Dear Friends,

Another month begins! We are approaching Labor Day which has come to mean the official end of summer for so many. From the name of the day, we can gather that it is indeed about celebrating the contributions of workers in various fields. I celebrate Labor Day as a revelation of Christ working in the world. The changes that brought safer working conditions, reduced child labor, and better wages is an example of Good News to the oppressed. Let us celebrate and also pray for those who labor. 

We labor on as we work in our community to spread the Good News of hope and liberation. It won't be too long before you get a call from our Justice Knox team leaders inviting you to a house meeting. Our Doorstep Ministry group is seeing record numbers of requests for snack bags. Our prison ministry group has resumed visits and group meetings at Morgan County Prison. These and other ministries are ways we reach out to folks and share God's love. 

In worship, we bring the fruits of our labor and offer them at the altar. Have you noticed that as we bless the bread and wine we leave the offering plates and the Helping Hands Ministry group basket on the table? We do that as a symbol that those things are also blessed. Those tokens that represent our work are blessed, broken, and used to continue to bless others. Thank you for your labor of loving, and giving to make St. James a community that welcomes all. 

Peace, 

Fr. John Mark