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Vol. 22, No. 37                                                    Oct 27, 2022

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The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
October 30, 2022
8 am - Holy Eucharist – Rite I
9:15 am - Adult Christian Formation
10:30 am - Holy Eucharist – Rite II
10:45 am - Youth Christian Formation

10:30 am service is streamed live at Youtube.com/c/stjamesknox

10:30 Service Booklet.pdf   Prayers & Gatherings.pdf    Prayer List.docx     October Newsletter
    
The Rev. John Mark Wiggers, Rector 
jwiggers@stjamesknox.org
        865-523-5687     

Dear Friends,

Thank you for being part of our annual meeting Sunday, October 23. Elizabeth Young and Carla Livesey were chosen to serve on vestry. We also spent some time looking again at our capital campaign and building project. Please be alert when you come to St. James over the next 10 months. Things will be changing and ministry will still be happening. 

We are coming up on some fun and meaningful days. Sunday, October 30 we will have a trunk or treat in the parking lot. Share the information below with friends and neighbors. This is a fun activity. On November 1, we will celebrate All Saints Day with a Eucharist at 6:00 PM. We will also celebrate All Saints on Sunday, November 6 with baptisms and celebration of the saints who have come before. 

I am writing this on the way home from clergy conference (Fr. RJ is driving.) We talked about all the questions Jesus asked in the Gospels. It was interesting to read them somewhat out of context and to consider which ones caught our attention right now. We went to ask about the guiding questions of individuals and of congregations. We realized that sometimes we need to change the questions, and that we don't always find easy answers. What questions are we asking and holding during this time? 

What are we curious about? Who have I missed seeing? What is revealing Christ to me? Who is teaching me something? Why does community matter to me? Why do I matter to my community? Those are a bunch of questions I am asking. I won't be answering them here. What are you asking?

This is a good time to be asking what kind of people we want to be, what matters, how do we live in the world that is emerging? I am thankful to be part of a community that is open to questions. May we all be willing to hear and hold questions and the questioning folks among us. May live faithfully even in the midst of ambiguity.

Peace,
Fr. John Mark 
 
OUR HISTORY . . .


SIGN OF THE CROSS - To many Episcopalians, making the sign of the cross is a humble, silent prayer used to remind us of Christ's sacrifice and also the cross we are called to bear. Before Christ, the cross was an instrument of cruel punishment and a symbol of horror. After his sufferings, it became the sign of victory over evil and of life over death. Many people believe we do well to remind ourselves of this as often as possible. Of course, not all Episcopalians agree. Some believe it is ostentatious and superfluous. Acts of worship, they argue, are not for ourselves - they're for God. Thus, participation in outward signs of piety such as this should be avoided. Those who practice this ancient body prayer typically do it when beginning and ending prayers and ceremonies. It is also a stand-alone practice of asking God to bless oneself. This personal act of piety is completely optional. Bottom line: if it's for you, join in; if not, don't.  Source: The Episcopal Handbook.


COFFEE - THE "THIRD" SACRAMENT? If we had one,  coffee would certainly be in the running. Following the main Sunday services at most Episcopal churches, informal "Coffee Hour" get-togethers among parish friends and family to catch up over a cup of coffee and warm conversation. The importance of these gatherings cannot be underestimated. Most Episcopal churches are small (average attendance is 129 people on Sunday mornings) and include generations of extended families. This includes people who are godparents to each other's children, sponsors of confirmation, ministry group leaders, etc. Given the depth of these relationships, it is easy to understand why Coffee Hour is so important. Of course, this can make it difficult for a visitor to break in. The best advice is patience. Better yet, introduce yourself. Like family reunions, Coffee Hour can take on an aura of excitement over familiar faces, and the newcomer can be unintentionally overlooked. Coffee also plays an important part in the outreach ministries of many parishes. Many Episcopal churches host 12-step recovery programs whose life-blood tends to be coffee. Source: The Episcopal Handbook.

