study—starts next week
Monday, February 27 at 10 AM or Tuesday February 28th at 7PM (following a 6:15 PM soup supper) we will study the book “Blessed Is She” - Living Lent with Mary by Tim Perry. The book is available through the church office for $10. Call the office or speak to Fr. Jim to reserve your copy.
MARCH 24, 2012—ANNUAL FLEA MARKET
Bring your items in now! No computers please, but your other no longer gently used items that are in good condition are needed for this fun fundraiser! Items are collected in the Flea Market area in the lower level of the Parish House. Have a lot? Rent a table. If you are interested in renting a table, see Dave Perry (302)737-1761. or the church office. HELP WANTED: We need help setting up tables, cleaning up Saturday afternoon and cashiers are needed for the room downstairs. The cashiers work 2-hour shifts. Sign-Up sheets will be in the Parish House.
BAKED GOODS NEEDED - SATURDAY, MARCH 24TH
The Bazaar Ladies will again be manning the Bake Table at the Flea Market. Your donations of cakes, pies, cookies, breads, muffins or homemade candies will be greatly appreciated.
Please bring your homemade items to the Parish House on
Friday, March 23rd, 5-7pm, or Saturday, March 24th, 7am-1pm.
THANK YOU!
The Flea Market is a major fund raiser for St. James. Be sure to come out and support it. SEE YOU MARCH 24th!
Meeting of Parish Life Committee—March 4th after the 10:15 service.
Knitted Caps for Soldiers We are continuing this project. If you knit and would like to knit some all wool caps for soldiers to wear under their helmets, please contact Sandy Cornelia (239-0846) for a pattern. Last year we were able to donate over 40 caps to the Stockings for Soldiers Project which sends needed items to soldiers in war zones. Thank you to all who participated last year.
Lap Afghans -If you knit, crochet or quilt and you would like to make a small afghan (40"x40" approx.), we could use your contribution to give to wheelchair patients in nursing homes or for kids at the Ronald McDonald House. The only requirement is that it be washable. Need more info call Sandy (239-0846).
Ecumenical Lenten Noontime Worship and Lunch
This Year we take “A Leap of Faith” Every year during the season of Lent, the churches of the Mill Creek Ministerium hold a series of Wednesday programs beginning at 12 noon. While each week a different church organizes the worship and provides the food for the lunch that follows, one of the churches serves as the host church for the entire 6-week series. The 2012 series will be take place at Limestone Presbyterian Church, and begins on February 29th, which is Leap Year Day. Using that as cue, the overall theme for 2012 is being entitled “A Leap of Faith”, and the recurring Biblical theme of Call, Response, and Prophecy will be highlighted with texts from both the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. St. James will be host on March 14th with Fr. Jim preaching and Carole Leach organizing the soup lunch.
This Week at St. James:
Sunday, February 26, 2012
8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist
9:00 a.m. SMACA
10:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist
11:30 a.m. Coffee Hour
Monday, February 27, 2012
10:00 p.m. Lenten Book Study
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
9:00 a.m. Bazaar Workshop
6:15 p.m. Soup Supper
7:00 p.m. Lenten Book Study
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
10:00 a.m. Eucharist
12:00p.m. Ecumenical Service at Limestone Presbyterian
6:15 p.m. Evening Prayer
Thursday, March 1, 2012
7:15 p.m. Choir Rehearsal
Sunday, March 4, 2012
8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist
9:00 a.m. SMACA
10:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist
11:30 a.m. Coffee Hour
11:40 a.m. Parish Life Committee in Lounge