Advent Anticipation! Look Inside For... Susan + Page 2 Bishop Committee Reports. Page 3 Holiday Worship Schedule

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1 Volume 10, Issue 12 December 2018 Look Inside For... Page 2 Bishop Committee Reports Page 3 Holiday Worship Schedule Page 4 Advent Giving Tree of Life Labyrinth Blanket Drive Page 5 Children & Family Ministries Acolyte Schedule Page 6 Fellowship Opportunities Annual Meeting Outreach Ministries Page 7 Lent to Lent Bible My Journey With Grief Page 8 Thank You s Page 9 C FFA Adult Bible Classes Why We Do What We Do Winter Family Camp Page 10 Deacon s Corner Around the Diocese Advent Anticipation! T he first Sunday of Advent, and the beginning of our new liturgical year, is also the first Sunday of December this year. How many of us are so focused on Christmas that we let the longer season of growth and anticipation that is Advent slip by with barely a glance in the rearview mirror? There are years when I d definitely have my hand up, but all in all it s a real shame because we re missing out on something very special: four glorious weeks of preparation for the glorious and mysterious possibilities of the incarnation. Or to put it slightly differently, we are blessed to have four weeks to prepare for Christ to be born in us anew, and to delve deep in anticipation of Christ s coming again in glory. We re also forgetting that the twelve (yes, only twelve) days of Christmas don t begin until Christmas Day, ending with the celebration of Epiphany on January 6 th. S o let s talk about our much anticipated renewal in Christ. There s certainly a strong theme of new beginnings during the season of Advent, presenting us with a great opportunity to reflect on our spiritual lives, and how we re growing in faith (or not), and maturing in our discipleship (or not, as the case may be). As we might expect with God s great reversal, the season of Advent is essentially antithetical to worldly preparations for Christmas. Quite often at this time of year, we re cluttering up our lives with tantalizing new stuff or preparing lists of what we want. On the flip side, our Advent preparations are gently inviting us to de-clutter, or prune away our accumulated material and spiritual junk to make room for new life and new growth in Christ. W e all love new stuff! But Advent anticipation isn t about stuff, it s about the most important relationship we will ever establish and cultivate: our relationship with Christ Jesus. So what if this year, we commit to setting aside, or at least drastically culling, our own lists of new stuff we want in favor of waiting patiently for all the new life-giving, liferedeeming and life-sustaining gifts that God wants to give us? I nstead of eyeing mysterious presents under a tree, we can be present to the Presence within. With God s help we can unwrap the mystery of divine love and compassion, grace and hospitality that has the power to transform us, so we can transform the world. With God s help we can simplify our lives, and perhaps thereby help others to simply live, to paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi. When we hold all things lightly, we more readily appreciate our role as God s stewards, not owners of all our blessings and resources. Living simply helps us to become increasingly grateful for the more important aspects of authentic life beyond material stuff. Simplifying our lives also helps us to see more clearly God s hand at work in the world about us. O ne of the saddest expressions of secularism at work in us and the world today is to greedily fill ourselves up, instead of taking time to graciously empty ourselves and make more room for Christ in our hearts, minds and daily lives. Emptying ourselves in anticipation of the Lord s coming is a simple act of hospitality, which is one of the most important characteristics of God in Christ Jesus. It s also an invitation for God to act. We re revealing our willing anticipation of Christ filling us with the greatest gifts ever: life and love. Gifts we, in turn, can share with others in the integrity of our faith. Susan +