 
2022 ANNUAL MEETING HELD - The St. James annual meeting was held after our 10:30 worship on Sunday, Oct 23rd. Fr. John Mark Wiggers greeted us and explained that we model our method on choosing new vestry members like the apostles did when they chose Matthias to replace Judas after the resurrection. Instead of voting on nominees, we pray over them and draw them “out of a hat.” At the meeting we confirmed that both nominees, Elizabeth Young and Carla Livesey will join the vestry in January. Carla has served on vestry before. We also said “Thank You,” to current vestry members who are rotating off for a while, Susan Bain, Victoria Hawkins, Dee Turpin, and Butch Yates. We know each of them will continue to offer their time and talents in many ways. 

The other main focus of business was to update everyone on the progress of the Centennial Campaign and projects. John Mark was happy to announce our anticipated start of demolition and construction and to reassure us all that we would continue to find ways to minister to our neighbors and worship with each other throughout this phase. Katharine Criss laid out a “football-themed timeline” of events. Bea Emory shared about a church-wide quilt to support the campaign, and encouraged everyone to participate. Lee Creech shared our plans for how we are going to finance the project in the short-term and excitement over seeing the project take shape. He encouraged everyone to think about, and to pray about, how we will use our updated facilities to expand and improve our ministry to each other and our community. 

But the highlight of the meeting was a skit, starring Carol Yates and Katharine Criss. Katharine dressed as a lamb, because we have little lamb plaques on the Centennial Campaign donor board. Carol would make her point that every donation was helpful, no matter how small. And Katharine would bleat, “BAA” in agreement with every point. At the end, even our little lamb found a dollar to donate, which Carol proudly put on our donor board. If you missed the meeting and want a written report, please contact the church office, so they can send it to you.
 
THE PRESENT . . .
 
Luke 12:6-7a - Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet none of them is forgotten in God's sight. But even the hairs of your head are all counted.
 
One of my mother's favorite hymns was "His Eye Is on the Sparrow", and every now and then, she'd offer a quote from the song to make a point around the house with my sisters and me. In adulthood, I began to tie this verse from Luke to that beautiful hymn. My faith journey has been richly blessed by recognizing how big God is and how majestic and timeless his works are.  The concept that even the hairs on my head are counted inspires awe! Jesus teaches his disciples (and us) about how caring and loving God is, that no one is forgotten in God's sight. It was a welcome comfort to the disciples as they faced the Pharisees - and to us today. Source Forward Day by Day
 
 
FLOWERS NEEDED - 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 Oct 30, Nov 20, & 27, and Dec 18. Please contact the church office lgoins@stjamesknox.org or 865-523-5687 for information.
JUSTICE KNOX UPDATE . . . As our Justice Knox annual Listening Process comes to a close, our justice ministry Team Leaders--Butch & Carol Yates, Jean & Ray Weeden, Mark Reddaway, and Margaret Bickley--have held 4 House Meetings which were attended by a total of 38 parishioners and friends of St. James. Also, several 1:1 meetings have been held. 53 folks who have committed to be St. James Network Members. Overall, in Knoxville there have been 52 House Meetings held by the 20 faith communities that comprise Justice Knox. Those meetings were attended by a total of 475 folks, and 411 of those folks committed to being Network Members. The Annual Assembly will be held on Monday, November 7, 7-8:30 pm, at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, 2137 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. At this meeting all Network Members will cast their vote for what issue will be added to this year's Research to Action Process. For those who wish to carpool from St. James parking lot, please meet at the Broadway end of the parking lot at 6:30 pm on Monday, November 7. Please let one of the Team Leaders know that you will be carpooling so that we don't leave without you! Also, KAT Director Isaac Thorne will be at the Assembly to tell us what is being done to bring micro-transit to Knoxville. It is important that all of our Network Members be present to vote and to hear what Mr. Thorne has to say. Our power comes from organized people, and when all 411 Network Members show up on Monday, November 7th, we know that Mr. Thorne is going to feel that power. If you are interested in hearing more about Justice Knox, please contact any of our Team Leaders named above.
 

