The Shell December, 2015
St. James Episcopal Church 1307 North Main St.
Mount Airy, MD 21771 301.829.0325 www.stjamesmtairy.org
From the Rector – Keeping Advent
Dear St. James’ Parish Family, We have entered my favorite season of the church year, Advent. It is a time in which we can
build in pauses and deep breaths as the world around us spins faster and faster. Advent is a
season of hope and expectation, of reflection and preparation. It points us toward Bethlehem and
the birth of a baby, and also towards the fulfillment of God’s reign. In short, it is a time to get
ready.
Getting ready is usually an underrated thing. Often a part of our routine, we don’t always pay
attention to getting ready – we just do it and then move on to what’s important. But getting ready
is essential, and it deserves our attention.
Once upon a time I was a Sunday School teacher. There were two teachers in each class, and for
the teacher who sat by the door, part of our job was to stop each student as they entered the
room and ask them, “Are you ready?” Are you ready to hear a story? Are you ready to join the
circle? Are you ready to make community? A small thing, and it made all the difference. The
kids came running to class, feeding off of the frenetic Sunday morning energy of their families
(“Hurry up!” – “Get your shoes on!”- “Stop pestering your brother!”), and as joyful as their energy
was, inviting them into slowing down, pausing, and taking a breath, helped them be ready for what
was next.
That is Advent. It is the pause and the breath as we prepare to come close to the Mystery of
Christmas. There are lots of ways to keep Advent in your life and the lives of your family.
One is to make and use an Advent wreath. If you didn’t get a chance to make one at church on
November 29th that’s okay, you can still make one (see me for supplies if we still have them, or
suggestions on where to get stuff). Use the Advent wreath prayers & devotions booklet we have
at church and make it a point to light your candle every morning at breakfast or every evening at
dinner, using the prayers and reflections. Another way to keep Advent is to make time and space
in your life for a brief daily meditation. We have devotions you can pick up from church, but
there are many other wonderful resources out there. This year I’ve picked up Advent in Narnia
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Kristin+
by Episcopal priest Heidi Haverkamp. Another favorite is The Womb of Advent by another
Episcopal priest, Mark Bozutti-Jones. Check out Church Publishing or Cokesbury online and you’ll
find even more. And if something digital is more your speed, I always recommend www.d365.org.
It’s not just an Advent thing, but it’s a great way to ground yourself in this season.
Whatever you choose to do, my hope for all of us is that we make a point of getting ready during
this season that the church, in all her wisdom, has set aside for us at the beginning of each church
year.
Yours in God’s Peace,
Christmas Services at Saint James’
December 24, 4:30 pm – Family Christmas Eve Service with Christmas Pageant
December 24, 8:30 pm – Carols & Candlelight Eucharist (Musical Prelude beginning at
8:00)
December 25, 11:00 am – Christmas Day Eucharist
December 27, 9:30 am – Christmas Lessons & Carols Eucharist (combined service)
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Saint James’ Episcopal Church Sunday School
SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS
9:30-10:15 a.m. lower level
Preschool through high school
Advent is a time when we prepare our hearts that Jesus may be born in us. It is both a time for joyful preparation and repentance. How can everything
we do to prepare for Christmas make us ready to welcome God’s Gift? With the greenery scent filling the room, our Sunday School students, teachers and families began the Advent Season by making Advent wreaths during their group activity. We hope you had an opportunity to join us and take advantage of the Advent devotional materials provided by Rev. Kristin. December is a busy month so please mark your calendar for all our special events. Assignments are now taking place for our annual Christmas pageant to be held on December 24th during the Christmas Family Service at 4:30 p.m. Please see or contact Yvette Allen [email protected] to volunteer for a part in the pageant (narrators, angels, shepherds, sheep, musicians, singers…..). December dates 6, 13, 20 Regular Sunday School classes
24 Christmas Eve Worship: 4:30 p.m. Family Service w/Christmas Pageant
8:00 p.m. Christmas Vigil 8:30 p.m. Candlelight Holy Eucharist
27 Christmas Day Worship at 11:00 a.m. One Service at 9:30 a.m. Lessons & Carols
No Sunday School
Thank you……….Kali Nanavaty and Amber Peters for leading a skit recently for our Bible Story Preschoolers class……….to our St. James’ Sunday School Singers with “Mr. Jon” on the banjo (they will sing again during the Christmas Pageant)……….and to the many youth who so graciously participated in the Renewal of Ministry celebration. Job well done!