2 Page 2 Treasurer s Update January 1 through November 25, 2018 Actual Budgeted Year-to-Date operating income is about $11,000 lower than our budget planning, but YTD operating expenses are $17,000 lower than the budget! So we e have been doing a very good job of managing expenses in 2018! Your total giving (including restricted donations to such things as the building fund) is strongly ahead of last year, so we should end 2018 in YTD Operating Income YTD Operating Expense YTD Surplus / (Deficit) $ 211,039 $ 210,858 $ 181 $ 222,793 $ 227,972 $ -5,179 good financial shape. We have paid our full Mission Share to date and have therefore received a rebate from the Diocese of $1,122. Note that Mission Share rebates must be spent on Outreach. As always, please let us know if you have questions or concerns! Gerry Carlston (pgcarlston@cox.net) Ann Marie Bellamy-Bartholomew (abellamybartholomew@hotmail.com) Co-Treasurers From the Senior Warden For someone who enjoys bird watching, this is a great time of year. The migratory birds are starting to show themselves. Anecdotally, I have never felt more relaxed than I do after a day of watching and photographing birds in the wild. More often than not, I end up with more than 15,000 steps stalking and trying to get that perfect, in my opinion, picture. The Journal of Otolaryngology, as recent as last July, published research citing that bird watching aids in decreasing anxiety and depression. Consider me a disciple to this line of thought. This is because we are taking time to slow down and observe. We realize that we are not alone in our environment and realizing this we become better humans. I am constantly amazed at how alive our environment is. We just need to lift up our heads to see it. Possibly this thing that excites me the most about St. James is how, institutionally, we acknowledge that we are not alone in our environment. Our environment is very much alive. We worship in a very privileged part of Tempe, but if you look at our outreach focus we are very good at putting our privilege aside and seeing the need of those who do not share our privilege. This is something that is very hard to do, but we are St. James and we do the hard stuff. Peace, Bob Klassen This past week our nation celebrated Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for St James Episcopal Church. Many people came to help with Habitat for St James. We were able to clean and organize the kitchen; build up rocks and sand along the north side of the church to help prevent water damage to the foundation; and perhaps the most obvious work was done leveling the field along Warner and laying out river rocks for our new labyrinth. So a Junior Warden Report special thanks to the following people who helped out: Ellie and Larry Kenyon (who not only worked on cleaning the kitchen, but also made a wonderful lunch), Dustin, Kelly and Vicki Harris (who also donated a second wheel barrow), Bob and Alicia Klassen, Chuck Longo, Janet Oatfield, Joan Besonsen, Eileen Flock, Kim Gillespie, Randy Maughan, Jack Boyd, Donna & Clara Christensen, Amy Sabiers, Susan & Steve Wilmot and Robin Hollis. Thanks also to Jay & Diana Chambers who also donated a wheel barrow to St James. If I missed acknowledging anyone, please know that your help and work was appreciated. As your Warden, I want to be responsive to your suggestions and concerns regarding the physical structure of St. James. I cannot address issues if I don t know about them, so please feel free to contact me at my address (queenbead1130@gmail.com), by phone (623) or talk to me directly when you see me at Church. Denise Boyd Bishop s Committee Meeting Thursday, December 6th 10:30 am At Your Service: Your Bishop s Committee Bob Klassen (Bishop s Warden) Denise Boyd (Junior Warden) Ann Marie Bellamy-Bartholomew (Co-Treasurer) Gerry Carlston (Co-Treasurer) Mary Hovden Larry Kenyon Tara Papaccio

3 Page 3 Angel Tree Sunday Sunday, December 9th Christingle Sunday Sunday, December 16th 10:30 Service December Taizé Service Wednesday, December 19th 5:30 pm 4 Advent Please join us for a very special 4 Advent worship service at 9:30 am on December 23, We will have the opportunity to enjoy the amazing production of the Noels again this year. Following the service there will be chamber music in the round. This is a very special way to end our Advent devotions and prepare for Christmas Eve worship and our celebration of Christ s birth! Christmas Eve Services 6:00 pm Family Candlelight Service A Godly Play Christmas All children and youth are invited to participate and help tell the story of Christmas. 9:00 pm Traditional Candlelight Service Christmas Day One service at 11:00 am Our Christmas Day service will be followed by Christmas luncheon! All are welcome. 1 Christmas - December 30th One service at 9:30 am in the contemporary style. Our regular worship schedule of 8:30 am and 10:30 am returns on Sunday, January 6, 2019!

4 Page 4 Advent Giving for Refugee Ministries This year to mark the season of Advent, we re inviting everyone to remember the (mostly) women and children who are living in shelters just over the border in Mexico while they wait for their legal applications for refugee status to be processed. We are so blessed in our abundance and our ability to share our God-given resources with those who have so little and so each Sunday of Advent you re invited to share the love by bringing in the requested items that will be taken to the refugee shelters in Mexico. Thanks for your support! 1 Advent Sunday December 2nd Diapers of all sizes and baby wipes. 2 Advent Sunday December 9th Undies Sunday women s, men s and children s underwear of all sizes are welcome, as are socks! 3 Advent Sunday December 16th Dental and personal care items including feminine hygiene products. 4 Advent Sunday December 23rd Backpacks and bedding. Never forget that anticipation is an important part of life. Work's important, family's important, but without excitement, you have nothing. You're cheating yourself if you refuse to enjoy what's coming. Nicholas Sparks Blankets For Navajoland Blankets galore! Big thanks to all at St James who donated blankets to help keep our brothers & sisters in Navajoland warm this winter. The blankets have been blessed and will go north with our love! The Tree of Life Labyrinth is now complete and ready to be part of your spiritual journey!