TRUNK OR TREAT - It is that time again. Fall has arrived, and it is October.  That means Halloween is upon us. Drivers and their families decorate their cars for Halloween, sometimes creating elaborate scenes out of their trunks. Then our kids walk from vehicle to vehicle, collecting candy the way they would during a normal trick-or-treating outing. Bring your little ghosties and goblins to St. James, Sunday, October 30, 5:00-7:00 pm for treats and surprises provided by the St. James Episcopal Church Women! It'll be a BOOO-tiful Time!


ALL SAINTS DAY CELEBRATION - On Tuesday, Nov 1st, the Daughters of the King will celebrate All Saints Day with their sisters around the world. We are inviting the St. James congregation to join us in Eucharist at 6:00 pm. While St. James will celebrate All Saints on the following Sunday, we think that  this is a special day worth celebrating. We hope to see you there. If you cannot attend the Sunday service, be sure to watch it on our YouTube channel, Youtube.com/c/stjamesknox
 



DISCUSSION GROUP - Next week, Thursday, November 3,  the 10 am Thursday discussion group will be meeting at Tyson House at UT with Fr RJ.  Hoyt Canady will lead discussion of Chapter 5 of "The Church Cracked Open" by Rev Stephanie Spellers. You don't need to read the material in advance as the leader will walk you through the discussion based on the content.  Afterwards we'll join Fr RJ in worship and lunch.  We will meet at St James by 9:30 and carpool to the campus as there is a somewhat limited amount of parking. Questions, contact Nancy Pullen at nepullen@gmail.com or 415-722-0139.
 
UNITED THANK OFFERING - This Fall our In-Gathering service will be November 6. The United Thank Offering is a world-wide ministry of the Episcopal Church that provides grants and ministries around the world. The St. James ECW sponsors two in-gatherings each year. Our goal for the November 6 In-Gathering is $1400. Please use a Little Blue Box from the pew rack or the usher table in the Narthex, or even a little bowl at your home. Give thanks for your blessings and drop in a coin or two. Your gifts will be collected November 6.


 
EVANGELISM FOR A WHOLE NEW WORLD - Spend a day with national and local Episcopal Church leaders as they explore what evangelism means in the Episcopal Church, new programs from our church-wide office, creative evangelism offerings taking place in East Tennessee and how you can live out a Jesus-centered life in a digital world. Whether you are new to the Episcopal Church , or have been with us for a while, all are welcome to attend.This is a great opportunity to connect with East Tennesseans seeking to build community and live into a life grounded in Good News. Saturday, November 12, 10:00 am, being held at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Maryville. Register at the Diocesan website using THIS LINK. 

 
ECW MARKETPLACE & BAKE SALE - Get ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas and shop early. The Episcopal Church Women are re-introducing the annual ECW Marketplace & Bake Sale, Sunday, November 20, 12 - 2 pm. Find art, hand-crafted jewelry, imported treasures, vintage jewelry, and more, all presented by St. James artists and artisans. There will also be items available from the women's co-op in Columbia and Thailand. The Bake sale is just in time for Thanksgiving. Get all your pies and be done with it. View and print the flyer by clicking HERE.





 
LEFT OVERS . . . Neighbor Day 2022 was a success and everyone involved had so much fun.  Six gift certificates were never purchased and remain available. You can still purchase one and be a part of this year's Neighbor Day event.  Make your best, reasonable offer and your donation will be added to our total to help us reach our $10,000 goal. Email Kevin Jeske-Polyak. The items are:

 
REALM PHOTO DIRECTORY - Do you miss the St. James Directory? The pictures were worth a thousand words. It became easy to associate faces with names. Realm removed the need for a printed directory by creating an online community where we can all share St. James information, but only if you share your photo. Margaret Bickley is reviving the photo directory concept but incorporating it with the new Realm Online Community. If you have not posted a photograph of yourself to your Realm account, or have not created a Realm Account yet, Margaret will be attending all ECW meetings, DOK meetings, and Coffee Hour to help you with that.  Make sure you see Margaret Bickley or contact her at mbick7@gmail.com.
 

