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Vol. 22, No. 46                                                    DEC 29, 2022

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The First Sunday after Christmas
January 01, 2022
8:00 am - Holy Eucharist – Rite I
10:30 am - Holy Eucharist – Rite II
All services are streamed live at Youtube.com/c/stjamesknox

10:30 Service Booklet.pdf   Prayers & Gatherings.pdf    Prayer List.docx   Newsletter - Dec/Jan

Note: The 10:30 Service Booklet link will be sent separately, later today.
    
The Rev. John Mark Wiggers, Rector 
jwiggers@stjamesknox.org
        865-523-5687     
 
Dear Friends,

It was a cold Christmas Eve and a delightful one as we celebrated the incarnation. Many thanks to everyone who helped make our Christmas services beautiful and welcoming. We will keep on celebrating with Christmas Lessons and Carols this Sunday morning. On January 8, we will transfer the feast of the Epiphany and have the young ones tell the story of Christ among us. This is just too big to keep to just one day. 

Of course, we seek and serve Christ throughout the year. As we enter a new year, many think about resolutions to change habits or do something new. That is a great thing to do as long as we are being reasonable and kind to ourselves. As followers of Christ, we resolve to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. I appreciate that in the Baptismal Covenant we affirm our commitment to that by saying "I will, with God's help." I find that help as I follow Christ with you. 

I look forward to this next year. We will see our space changing as construction continues. We will explore together what God has in store for our parish. I end this year with gratitude for sharing ministry with all of you. May God bless you and keep you in the year to come. 

Peace, 
Fr. John Mark 
OUR TRADITION . . .
 
HOW TO FORGIVE SOMEONE - Forgiving is one of the most difficult disciplines of faith since it seems to cost you something additional when you've already been wronged. Swallowing your pride and seeking greater good, however, can yield great healing and growth.
  1. Acknowledge that God forgives you. When you realize that God has already shown forgiveness, and continues to forgive sinners like you, it's easier to forgive someone else.
  2. Consult Scripture. Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer to his disciples, who were hungry to become like he was. Forgiveness was a big part of this. Read Matthew 6:9-15.
  3. Seek the person out whenever possible. Consciously decide to deliver your forgiveness in person. In cases where this is geographically impossible, find an appropriate alternative means, such as the telephone. