St James News and Notes

News and Notes is sent out weekly as a parish-wide email from the church office. If you would like to receive parish-wide emails directly, you may add your email address to our list by using our online email sign-up form.

Thursday, December 24 – Christmas Eve
5:00 pm Children’s Service with Pageant and Eucharist – Bring a bell to ring!
Music by: Children’s Choir and Bell Choir
7:30 pm Festival Holy Eucharist, Rite II
Music by: Brass Traditions, Prayer & Praise
10:15 pm Pre-Service Music of Carols and Anthems
10:30 pm Festival Holy Eucharist, Rite II
Music by: St. James’ Singers, St. James’ Ringers, Brass Traditions

Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
10:30 am Holy Eucharist with organ and carols

Sunday, December 27
8:00 am 10:30 am Rite II with Eucharist
6:00 pm Contemporary Service

Saturday, January 9 – The Feast of Epiphany
Come celebrate the Feast of Epiphany with an inter-generational service and Holy Eucharist at 5:00 pm. This service will be followed by a spaghetti dinner in the parish hall, a fundraiser event of the Youth Group.

Cider Makers Needed, December 24

For several years we have offered hot apple cider as a refreshment following the 7:30 pm and 10:30 pm Christmas Eve Festival services. This has provided a delightful treat that both warms the hearts of those present as well as creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere in the church for our many visitors. If you can help us make and serve the cider this year, please contact the office at office@stjamespotomac.org or call 301-762-8040.

No Adult Forum, THIS Sunday, December 27 at 9:15 am

There will be no Adult Forum on December 27.

Help Spread the Joy of the Season at Shepherd's Table. Our Next Shepherd's Table is Wednesday, December 30th.
Each month that includes a fifth Wednesday (approximately four times per year) volunteers from St. James' feed the hungry at Shepherd's Table in Silver Spring. We serve in two shifts - the first beginning at 4:00 pm setting tables and making other preparations, the second from 5:45 pm to 7:30 pm during dinner. We need your help again on December 30th as we make a difference in the lives of those served by Shepherd’s Table. For more information or to volunteer for our next date on the 30th, please contact Dave Berthiaume.

Giant and Retailers Gift Cards - Grocery Cards are available in the office

Did you know that you can purchase a wide variety of retailers' gift cards with your Giant gift cards? The following are a small sample of retailers cards available:

Books, Music & Movies -- AMC/Lowes Theatres, Barnes & Noble, Blockbuster, iTunes

Toys & Electronics -- Best Buy, Toys R Us, Verizon, Staples, etc.

Dining -- Starbucks, Red Lobster, Applebees, Outback Steakhouse, Cheesecake Factory, Coldstone, Legal Seafood, Olive Garden, TGI Friday's, Uno's Pizzeria

Clothing and Personal -- Macy's, Sears, Old Navy, Nike, Gap, Kohl's, Banana Republic, etc.

Home -- Pottery Barn, Home Depot, Bed, Bath & Beyond, etc.

Travel & Leisure -- Marriott, Southwest Airlines, etc.

Online Buying - eBay.com; Ticketmaster, ESPNShop.com, NBA.com, NFL.com, NHL.com

Giant gift cards are sold after all services and are also available through the church office. Giant donates 5% to St. James' but that does not affect the value of your cards at all -- you get full value for your purchases. To everyone who purchase regularly, thank you from St. James'.

Christmas Cards

As you are filling out Christmas cards this year, please add this address to your list. This goes to wounded military recovering at Walter Reed, the premier hospital for all of the military. This is where the most seriously wounded people go, and I'm sure it would help keep their spirits up to get a lot of Christmas cards. You must put a return address, or it will not be delivered, as this hospital is always a target for harassment and attacks from foreign and domestic anti-war/terrorist groups.

