School is back in session. Even for folks who don't have students the changes can be seen and felt. That is especially true if you are commuting around school drop-off and pick-up times. For all of us, it is a good time to remember to pray for those students. The Book of Common Prayer has a lovely collect for this on page 829:
God our Father, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you, and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
As we pray that prayer may it also remind us that our faith story proclaims this way of failure as an opportunity to change and start anew. That is part of the liberation (aka salvation) story that runs throughout scripture. As a part of the Body of Christ, we proclaim that liberation in word and deed. That is a message all people need to hear. That is our mission as the Body of Christ.
Many people have found liberation and hope through this parish community. I am excited about the plans we have to improve our physical space that supports our ministry. The space itself is important. Your gift to our capital campaign helps us continue to be a place that welcomes others in the name of Christ.
Pray for our young people starting school, and pray that we may be a community that teaches them about Christ's liberating love. Share with someone your story of freedom, forgiveness, and faith.
Peace,
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 the 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.
John 4:32-34. But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." So the disciples said to one another, "Surely no one has brought him something to eat?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work."
When Jesus told the disciples he had food they knew nothing about, they were confused. Traveling constantly as they did, they must have been hungry all hours of the day. Had Jesus been hiding a sandwich? A pocket full of grapes? If so, why didn't he share? While the disciples are focuses on the material needs of the world, Jesus reminds them that they offered the food of comfort and healing to rich and poor. For Jesus, the hunger to do God's will is more powerful than physical hunger, since living out God's Word provides spiritual nourishment for themselves and others. We too are called to follow God's will by reaching out to feed everyone with the good news of the gospel. The fields are always ripe for harvesting, and we are surrounded by those hungering to know about God's love. Like the disciples,we too will be fed the fruit of eternal life by the Savior of the world. source: Forward Day by Day
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.
GRACE POINT - Carpool and Caravan to Grace Point Day, Aug 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.
EPISCOPAL EVANGELISM -There is a recent surge in interest around evangelism in The Episcopal Church, in part due to the inspiration and interest drawn by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. In 2016, Bishop Curry elevated evangelism to a top priority for the Episcopal Church, and it is being called Episcopal Evangelism. Do not get evangelism confused with marketing. Marketing is sharing how beautiful our parishes are, or how wonderful our music can be. Evangelism is a public witness to the Gospel and sharing the good news of God in Christ Jesus, in our own lives and how we personally experience that. Episcopalians are passionate about proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ in our words and actions. As Episcopalians we are already proclaiming what Jesus Christ has done in our lives. We do that by sharing our lives with each other. We all love a good story, we love to listen to one, we love to share one and we love to care about one. We do that every day when we talk to one another. When we share our lives and what God is doing for us through Christ with someone else, we are evangelizing. Episcopal Evangelism seeks, names, and celebrates Jesus’ loving presence in the stories of all people, then inviting them to more. If you are interested in learning more about Episcopal Evangelism at St. James, contact Drew Jeske-Polyak at jeskepolyak@gmail.com.
SILKY SMOOTH SUNDAY - Sunday, Aug 21, is Silky Smooth Sunday at St. James! Please bring hand/body lotion with you to church that Sunday morning and leave it with an usher so it can be distributed to our Helping Hands clients. As always, your generosity and support are appreciated!
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(Zoom) 5 pm - 6 pm
Studying the Gospel of John.
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
School is back in session. Even for folks who don't have students the changes can be seen and felt. That is especially true if you are commuting around school drop-off and pick-up times. For all of us, it is a good time to remember to pray for those students. The Book of Common Prayer has a lovely collect for this on page 829:
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 the 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.
John 4:32-34. But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." So the disciples said to one another, "Surely no one has brought him something to eat?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work."
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 
GRACE POINT - Carpool and Caravan to Grace Point Day, Aug 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, 
EPISCOPAL EVANGELISM -
SILKY SMOOTH SUNDAY - Sunday, Aug 21, is Silky Smooth Sunday at St. James! Please bring hand/body lotion with you to church that Sunday morning and leave it with an usher so it can be distributed to our Helping Hands clients. As always, your generosity and support are appreciated! 
MAKING YOUR CENTENNIAL PLEDGE - 