ACOLYTES NEEDED - Would you like to be close to the action in Sunday worship? You can join in the joy of assisting with worship by being an acolyte. We need crucifers who can carry the cross, and youth 9 and up can join in to be torch bearers. Yes, adults can be acolytes too! Contact Fr. John Mark at jwiggers@stjamesknox.org . 
 


ANNUAL PLEDGE INGATHERING: It's that time of year again. The busy summer months have ended, the weather is getting colder and St. James is full swing into our fall stewardship drive. Many of our members make increased contributions during this time, and we appreciate your gifts. Please indicate what you intend to give for the year by downloading a Pledge Card from THIS LINK, entering the information on the card, and submitting it to the church. You can also give using our website. 
 
ONE CUP AT A TIME . . . "Coffee Hour" has returned to St. James following our regular 10:30 Sunday morning worship services. If you would like to lend a hand as a host, there will be a sign up sheet available during each coffee hour event. Duties are minimal and include setting things up, preparing coffee in the kitchen and light cleanup activities afterwards. Contact Carol Yates at cyates0222@gmail.com with questions or to sign up.
 
 
YOUTH 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.


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.
 
OUR FUTURE . . .
 
 
SPONSOR A CHAIR - Soon, our old pews will be replaced with new cathedral chairs which are being built especially for St. James. Family, friends, and organizations are invited to "sponsor" individual cathedral 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 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. 

Here is how to sponsor a St. James Cathedral Chair:

Complete a Cathedral Chair Sponsorship Request Form available at THIS LINK. Neatly PRINT the requested information to be included on the engraved brass plate. Please adhere as close to the suggested format as possible. (max 5 lines) Submit a SEPARATE form and full payment for EACH sponsored chair to St. James. All sponsorship contributions will be credited to appropriate St. James giving accounts. If you have additional questions about sponsoring one or more cathedral chairs, please contact kevin@stjamesknox.org or jwiggers@stjamesknox.org.

 
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.
  
HAPPENINGS . . .
 

Fr. John Mark's Blog  https://stjamesknox.org/rector/
featuring insights and comment on various topics.
 
SUN: Sunday Morning Christian Formation.  (Conf Room A).  9:15 am - 10:15.  "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.

SUN: Sunday Morning Youth Formation. 10:30 am. Two classes offered, Youth Group ages 5-8 and Pre-Teens ages 9-13. Contact: Theresa Russell for additional information

SUN: Bible Study. The Acts of the Apostles (Zoom)  6:00 pm. 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, jailbreaks, a shipwreck, and more. Contact: Marie Cantrell for Zoom link.

MON: Centering Prayer.  (Zoom or Library, on 2nd & 4th Monday).   6  pm - 7 pm.   Studying Radical Wisdom: A Feminist Mystical Theology by Beverly J. Lanzetta. Zoom Link  Meeting ID: 813 3584 8679 | Pray.

TUE: 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 Bickley, or call 865-384-7422 for assistance.

TUE: Tuesday Evening Prayer.  (Zoom). 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm. Zoom Link Meeting ID: 884 2912 1929 Password: Pray. 

TUE: 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: Ron Morton for the link.
  
THU: Thursday Study Group.  (Parish Hall and Zoom).  10:00 am - 11:15 am. The First week of October we will finish our discussion of Dr. Zweig’s book. Contact: nepullen@gmail.com or call 415-722-0139 for the link. Beginning October 13 and for the rest of the month we will be discussing Stephanie Spellers’ book  The Church Cracked Open - Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community.
  
THU: 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.
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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

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