HOLIDAY MAIL FOR HEROES

P O BOX 5456

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, MD 20791-5456

Next Book Club Discussion – January 3, 2010

Come and join us in the parish hall meeting room on Sunday evening, January 3, 2010 at 7:15 pm (following the 6:00 pm service) for an evening of fellowship and discussion. As we will still be celebrating the Christmas season, the book under discussion will be The Christmas Train. New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci brings us a uniquely entertaining holiday tale in which disillusioned journalist Tom Langdon must get from Washington DC to L.A. in time for Christmas. Forced to take the train across the country because of a slight “misunderstanding” at airport security, he begins a journey of self-discovery and rude awakenings, mysterious goings-on and thrilling adventures, screwball escapades and holiday magic. Please RSVP to the rector at rector@stjamespotomac.org if you’re planning to attend. We will, as is our usual practice, order in pizza for those who wish.

Come Celebrate the Feast of Epiphany, Saturday, January 9, 2009. 5:00 pm
The Feast of the Epiphany is a festival, celebrating the gift of our Savior Jesus Christ, the light of the world. We invite you and your family to attend a unique evening of worship and inter-generational fellowship at St. James' on Saturday, January 9, beginning at 5:00 pm in the church.

Following the service, a spaghetti dinner will be offered by the youth group as a fundraiser for their summer mission trip to a workcamp in Buffalo. The dinner will feature King's Cake with prizes for the lucky winners. We encourage you to invite your friends and neighbors as well.

This service is especially designed for all ages: it begins in darkness, features a children’s sermon and special music, and concludes with the lighting of hundreds of candles. We carry these lights out of the church as a reminder that we are called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all the world. The Wise Men traveled many miles by camel but, for us, this is where the journey starts!

Holiday Shopping with the We-Care Reminder
The holiday season is upon us and people are trying to shop responsibly this year. That’s why I want to tell you how a few clicks can turn the gifts you’re already buying on the internet into support for St. James’ at no extra cost to you. With the We-Care Reminder, when you visit one of the nine hundred participating merchants, you’ll be asked if you want a portion of your purchase donated. Click ‘Yes’ and a donation will be made- without taking a penny from your wallet. So let’s say you go directly to websites for ebay or Staples, Best Buy or Borders, the reminder will appear for you to click and you don’t even have to go through the St. James’ cybermall. How easy is that? Just go to http://stjamesepiscopal.we-care.com/start and download the reminder and forget about it. I did. It works great! Even better it works all year, so your holiday gifts keep on giving.

Thank You for the Ink Cartridges

To everyone who has brought us your used ink cartridges for recycling, thank you, thank you, thank you!! Please continue to keep us in mind if you're getting new printers and disposing of your old ink cartridges, or if there are any used ink cartridges from your home or office that you would discard anyway.

Last Minute Gift Ideas That Give Back

If you are like most of us, you have friends or family who are difficult to buy for. At the same time, there are people in developing countries that go without the basic necessities of life, and people in our area that cannot afford warm winter clothing. A way to simplify shopping and help those most in need is to give a gift to a charity in someone’s name. Many charities will send an acknowledgement card to the individual you name, while many others provide material on their websites that you can print and insert in a Christmas card. Attached is a list of charities you may want to consider.

Fellowship Hour Hosting
January 3 [Please sign up or challenge others to sign up with you]

January 10 [Please sign up or challenge others to sign up with you]

January 17 [Please sign up or challenge others to sign up with you]

January 24 [Please sign up or challenge others to sign up with you]

The Office will be closed on Christmas Day and Monday, December 28. The clergy and staff wish everyone a very blessed and joyful Christmas.

Help Wanted!

If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 Corinthians 12:26-27) There are many times when some of our people could use a little help from some others in our congregation (remember the "Blizzard of 2009"?) We are beginning to compile a list of people who can help in shoveling snow, raking leaves, digging and gardening, odds and ends assistance, and other unexpected needs. Meals, too, and visits to a doctor, as well. If you can be on this list, please contact John Miers with just what you can do. Thank you!

To All Parish Leadership: Note that the 14-month Schedule of Services and Special Events is attached. Please consult this when planning events so that they do not conflict with each other. Thank you.

Stay Current – Check Our Website: If you want to check on events, locations, and worship assignments your quickest reference is always http://www.stjamespotomac.org/.

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