Dear Friends,
I enjoy a good story. My interest in scripture, faith stories, and all the ways those connect is a big part of why I am a priest. I want to make those connections and show how the big story of what God is doing also includes our stories. There is a difficulty sometimes when we focus on the particular while dismissing the whole. This happens with scripture and in our own lives.
While scripture can reveal to us the ways of God calling us to follow in a way of love, there are also some pretty rough parts. The authors present violent exploits as commanded by God, some passages call for strict adherence to certain practices and behaviors, and even Jesus speaks of harsh judgement. When I get baffled by those things I remind myself to back up and consider the whole story. As Christians, we confess that God took human form in Jesus and knew human suffering even unto a violent death at the hands of humans systems of power. Jesus was then raised from the dead and we can know Christ in us and us in Christ. That is the shorter version. It definitely matters with regard to how we see other parts of the story.
Because God in Christ has been victorious over death, we believe that there is nothing God can't overcome, transform or heal. In our stories, there is nothing that God can't forgive and make new. That is true for us as individuals and for all of humanity. The truth that I can be forgiven calls me to show some grace and acceptance to those who struggle to accept this mercy. It may well change the eyes through which we see those who exalt violence, condemnation, and hate.
I hold up this lens of storytelling as we are telling stories of our past 100 years as a parish. We are a bunch of faithful sinners through whom God has continued to work. We are living our stories in a time when the voices of hatred and separation seem to drown out the love and faithfulness that continues to bring the love of Christ to all. We can tell our stories and name both the good and the bad. When we look at our own stories through the lens of Christ's work we can see that God's love can transform our sins, our wounds, and even our getting hyper focused on the details of our stories.
Our purpose as a church is to reconcile all people to unity in Christ. Any story we read, share, or live is centered in that purpose. We worship together to give thanks and to name Christ with us. We serve in order to be the bread of Christ to others. We tell our stories with all their joy and sadness to name God's presence. Yes, we raise money to enhance our space so that we can go on sharing the Christ story. People are hungry for that bread and that presence. May we faithfully continue to share the big story of God's love.
Peace,
Fr. John Mark
OUR PAST . . .
100 YEARS OF MINISTRY - A special audio/video project is being produced this summer to commemorate our centennial as a Parish. "100 Years of Ministry at St. James" will feature recorded voices of parishioners sharing some of the history, impressions, and ongoing work of our ministry over the years. Our goal is to record at least 50 interviews between now and the end of August. The first stage of the project will produce a beautifully edited 100-minuteAUDIO file that will be completed by the end of September. Parts of the finished audio file will be shared during our Neighbor Day Celebration (Sep/Oct) and during the Old North Knoxville Holiday Home Tour (Dec 3 & 4). The second stage of the project will result in a wonderfully produced 100-minute VIDEO that will include photos and other graphics to enhance the texture of the storyline developed in the first stage. Specific portions of the final video will be shared in various ways throughout our continued Centennial Celebration in 2023.
Click the links below to listen to audio excerpts extracted from recent recorded interviews which are a part of this project.
ALTAR FLOWERS - It is a St. James tradition to place altar flowers/greenery in honor of or in thanksgiving for loved ones. Altar flowers/greenery are needed for September 18. Please contact the church office for information, lgoins@stjamesknox.org or 865-523-5687
John 1:46. Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."
Come with me into my garden in the early morning, where the birds sing and the spiders weave their webs. Pause near the azalea bush where the old shed stood and listen to something small and furry rustling in the underbrush. It's hard to go inside and begin the day's work after that. It must have been harder for Nathanael, studying the laws of Moses under the fig tree. Deep in fervent prayer that the Messiah would come, Nathanael is skeptical when Philip interrupts him and essentially says, "Guess what? We've found him!" But when Nathanael does meet Jesus, prayer turns into reality, and Jesus issues the simple, yet profound invitation: Come and see. Follow me. We are called to walk in the footprints that began in Nazareth so many years ago to reach out with love to our brothers and sisters. On that path, the blind will see, and the lame will walk, the hungry will be fed, and the poor will be given their own fig trees. It is on that path that we, too, will see heaven opened. source: Forward Day by Day
The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) would like to thank everyone who attended and who helped with last week's St. James celebration.
