September 25, 2022 8 am - Holy Eucharist – Rite I
9:15 am - Adult Christian Formation 10:30 am - Holy Eucharist – Rite II
10:30 am - Children Christian Formation
Dear Friends,
Things are happening at St. James. We had a lovely picnic (thanks ECW!) We will bless backpacks this Sunday. Kids and grown-ups are welcome to bring backpacks, briefcases, and saddle bags to be blessed. This Sunday night, youth (grades 6-12) are invited to join other Knoxville youth from 4:00-7:00 to gather for study worship and dinner at Tyson House. Our ECW is actually providing dinner that night. That isn't everything that is happening!
You will shortly receive a letter about our annual stewardship campaign. Your giving helps keep things happening. I am writing you this on a day when we fed 30 people with snack lunches, and helped get someone a bus ticket home after being stranded here. That was happening as bulletins were being produced, capital campaign work was being done, and I heard some music rehearsal as I was leaving to go visit someone at the hospital. Your gift keeps all this ministry and more moving forward. Use the pledge card or pledge online.
I forgot to mention that members of our Justice Ministry recently had some training and planned a season of house meetings. That happened on the heels of a moving funeral that so many folks came together to make happen. Sign up for Neighbor Day and check out the events that are happening. I am going to stop. You can read this email to see more things that are going on. I hold all of this up not to wave the "so busy" flag. I name these things to celebrate the many ways we connect with each other and our community. People are longing for some connection. We can help connect with God's love and grace. Keep living that mission.
Thanks for sharing that love and connection with me as well.
Peace,
Fr. John Mark
OUR PAST . . .
100 YEARS OF MINISTRY - The special oral documentary being produced to commemorate our centennial has now successfully recorded and edited close to 400 soundbites and stories shared by more than 20 members of our church family. "100 Years of Ministry at St. James" will feature these recorded voices as they reveal some of the history, impressions,ongoing work of our ministry over the years. We hope to have a beautifully edited 100-minuteAUDIO file completed by the end of September. Parts of the finished documentary will be shared during our Neighbor Day Celebration (Sep/Oct) and during the Old North Knoxville Holiday Home Tour (Dec 3 & 4).
BONUS TRACKS - Here are two additional "bonus" audio tracks recorded this week by Mary Muir using our Centennial Sentiments phone line. Please consider calling 865-357-0703 and sharing some of your sentiments.
Esther 7:2a. On the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, "What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted to you."
This is the moment of truth for Esther. It has arrived, and Esther now must answer. We've watched Esther go from being a beautiful, but passive girl to an active, courageous woman with a monumental calling to save her people. It's time for her to speak up. Michael Lindsay, author of Hinge Moments: Making the Most of Life's Transitions, would call this a hinge moment for Esther. The king is giving Esther what Lindsay describes as "the opportunity to open (or close) doors to various pathways of our lives." All of us have encountered hinge moments, big and small. Are we going to speak up about an injustice? Are we going to move? Are we going to turn down the job? Are we going to intervene in workplace or playground bullying? Are we going to step up to volunteer in an organization that is working to heal our broken world? Our hinge moments might not be as dramatic as Esther's experience but we know that God is present in all of them. Source: Forward Day by Day
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN - St. James Neighbor Day Online Auction 2022 for our Outreach Ministries is ready to launch on Saturday, September 24, 2022. Participation is open to anyone who resides in the City and County. REGISTRATION is now open. Go to https://sjneighborday.com/registration/. Don't get left behind, register NOW!
MATCHING DONOR - At least one neighbor has generously offered to match the total amount raised during the 2022 St. James Neighbor Day Celebration & fundraising event up to $10,000. You can be a matching donor too! Simply contact Kevin or Drew at jeskepolyak@gmail.com and let us know the limit on the amount you will match. It can be hundreds of dollars, thousands of dollars, or tens of thousands of dollars! You can choose to be recognized as a matching donor or remain an "anonymous" matching donor. By becoming a matching donor, you help to significantly magnify the impact of all other donors, essentially doubling the amounts of the gifts they can contribute. So, for example, their $500 gift, (whether a check written to the auction, or the winning bid on an auction item). becomes worth $1,000!
CHILDREN'S MINISTRY - Classes have begun again, two classes are available. Both classes are offered during the 10:30 am Service for youth ages 5-8 and pre-teens age 9-13. Contact our Children's Formation Coordinator, Theresa Russell for additional information, tde444@yahoo.com.
CHILDREN'S BACKPACKS - All are invited to our annual Blessings of the Backpacks to begin the school year just right. Bring the children's backpacks, your briefcase, or even a laptop. Join us Sunday, September 25, at the 10:30 am Service. It does not matter if you use a backpack for kindergarten, grammar school, high school, college or work, get a blessing for the upcoming year. Especially wishing all students and teachers a safe and blessed year.
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS - This time of year, people in various places may notice something odd. A procession of animals, everything from dogs and cats to hamsters and even horses, is led to churches for a special ceremony called the Blessing of Pets. This custom is conducted in remembrance of Saint Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures. St. Francis, whose feast day is October 4th, loved the larks flying about his hilltop town. He and his early brothers, staying in a small hovel, allowed themselves to be displaced by a donkey. Francis wrote a Canticle of the Creatures, an ode to God’s living things. “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.” And there was testimony in the cause for Saint Clare of Assisi’s canonization that referred to her little cat! This year we will celebrate his life by honoring our pets on Sunday, October 2nd, after the 10:30 am service, in the Courtyard.
