100 YEARS OF ST. JAMES MINISTRY - Listen to the recognizable voices of 21 of your St. James brothers and sisters who shared their stories in our recently produced Centennial Audio Documentary by clicking on the image to the RIGHT. The final edited program turned out to be just under 3 hours in length, but the content is so rich, it would have been a shame to make it any shorter. The way it is produced, you can listen to it in parts at your convenience. Interpretations of the meaning of the words "church" and "neighbor" are discussed as well as insights related to the personal journeys that brought these members to St. James. Some of the demographic changes that have occurred in our congregation over the past 100 years are also discussed as well as many of the blessings received through the meaningful work performed by our Justice Knox, Daughters of the King, Episcopal Church Women, Helping Hands, Doorstep, and other ministry groups. The vital importance of continued efforts to encourage youth & family participation in church life is also addressed.
100 Years of St. James Ministry
Kevin Jeske-Polyak • February 8, 2023
Friends and Neighbors, This Sunday is Mother's Day and also Good Shepherd Sunday. Both celebrations have been shaped and changed over the years. Good Shepherd Sunday got the name as we do read the passage from John 10 about Jesus the Good Shepherd, and Mother's Day has roots going back to Mothering Sunday in England. The establishment of Mother's Day in the United States was motivated by the recognition of the work of Ann Reeves Jarvis, Julia Ward Howe, and Anna M. Jarvis. These women worked for sanitary health care for soldiers and were advocates for peace during the Civil War. They imagined a union of mothers who would call for peace because mothers knew so deeply the loss of their children to war. Mothering and shepherding call for similar qualities of protection and care.
We continue celebrating Easter as we move into a month full of celebrations and transitions. I am looking forward to just hanging out with folks this Saturday night at our spaghetti dinner. You can find details about that in this email. Please mark your calendars for the annual Justice Knox Celebration on May 19 from 6:30 PM- 8:30 PM at First Presbyterian Church. We will have dinner and share stories about the next steps. You will also be asked to consider making an investment in the work of Justice Knox. I hope that you will consider giving to this important ministry.
Alleluia. Christ is risen. We celebrated the resurrection with so much joy this past Sunday. The Easter feast continues for 50 days. Thank you to everyone who made Holy Week and Easter Sunday so special. You helped people feel welcomed to this place where we proclaim the welcoming love of Christ in word, deed, song, Easter egg hunts, and something good to eat. We welcome others because we have known the love of Christ and want to share it.
Friends and Neighbors, As we journey through Holy Week, I encourage you to pause and consider those events that lead us to the joyful celebration of Easter. May that also be reflected in our lives. We walk through hard things and know that God is with us. We hold to the hope that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Friends and Neighbors, As the weather teases us with warm days followed by chilly ones, we enter Holy Week. You have probably heard me encouraging folks to experience the journey to the cross and the grave so we might celebrate the resurrection with that insight. God has shared this human experience and is with us in the darkness and the light. Our liturgies of Holy Week take us on that journey with Jesus and remind us that God is indeed with us on our own journeys.