5 The busy part of the year is here so to help with scheduling I am including all the events we will be offering for the month of December: December 2nd: December 9th: 10 am - 11 am Godly play Advent 1 10 am - 11 am Godly Play Advent 2 11 am - 11:30 am Finishing craft ornaments 11:45 am - 12:30 pm Send out drivers to 11:45 am - 2:30 pm Greening of the church and Advent craft deliver angel tree gifts. December 16th: 10 am - 11 am Godly Play Advent 3 & 4 11 am - 11:30 am Christingle (Prepare the oranges for the congregation) 11:30 am - 11:45 am Present the Christingle service for the congregation and get donations for children s outreach. 11:45 am - 12:30 pm Lunch 12:30 pm - 2 pm EYC - Treasure Hunters (Games and White elephant gifts) December 24th: 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm Godly Play Christmas story I am looking for some to help with this event as I will be out of town. Please me at eflock@cox.net if you are able to help. December 31st - January 1st: 5:30 pm - 10 am Lock in I am in need of some help with this event as well. I need an adult to come at 5:30 pm and hang out with me until Kevin arrives after he is done with work. Kevin and I will stay during the overnight hours and until the pick- up in the morning on January 1 st. Eileen Flock eflock@cox.net (480) (cell phone) DATE 8:30 am Service 10:30 am Service 2018 December 2 John B. C = Allison BU=Dylan December 9 Pamela P. C = Dylan BU=Allison December 16 Elliot C = Colin BU = Brandon December 23 One Service at 9:30 am C = Pamela P. December 24 Acolyte Schedule for December :00 pm C = Aly TB = Colin & Allison 9:00 pm C = Pamela P. TB = Barbara & Alison Bell December 25 One Service at 11:00 am C = TBD December 30 One Service at 9:30 am C = Barbara Page 5

6 Page 6 RigaTony s Tuesday, December 11th 6:00 pm 1850 W. Warner Road, Tempe It s that time of year for the ladies of St James to gather for dinner & enjoy the Christmas spirit before we all get so busy with the holiday activities. Join Us for Lunch!! Thursday, December 27th 11:30 am Biscuit s 4623 E. Elliot Road, Phoenix (SW corner 48th & Elliot) St James Bookies December s book is I ve Got My Eyes on You by Mary Higgins Clark. We will meet Sunday, December 30th, after the 9:30 service at Panera Bread, 1707 W. Warner. Please bring a wrapped book for the gift exchange. Save the date for our Annual Meeting and potluck lunch which will be held after the 10:30 service on Sunday, January 27th, We ll elect new members to the Bishop s Committee and celebrate all the great ministries in God s service here at St. James. The greatness of community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members, a heart of grace and a soul generated by love. -- Coretta Scott King First Fruits Sunday, December 2nd! We celebrate the first Sunday of each month as First Fruits Sunday. Thanks to all who already bring in non -perishable food items. Your gifts make a difference. This is a great way to put our faith into action, and to continue our Lord s mission to care for, and feed our hungry neighbors. St. James Monthly Outreach to our hungry neighbors is at the UMOM Halle Shelter. There are 7 spots available each month. Please sign up for our next service evening beginning at 5pm and ending about 6:00pm on Friday, December 14th. The Halle shelter is located at 3424 E. Van Buren Street, Phoenix, AZ Anyone who is 13 years and up is welcome to be part of the team. Also, please remember that if you sign up you are committing to show up, otherwise we ll be short staffed. If you can t come please arrange for a replacement.

