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 yallen@asbury.org 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’.

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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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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

pcmorris@mindspring.com.

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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