Weekly Letter, 09/26/2024
The Rev. John Mark Wiggers • September 26, 2024

Friends and Neighbors, 


I returned from a men's retreat in the Virginia woods this past Sunday night. It was a deeply experiential retreat that I know will continue working in me for some time. St. James came to mind as many men on the retreat shared how their experience of the church had hurt them. I was thankful to be part of a community that welcomes the hurting and offers a healing balm. I am under no illusion that we are a perfect community. We are a bunch of sinners seeking and celebrating God's grace and sharing that with others. We are also people with various gifts that the Spirit empowers us with to share love and grace. 


Sharing love and grace can be done in many ways. We have many opportunities to share with others in October. I hope that you will be checking out this newsletter and inviting some folks to some of the events coming up. If you have any social media chops, let people know about the pumpkin patch, concert, online auction, and so much more. Don't forget that we continue having house meetings for our justice ministry. Your connection with one person makes a difference. Sometimes our friends might be hesitant to come to a church service. Bluegrass, pumpkins, and serving the community are also ways to connect and know the love of Christ. 


Some of the activities will help fund the work of St. James. On October 27, we will collect pledge cards for our 2025 budget and have our Annual Meeting after the 10:30 service. I love a good time of worship or the unpredictability of the blessing of the animals. I also know that we need to plan, have meetings, and take care of our buildings. Those things support us in doing the ministry of feeding and tending God's sheep. Consider what you can give of time, talent, and money for the work of St. James. 


Thank you again for all the warm wishes as we celebrated 15 years of ministry together. Thank you also in supporting me in doing things like retreats, community work, and serving in the diocese. All of those things nurture me so that I can continue to serve faithfully right here. Thank you also for being a community that welcomes all who seek to know God's love and healing. 


Peace,

Fr. John Mark 

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Weekly Letter, 05/22/2025

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Weekly Letter, 05/15/2025

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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.
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