7 Page 7 Dwelling in the Word: The Lent-to-Lent Bible Challenge December is a busy month, but don t give up on your reading of God s word! During November we heard the last of Jeremiah s prophetic words, read his Lamentations and some of the prophet Ezekiel. We were blessed to continue our look at the prayers of the psalmists that so often echo our own prayers. As well as the epistles of Peter, John, Jude and the first half of the mysterious and comforting Revelation to John. As usual, here are some reflection questions with blessings for your lifechanging journey through the Bible. Despite the challenges Jeremiah faces, he never stops sharing God s word. Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians and the prophecies are fulfilled. When have you felt exiled from God? What was happening in your life at the time? Is God ever really absent? The book of Lamentations reflects great sorrow and grief. When have you experienced God s judgment for your actions or injustice because of the actions of others? Looking at our world today what people are facing forced exile because of violence and injustice in their countries of origin? How can we help? Readings from the Book of Lamentation feature significantly in one of our Holy Week service offerings. Do you know which one? The prophet Ezekiel is a contemporary of Jeremiah. What do you make of Ezekiel s amazing visions in Ezekiel 1? How do God s words in Ezekiel 2:4 still apply today? Ezekiel proclaims the people s idolatry as faithlessness and the reason behind God s judgment. How do we still struggle with our modern day idols? How does Ezekiel speak to us about living in the integrity of our faith in Ezekiel 18? What is God saying to us through Ezekiel s prophetic words concerning the valley of the dry bones? (See Ezekiel 37). What does it mean to thirst for God with our soul? (See Psalm 67) Despite the many difficulties David faces from enemies, he remains faithful to God and always brings his laments and cries for help to the Lord (see Psalm 69). How do you deal with life s challenges? What do you notice about Psalm 72 and many of the successive psalms? Why is that important? There s no doubt that we live in troubled and difficult times. How does 1 Peter encourage us to hope? How has 1 Peter 3 been abused, and what does it really mean? 2 Peter 1:5-8 encourages us to intentionality in our spiritual growth. Where are you on that path? John exhorts us Do not love the world or anything in the world (1 John 2:15). What does he mean? How do we test the spirits (1 John 4)? How do you persevere in faith, even in the face of today s scoffers? (see Jude). From Revelation chapters 2-3 do you recognize today s church? Why or why not? Susan + Exploring My Journey of Grief This new session will be held on Saturdays, for 6 weeks, beginning Saturday, December 15th, at 1:00 pm in the Library. We are pleased to be hosting this grief group for any adults experiencing and coping with loss and grieving. The group is open to anyone (i.e., friends, neighbors) who wants to participate, regardless of faith. It is most appropriate for widows and widowers, experiencing the loss of long time intimate partners. Our group leader will be Kate Bertrand, MA, Adult Education.

8 Page 8 We are very grateful to Chuck and Marlene Longo for providing all the beautiful new plants for the memorial garden. The garden looks lovely and is such a peaceful place for people to pray and reflect. Thanks to all who joined Pastor Susan and Steve Wilmot at TRES restaurant for the St James Happy Hour Social. The food was delicious, the service was impeccable, the conversations were lively, and the fellowship was warm and friendly. A wonderful time was had by all. Please consider joining us for the next social in a couple of months. We are grateful to Tim McBurney for taking all the shelf-stable food donated by parishioners at St. James over to St. Stephen s Church for their food bank/pantry. St. Stephen s Food Pantry provides nourishing foods to those in the community who cannot afford them. Parishioners from many churches bring food items to church each Sunday that are subsequently organized, assembled, and distributed by a team of volunteers from St. Stephen s to those in need. Kudos to Denise Boyd for organizing the Habitat for St. James Day on November 17 th. We had 20 volunteers who worked in the Memorial Garden, on the labyrinth, painting in the library, and cleaning-up and cleaningout the kitchen cabinets, freezer and refrigerator. A big shout out to our volunteers, Dustin, Kelly & Vicki Harris, Bob & Alicia Klassen, Susan & Steve Wilmot, Denise & Jack Boyd, Chuck Longo, Janet Oatfield, Joan Besonen, Eileen Flock, Kim Gillespie & Randy Maughan, Donna & Clara Christensen and Amy Sabiers. These dedicated church work warriors labored from 8 a.m. to 12:00 noon and were then rewarded to a special lunch prepared and served by Ellie & Larry Kenyon. Funding for the lunch was donated by Robin Hollis. Thank you, Robin. Lovingly, The Hospitality Team What a Team!