In thanksgiving for our volunteer teachers
Bible Stories for Preschoolers Yvette Allen (and parent volunteers) Kindergarten – 2nd Grades Betsy Davis 3rd – 5th Grades Addie Straus, Susan Straus 6th – 12th Grades Joan Fader, Peter Sabonis “4th Sunday Fun” Group Events Nancy Nanavaty Children’s Music Jon Fader
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St. James’ Nursery School Happenings ...
Scholastic Reading Club Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive
It’s time for the annual Scholastic Reading Club Great Bedtime Story
Pajama Drive benefiting Pajama Program, a nonprofit organization that
provides new pajamas and books to children in need. Since 2009, caring
classrooms across the country have risen to the challenge and donated
nearly 350,000 pairs of new pajamas. The Scholastic Reading Club has
more than matched those numbers with nearly 700,000 new books donated
directly to Pajama Program headquarters, where they are then distributed
across the country. Our school wants to be part of this drive again this
year. If you are able to participate, please bring in a new pair of pajamas
to St. James by December 3, 2015 and place them in the collection box on
the lower level outside of the school office.
Here are some simple guidelines for the pajamas:
Pajamas must be brand-new.
Pajamas in all sizes are needed—from newborn to adult.
Pajamas must be in complete sets or nightgowns.
Pajamas in children’s sizes must be manufactured as pajamas—this ensures
that they are flame-retardant and safe.
Thank you for helping us share the gift of a good night’s sleep and a sweet
bedtime story.
St. James' Nursery School Staff
St. James’ Nursery School Happenings ...
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It’s Quartermania Time !!!
St. James' Quartermania semi-annual fundraising event is now less than
ONE WEEK away! The fun will begin on FRIDAY, DEC 4th, here at St.
James'--doors will open at 6 pm with the games beginning at 7
pm. Delicious refreshments will also be available for purchase through-
out the evening.
For those who may not know, Quartermania is a game that can be
played by anyone from three to 93--a great family activity! Imagine a
game that combines Bingo and an Auction using only quarters with lots
of prizes to bid on! This will be a great night to begin your holidays by
gathering with your family and friends to win special gifts for yourself
and your loved ones. Let's fill some tables with our wonderful St.
James' family!!
Vestry Nominations ...
We are taking nominations for the 2016-2019 Vestry Class. Please pray
about whether you are called to serve as a leader in our community in this
way, or whether there are others you think might be. There will be a box
in the narthex starting this Sunday with nomination forms. If you are
interested but would like to learn more about what it means to serve on
Vestry, please talk to one of our outgoing members: Mary Hutchins-Danna,
Carol Buckley, Robert Dwarkin, Margaret Neff.
Notice of Annual Meeting
The 2016 St. James’ Episcopal Church Annual Meeting will be Sunday,
January 31, 2016 at 9:30 am. More information about the deadline
for submitting Annual Reports will be forthcoming.
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Gathering in our Deep Roots & New Shoots ...
Thank you to everyone who was able to turn in their 2015 Pledge Cards last
Sunday! Now is the time to get your pledge in so we can plan our 2016
budget. Please put your card in the plate on Sunday or mail it to the parish
office. Extra pledge cards are on the small table in the narthex.
Mount Airy Net’s Specific Needs ...
Mount Airy Net is in need of the items listed below. All items can be placed in
the grocery cart located in the Narthex at St. James. The Outreach Committee
will make sure the items are taken to Mt. Airy Net. Thank you all for everything
you do. The world is a better place when we work together.
Personal Care Items Canned Meat Canned Fruit
Canned Vegetables Snacks Quick Pack Lunches
Soup Pasta Cereals
Oatmeal Rice Potato Flakes
Condiments Salad Dressing Boxed Dessert Mixes
Please remember to utilize AmazonSmile when purchasing your holiday gifts this year. A donation
of 0.5% will be given to St. James’.