EPISCOPAL CHURCHMEN OF TENNESSEE - The Episcopal Churchmen of Tennessee are excited to be gathering in person "back on the mountain" this Aug 19 - 21 to renew old acquaintances and make new friends, all in the beautiful setting of the DuBose Conference Center in Monteagle, TN. There will be NO VIRTUAL OPTION this year so make sure you sign up to join in person. There will be all the traditional offerings of inspiring speakers, great food, Saturday afternoon activities, Eucharist at All Saints Sewanee, etc., as well as newer offerings that were popular last year - - Beer Brewing Contest and Campfire Discussions! Make the call now to be a part of the 76th Anniversary Celebration! Registration is now open at http://tnchurchmen.org.
TYSON HOUSE WORK DAY - You are invited to the annual Work Day at Tyson House on Aug 6 starting at 9 am! We need your help to prepare for students to return to campus in the Fall. We will be providing lunch for all volunteers and tasks for the day include gardening, litter pick-up, and cleaning inside and outside of the building! Volunteers are encouraged to bring work gloves and gardening tools. If you have questions, reach out to Caitlynne at tysonhouseadm@gmail.com or call us at 865-637-2031. We are the Lutheran and Episcopal Campus Ministry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
GRACE POINT - Carpool and Caravan to Grace Point Day, August 13. The St. James Episcopal Church Women will meet in the front parking lot at 10:00 a.m. to carpool to Grace Point Day, Saturday, August 13. All St. James folks are welcome to join the caravan! For information, please contact Nancy Pullen, nepullen@gmail.com; (415) 722-0139.
OUR FUTURE . . .
SPONSOR A CHAIR - Soon, our old pews will be replaced with new cathedral chairs which are being built especially for St. James. Each chair will be made from solid oak with a wood back and an upholstered seat. They will also have front & rear book racks along with comfortable kneelers. These chairs will offer much greater flexibility in seating arrangements. Five or six chairs aligned in a row and secured with ganging clamps will retain the look and feel of traditional pews.
Family, friends, and organizations are invited to "sponsor" individual chairs by making a $500 cash contribution to St. James Episcopal Church specifically designated for this purpose. In exchange for your cash contribution, the backside of each chair you sponsor will be fitted with an engraved brass plate, (approximately 5" W x 2.5" H), commemorating your gift. The engraved message may memorialize a loved one, or recognize someone else of your choosing. The flexible arrangement of our new chairs in the Nave will ensure your thoughtfulness and the person(s) you memorialize will be noticed by a much wider audience than brass plates affixed to the ends of traditional stationary pews.
Please click THIS LINK to access the form you may use to sponsor a chair and submit a payment. If you have additional questions about sponsoring one or more cathedral chairs, please contact kevin@stjamesknox.org or jwiggers@stjamesknox.org for more details.
OUR CENTENNIAL PRAYER
Lord Christ, the shepherd of the sheep, we give thanks for those
who have built up the work of St. James over the past 100 years.
Give us grace to continue in their faithfulness
by doing justice and mercy in this community.
Grant us generous hearts to support and build the resources
that will strengthen and continue our work of feeding and tending your sheep.
May we do all these things to your glory, you who reign with the Father and
the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
MAKING YOUR CENTENNIAL PLEDGE - Investing in the future of our ministry at St. James begins by making a pledge to our centennial capital campaign. You may pledge to make a gift in a single payment or several smaller payments over a period of time. Pledge totals are routinely tallied to track progress in raising the necessary funds to support our capital improvement plan. Once you have decided how much you would like to invest, you may submit your pledge by downloading a PAPER PLEDGE FORM, or by accessing our ONLINE PLEDGE FORM.
Visit sjNeighborday.com to browse this year's selection of auction items!
Thursday Study Group (Parish Hall and Zoom) 10 am - 11:15 am
Reading and discussing "The Inner work of Age Shifting from Role to Soul" by Connie Zweig , Ph.D.
Contact: nepullen@gmail.com or call 415-722-0139 for the link.
Praying the Anglican Rosary (Zoom) 7 pm - 8 pm
Cynthia Thornburg hosts 1 hour of praying the Anglican rosary. All are welcome!