FREE NEIGHBOR DAY CONCERT - St. James Episcopal Church, 1101 N. Broadway, invites you to a FREE Outdoor Concert, Tuesday, Oct 4, 6:00 pm. Sean McCollough will perform “Hear John Henry’s Hammer Ring—Moving Beyond Black and White Images of Appalachian Music.” With guitar, banjo, and mandolin, he will play and sing while demonstrating the history of Appalachian music, including British ballads and fiddle tunes, the story of the African banjo and Black string bands, coal mining songs, and contemporary Americana. Please bring your own chairs. Food trucks will be there, too!A Love Offering will be collected in support of St. James Outreach ministries in the North Knoxville community. CLICK HERE to view, print, and/or share a stunning poster to help promote this event!
YOUTH EVENTS - St. James Episcopal Church is in the process of developing a youth program that will re-energize the children and teen programs. In the meantime, St. James participates in The Episcopal Youth Community of the Diocese of East Tennessee, ETNyouth, a passionate and dedicated group of youth from over 50 worshiping communities throughout East Tennessee. This Fall, ETNYouth is holding great programs that may be of interest to you and your children. November 11-13, Happening #82, a spiritual awakening and renewal weekend for high school students, grades 9-12. November 18-20, College Retreat. All events are at Grace Point Camp. For additional information review The Episcopal Youth Community website at this LINK. For information and assistance with scholarships, please contact Fr. John Mark Wiggers, jwiggers@stjamesknox.org.
YOUTH MINISTRIES LEADERSHIP MEETING - The Diocese of East Tennessee is calling all youth to apply to be a Youth Representative at the Province IV Youth Ministries Leadership and Network Meeting, December 1-4, 2022, at The Cathedral Domain, in Irving, KY. Three youth for the Diocese of East Tennessee will attend this conference to listen to one another, share ideas and develop ministry opportunities for Province IV which is made up of 20 dioceses in the Southeastern United States. Applications are due October 1, click this LINK for the application.
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.
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.thornburg16@gmail.com or mbick7@gmail.com
SUNDAYS
Sunday Morning Christian Formation (Conf Room A) 9:15 am - 10:15 am
"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.
Sunday Morning Children's Formation 10:30 am
Two classes offered, Youth Group ages 5-8 and Pre-Teens ages 9-13
Contact: tde444@yahoo.com for additional information
New Class! Bible Study -- The Acts of the Apostles (Zoom)
Sundays, 6:00 pm, Beginning October 9.
The book of Acts tells the story of the followers of Jesus after his ascension as they live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Narrow escapes, jail breaks, a ship wreck, and more. Life with the Holy Spirit is exhilarating, dangerous, and rewarding, but never dull!
Contact: mariewcantrell@gmail.comfor Zoom 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 Discussion Group(Zoom) 11 am - noon Exploring current events in the light of our faith. Interested individuals are invited to join us via Zoom.
Meeting ID 816 8271 5668 and Passcode 481655.
Contact: Margaret mbick7@gmail.com, or call 865-384-7422 for assistance.
Tuesday Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Zoom Link Meeting ID: 884 2912 1929 Password: Pray NOTE: Due to the Concert in the Parking Lot, Tuesday, Oct 4, Evening Prayer will be held in person, in the Chapel (no Zoom option will be available).
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.
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
our Centennial Sentiments phone line. Please consider calling 865-357-0703 and sharing some of your sentiments.
CHILDREN'S MINISTRY - Classes have begun again, two classes are available. Both classes are offered during the 10:30 am Service for youth ages 5-8 and pre-teens age 9-13. Contact our Children's Formation Coordinator, Theresa Russell for additional information, 
procession of animals, everything from dogs and cats to hamsters and even horses, is led to churches for a special ceremony called the Blessing of Pets. This custom is conducted in remembrance of Saint Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures. St. Francis, whose feast day is October 4th, loved the larks flying about his hilltop town. He and his early brothers, staying in a small hovel, allowed themselves to be displaced by a donkey. Francis wrote a Canticle of the Creatures, an ode to God’s living things. “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.” And there was testimony in the cause for Saint Clare of Assisi’s canonization that referred to her little cat! This year we will celebrate his life by honoring our pets on Sunday, October 2nd, after the 10:30 am service, in the Courtyard.
N. Broadway, invites you to a FREE Outdoor Concert, Tuesday, Oct 4, 6:00 pm. Sean McCollough will perform “Hear John Henry’s Hammer Ring—Moving Beyond Black and White Images of Appalachian Music.” With guitar, banjo, and mandolin, he will play and sing while demonstrating the history of Appalachian music, including British ballads and fiddle tunes, the story of the African banjo and Black string bands, coal mining songs, and contemporary Americana. Please bring your own chairs. Food trucks will be there, too! A Love Offering will be collected in support of St. James Outreach ministries in the North Knoxville community. 
YOUTH MINISTRIES LEADERSHIP MEETING - The Diocese of East Tennessee is calling all youth to apply to be a Youth Representative at the Province IV Youth Ministries Leadership and Network Meeting, December 1-4, 2022, at The Cathedral Domain, in Irving, KY. Three youth for the Diocese of East Tennessee will attend this conference to listen to one another, share ideas and develop ministry opportunities for Province IV which is made up of 20 dioceses in the Southeastern United States. Applications are due October 1, click this 