The Shell, December, 2015 Page 7
Angel Tree Gifts and Christmas Dinner:
Support for Mt. Airy Net Families and Pleasant View Residents
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas and yes, that is a Christmas Tree with
Angels in our Narthex. The Outreach Committee is pleased to announce we are
supporting three Mt. Airy Net families (the same families we supported for
Thanksgiving) and twenty Pleasant View residents for Christmas this year. Our
Angel Tree presents the gift requests for each of our Mt. Airy Net family
members and our Pleasant View residents, while the Christmas Dinner poster
board presents the dinner item requests.
The Mt. Airy Net family gifts are identified on the red, green and blue angels;
one color for each family. Each set of angels defines one gift and provides
information on the recipient's sex, age, and size if needed. The Pleasant View
gifts are identified on the yellow angels. Some angels are setup for a specific
size/gender sweat shirt, while others identify a "set" of toiletries. Please keep in
mind that the sweat shirts are for daily use, so they should not make reference to
the holiday season. The "set" of toiletries are consistent with the only difference
between the Male and Female tags being cologne/aftershave verses perfume/body
spray. Please provide a complete set containing one of each item in a "regular"
size, not travel sizes.
How the Angel Tree works
There are two tags for each gift request. 1) Select your gift by taking a set of angels off the tree
2) Separate the two angels
3) Tag 2 - fill out your name and phone # and put it in the envelope on the angel tree poster on the
bulletin board
4) Tag 1 - take Tag 1 with you, purchase the requested item, attach Tag 1 to the gift, and bring it
back to St. James
5) Leave the gift with Tag 1 attached under the angel tree on or before noon on December 20th.
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Page 8 The Shell, December, 2015
We are also providing Christmas Dinner for the three Mt. Airy Net
families. The Christmas Dinner sign up list is posted in the Narthex and a
bin to collect the dinner items has been setup for each family. Please put
your name in the slot on the dinner signup sheet and bring it to St. James no
later than noon on December 20th. If you are bringing items that need to
be kept cold you may put them in the refrigerators/freezers in the kitchen
with a note identifying the purpose/family, also please place a reminder note
in the bin, so we know to look in the refrigerator for the item.
Our Mt. Airy Net families will be picking up the gifts and dinner items on
December 20th between 12:30 and 1:00. The Outreach Committee
members will deliver the Pleasant View gifts in time for the holiday
activities.
Feel free to reach out to any Outreach Committee member if you have
questions or contact Patty Bullington at 301-455-8387 or
The Outreach Committee thanks everyone for your support and wishes you
all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
St. James’ Outreach: Thanksgiving Dinner Delivered Successfully
The Outreach Committee wanted to share the successful completion
of our Thanksgiving Dinner food collection on Sunday, 11/22. Thanks
to our generous congregation, all of the dinner items were received,
sorted, and ready for pickup without a hitch. Upon arrival the families
were welcomed, the cars were quickly packed up, and a Thanksgiving
blessing was shared. All of the families were very grateful and
sincerely appreciative of our support. To top it off, we may be
graced with their participation at our Christmas Eve children's
service.
Once again, St. James outreach efforts have provided warmth and
generosity to those in need of a little "extra" help in this holiday
season. Thank you all for your support of this valuable ministry.
1 JT Conlon
3 Jennifer Hansen Grimes
Joseph Snyder
4 Sharon Hansen
9 Ellery Murdock
10 Deb Schaeffer
11 Charlotte Grimes
December Birthdays !!!
December Memorials:
In Memory Of…
Jane Kendall, sister of Audrey Phillips
on her December birthday
John Kaufman, father of Tom Kaufman
on the anniversary of his passing
11 Michael Mauro
15 Craig Coughlin
19 Marilyn Hancock
20 Lynn Carr
22 Charlotte Oswald
23 Connor Peters
24 Christopher Swetz
27 Ryan Lemig
28 Thomas Williams
29 Phillip Barazotto
30 Jackson Batdorff
Dee Moore
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