9 Page 9 Christian Formation For All (CFFA) We continue our study of Journey s with Jesus in the Bible this month in the library between services at 9:45 am. This month we ll focus on Jesus last week in Jerusalem and his crucifixion and resurrection. Walk with us and feel free to bring a friend! Other CFFA Opportunities Susan + Centering Prayer for spiritual health provides a way to experience God s presence in our lives, and equips us to live faithfully and in the abundance of God s love. All are welcome and invited! Centering prayer is 3:15-3:45 pm on Wednesday afternoons in the sanctuary. We will be taking a two week Christmas-New Year break on Wednesday, December 26, 2018 and Wednesday, January 2, Women in the Word, our Women s Bible Study group, continues our study of key Bible stories from the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. We meet at 4:00 pm on Wednesday afternoons in the sanctuary. All women are welcome! Please note that we ll be taking a two week Christmas-New Year break on Wednesday, December 26, 2018 and Wednesday, January 2, Men s Bible Study meets every Thursday at the home of Deacon Fritz Huls (2620 N. 68th Street, Building 7, Apt. 103, Scottsdale, 85257) at 6:30 pm. All men welcome! Why We Do What We Do! If you are interested in learning more about the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement, our traditions and beliefs and way of worship, then please come to the Why We Do What We Do. Our class continues on Sunday, December 9th after the 10:30 worship service in the library. Christmas in the Pines Winter Family Camp January 4-6, 2019 Give yourselves the gift of time together at Chapel Rock! To end our twelve days of Christmas, let's keep celebrating, and ring in Epiphany together in a beautiful place. We'll have stories, a campfire, carols, cocoa, crafts, and lots of holiday fun to finish the season. Prices range from $175 to $480 depending on number and ages of children. Partial financial assistance is available, (contact Jana Sundin, (602) ).

10 Page 10 Christmas Gifts of Blessings & Hope The excitement builds as we begin a new year yes Happy New (Church) Year! We find ourselves preparing to celebrate the miracle birth and prepare ourselves for how we can grow in faith. While our Church calendar begins anew for the life cycle and the wonder of God s Son on earth, it also brings expectation and for many, the renewed sense of hope. Now is a time to reflect and make our lists, not just the naughty and nice lists but take inventory of our blessings. It s a time to look back and see how we ve been changed, how well we have shared, and what we will change for the future. While we wait and prepare for our Lord s coming, we can examine what we need to do to fulfill our baptismal covenant promises. How can we bring hope to this chaotic and uncertain world? How can we help with those on the margins? How can we share our gifts? Our lives are very full and rich, overflowing to the wider community through our many outreach efforts. This is our gift to the world, not just material items, but sharing ourselves and our faith through our words and actions. God is giving us the greatest gift we can ever receive and now it s up to us to pay it forward. Let us use this time to be embraced Deacon s in God s love for us and prepare to bring blessings and hope to those in need. Listening with our hearts can help us prepare for the guidance of the Corner Holy Spirit! Christmas Blessings, Deacon Robin Around the Diocese A Second Half of Life Spirituality Seminar featuring Fr. Richard Rohr Saturday, January 19, :30 AM - 3:30 PM St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church 6715 N. Mockingbird Lane Scottsdale, AZ Everyone is welcome, and all parishioners 50+ in age are invited to use the Special Discount Code: 50PLUS when registering to receive a 20% discount off general admission pricing of $40 that Bishop Smith is offering to seniors. To register you may go to and make your payment with a credit card, using the Special Discount Code, as it applies. Admission to this event includes a box lunch. You may want to consider assisting parishioners with the online registration or arranging shared transportation, as needed. From The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Arizona: "God willing and the people consenting, we shall soon gather to celebrate the consecration of our new bishop. This will be our first true opportunity to show Bishop-Elect Jennifer Reddall our support and the joy we have in calling her as our shepherd and guide. The Standing Committee of the Diocese wants every member to have a chance to contribute to her ordination gifts, such as vestments, with any overage going to the new Bishop's discretionary fund. In the first weeks of Advent, you will be given several opportunities to contribute, directly through your local congregation, online at this secure website: or by making your checks payable to the Diocese of Arizona. Please make your contribution at the level you can to ensure as full and robust participation of all members of the diocese as possible. Please talk to your church leadership for more information. Any additional funds gathered by us will be used for the discretionary fund for the new bishop as she begins her ministry with us."