Meeting ID: 836 8961 2206 | rosary
Contact: Cynthia Thornburg or Margaret Bickley
SUNDAYS
Sunday Morning Christian Formation (Conf Room A) 9:15 am - 10:15 am through August 28, 2022
"Episcopal Basics" - Some of the basic distinctives about being Episcopalian. We'll start by taking a look at the Book of Common Prayer, then look at our liturgy and let the conversation be guided by your questions. If you have been around for a while or just looking to learn more about the Episcopal way, join us.
Gospel Surprises(will resume via Zoom August 7th) 5 pm - 6 pm
Studying the Gospel.
Contact: mariewcantrell@gmail.com for the link.
MONDAYS
Centering Prayer (Zoom, or Library on fourth Monday) 6 pm - 7 pm
Studying Radical Wisdom: A Feminist Mystical Theology by Beverly J. Lanzetta. Zoom Link Meeting ID: 813 3584 8679 | Pray
TUESDAYS
Tuesday Morning Book Discussion Group(Zoom) 11 am - 12 pm The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World
About a conversation between Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama
Contact: mbick7@gmail.com, or call 865-384-7422 for link.
The Soul of the Indian (Zoom) 6 pm - 7 pm "Black Elk Speaks" by John G. Neihardt - the story of Black Elk,
an Oglala Lakota medicine man.
Contact: rondmorton@gmail.com for link.
WEDNESDAYS
Embracing Evangelism 6 pm - 7 pm
Daughters of the King sharing stories of God's presence in their life.
Contact: jeskepolyak@gmail.com
We apologize for any errors or omissions that may have occurred in this publication at press time.
For questions related to any content, please contact referenced ministry leaders or email: kevin@stjamesknox.org.
St. James Episcopal Church 1101 N. Broadway St. Knoxville, TN 37917
100 YEARS OF MINISTRY - A special audio/video project is being produced this summer to commemorate our centennial as a Parish. "100 Years of Ministry at St. James" will feature recorded voices of parishioners sharing some of the history, impressions, and ongoing work of our ministry over the years. Our goal is to record at least 50 interviews between now and the end of August. The first stage of the project will produce a beautifully edited 100-minute AUDIO file that will be completed by the end of September. Parts of the finished audio file will be shared during our Neighbor Day Celebration (Sep/Oct) and during the Old North Knoxville Holiday Home Tour (Dec 3 & 4). The second stage of the project will result in a wonderfully 
Click the links below to listen to audio excerpts extracted from recent recorded interviews which are a part of this project. 
ALTAR FLOWERS - It is a St. James tradition to place altar flowers/greenery in honor of or in thanksgiving for loved ones. Altar flowers/greenery are needed for September 18. Please contact the church office for information, 
John 1:46. Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."
The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) would like to thank everyone who attended and who helped with last week's St. James celebration.
EPISCOPAL CHURCHMEN OF TENNESSEE - The Episcopal Churchmen of Tennessee are excited to be gathering in person "back on the mountain" this Aug 19 - 21 to renew old acquaintances and make new friends, all in the beautiful setting of the DuBose Conference Center in Monteagle, TN. There will be NO VIRTUAL OPTION this year so make sure you sign up to join in person. There will be all the traditional offerings of inspiring speakers, great food, Saturday afternoon activities, Eucharist at All Saints Sewanee, etc., as well as newer offerings that were popular last year - - Beer Brewing Contest and Campfire Discussions! Make the call now to be a part of the 76th Anniversary Celebration! Registration is now open at 
TYSON HOUSE WORK DAY - You are invited to the annual Work Day at Tyson House on Aug 6 starting at 9 am! We need your help to prepare for students to return to campus in the Fall. We will be providing lunch for all volunteers and tasks for the day include gardening, litter pick-up, and cleaning inside and outside of the building! Volunteers are encouraged to bring work gloves and gardening tools. If you have questions, reach out to Caitlynne at 
GRACE POINT - Carpool and Caravan to Grace Point Day, August 13. The St. James Episcopal Church Women will meet in the front parking lot at 10:00 a.m. to carpool to Grace Point Day, Saturday, August 13. All St. James folks are welcome to join the caravan! For information, please contact Nancy Pullen, 
OUR FUTURE . . .
MAKING YOUR CENTENNIAL PLEDGE - 
