Friends and Neighbors, 

I really want to pull out the cardigans. Hopefully, you and others will don some cozy attire and volunteer to take a shift at our Pumpkin Patch in October. We have many roles to fill in this fun project that helps us raise some money to support our ministries while we connect with our neighbors. Join us this Sunday to meet some neighbors, as a few of us will go out to briefly survey folks we meet out and about. Meet me in the library at 12:30 on Sunday for a little training and instruction. We can walk around and meet folks while burning off the calories from the pancake breakfast the day before. You will also want to check out the Sunday school class at 9:15, where we will be discussing justice. See our newsletter for those opportunities and more. 

We do so many things around here as we tend and feed God's sheep. I am grateful to all of you who help make those things happen. We are seeking nominations to the vestry. If you would like to nominate someone or present yourself for the task, please give me a call. You can also learn a great deal about the church and faith by doing some hands-on participation in the altar guild, reading, choir, and many other avenues of service. The life of the community is nurtured by your presence and engagement. 

We do many things at St. James. Our presence and activity are important to many. I remind you that we ground our feeding and tending God's sheep in our own being fed at the altar. We are not a coalition of ministries that get together from time to time. We are a community of Christ followers fed with the Body and Blood of Christ and sent forth to be the Body of Christ in the world. May all the work, play, and rest be grounded in that foundation. 

Peace, 

Fr. John Mark