Weekly Letter
Rev John Mark Wiggers • January 28, 2022

Dear friends,
 
I am always grateful for how you come together to do ministry. We have had several funerals recently, and the caring attention of our ushers, funeral Guild, musicians, flower guild, altar guild, Daughters of the king, acolytes, sound team, staff and other volunteers has been a great ministry. We continue to feed our neighbors, pray and study together, and meet many other needs in our community. Thank you. 
 
We are off to a great start as we enter this new year. Your giving of time, talent, and money help us continue to do ministry. We look forward to the Bishop's visit in February, Lent begins March 2, and before you know it we will be walking the way of Holy Week and Easter. Throughout all of that, we will share stories of our past as we look toward the future as we celebrate our 100 year anniversary in 2022. 
 
I encourage everyone to weigh their own risk levels regarding COVID exposure as we gather. Thank you for wearing face coverings and thinking of others. We have been able to worship, gather, and serve. Your flexibility and faithfulness has made that happen. 
 
Thanks again for all you do to make ministry a reality at St. James. Look around at all the opportunities and blessings we have. If you haven't taken advantage of those, I encourage you to step out and join others on this journey. 
 
Peace, 
Fr. John Mark

Weekly Letter, 06/12/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • June 12, 2025

Weekly Letter, 06/05/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • June 5, 2025

Weekly Letter, 05/29/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • June 5, 2025

Weekly Letter, 05/22/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • May 22, 2025

Weekly Letter, 05/15/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • May 15, 2025

Weekly Letter, 05/08/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • May 12, 2025
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.

Weekly Letter, 05/01/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • May 12, 2025
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.

Weekly Letter, 04/24/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • April 24, 2025
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.

Weekly Letter, 04/17/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • April 17, 2025
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.

Weekly Letter, 04/10/2025

By John Mark Wiggers • April 17, 2025
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.
Show More