SERVICES AND GATHERINGS THIS WEEK
SUNDAY – Join us this coming Sunday as we celebrate with The Reverend Cannon Peter Davison; at the same time, we will be thanking both Carol and Peter for their wonderful contributions to the St. James family and community. This summer has been busy, and Carol and Peter have been exemplary in filling in as honorary assistants. Come … and be thankful for their commitment. Oh, yes …. And there will be cake to celebrate both the August birthday folk AND our honorary assistants.
If you are unable to attend, the service is live streamed. Links to the service and order of service are on our website stjamesdundas.ca and our Facebook page.
WEDNESDAY – COMPLINE - Compline is a short service of night prayer. The heart of Compline is the recitation of several psalms. There is a short reading from scripture, intercession, and time for reflection. It is a beautiful way to close out an active day. Compline is offered by St. James’ through Facebook to bring the community together. Please join with Tom A. for this lovely service – LIVE – each Wednesday evening. If you cannot join live, the service is available afterwards on St. James’ Facebook channel.
COMING EVENTS
MUM SALE – LAST CHANCE
Well … not exactly the LAST chance … but pretty close! Please put in your order by the end of this month – that would be the 31st of August … yikes … only four months until Christmas!
Delivery date will be on September 10th as indicated on the poster.
OUR MISSIONAL INITIATIVE
After an absolutely wonderful “homily” by Barry S. yesterday, we are off to a great start to our fall program. If you did not see/hear Barry, you can pick up the service and his homily on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Q1HSPOXFLZQ
Also, near the bottom of this is a summary of the Mission Action Plan, developed by Barry S. and which is also available in the Narthex in a brochure format.
If you want more information about the Missional Action Plan, you can go to the Diocesan website for this great resource – www.niagaraanglican.ca --- then to “Who We Are” --- then “Our Mission” ---- and under resources … look at the Mission Action Plan Process for Parishes Facilitator’s Guide … ok … sounds complex … but will be easy once you are into the Diocesan website.
Want to interact with someone about the process … KEEP WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 7th at 7.00 p.m. available for a one-hour ZOOM meeting with Canon Christyn Perkons. Christyn will do a 30-minute presentation and follow this up with a 30-minute Question and Answer session. Contact the office for Zoom coordinates 905-627-1424 or stjamesdundas@outlook.com
TURKEY DINNER
All are welcome to this fundraising dinner – not just females … not just St. James parishioners….tickets available after church and as indicated on the poster.
TEA AND TREASURES
If you have any treasures – jewelry, fine china, linens, silver, evening wear, accessories - that you are willing to donate for this sale, please contact any of organizing team - Lynne M., Audrey N., or Judith M. – or you can bring the items into the church. Please label for “T & T”.
Help will be needed, particularly the day before for setup and for the actual event on October 1st. If you want to volunteer to help and can’t wait for the sign-up sheets which will be up next week, Lynne, Audrey, Judith or Jill will be happy to accept your offer.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THE END OF AUGUST/SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER INCLUDE
Note that most of these events will have additional information in the weekly e-blasts OR at the church office. And, of course, this list is very “fluid” in nature and will be updated as we get “into” a routine again (COVID permitting). For example, there are several groups that will be opening up again (e.g. Body and Soul) … and this information will be updated for you as it emerges. AND, to illustrate the fluidity…. please note the change in date for the Trivia Night – now scheduled for October 15.
September 1 – first day for our new rector, The Reverend Canon Leslie Gerlofs! The wardens would greatly appreciate it if you did not come to complain about them on Leslie’s first day!
Saturday, September 3 – Garden Work in the morning … the regular first Saturday in the month. Come out and enjoy some “sweat equity” and fellowship. Can’t help physically?? … drop by and cheer them on – or bring sweets.
September 7 - An evening ZOOM meeting (7 – 8 pm.) for those of you who would like more information about our Missional Initiative. This will be hosted by Canon Christyn Perkons. Christyn will present for 30 minutes, leading us through the process and then there will be 30 minutes for questions. Christyn does an incredible job in presenting the Missional Initiative in a friendly and meaningful manner; this will help anyone who is interested in understanding the process which we will follow from September 18 – October 16.
September 18 the first of the Missional Initiative meetings – all following the regular church service on Sundays for one hour. The focus for the first meeting will be Faith Formation/Discipleship. The remaining two sessions will follow the same pattern and will be held on subsequent Sundays.
September 23 Women’s Group – Turkey Dinner
September 25 Missional Initiative – meeting #2 - Reshaping Parish Culture to Enable Ministry
October 1 Tea and Treasures
October 2 Missional Initiative – meeting #3 - Fullness of Life in our neighbourhood
October 15 Trivia Night – 6.00 p.m. in the Dundas Room
October 16 Missional Initiative – meeting #4 - Note that we have skipped over Thanksgiving Sunday and we will use this Sunday to Prioritize our Mission Action Plan, choosing which parts of the missional plan we will engage. This will not make much sense to you unless you have been involved in some or all of the previous three sessions.
Hymn For The Hurting by Amanda Gorman
Everything hurts,
Our hearts shadowed and strange,
Minds made muddied and mute.
We carry tragedy, terrifying and true.
And yet none of it is new;
We knew it as home,
As horror,
As heritage.
Even our children
Cannot be children,
Cannot be.
Everything hurts.
It’s a hard time to be alive,
And even harder to stay that way.
We’re burdened to live out these days,
While at the same time, blessed to outlive them.
This alarm is how we know
We must be altered —
That we must differ or die,
That we must triumph or try.
Thus while hate cannot be terminated,
It can be transformed
Into a love that lets us live.
May we not just grieve, but give:
May we not just ache, but act;
May our signed right to bear arms
Never blind our sight from shared harm;
May we choose our children over chaos.
May another innocent never be lost.
Maybe everything hurts,
Our hearts shadowed & strange.
But only when everything hurts
May everything change.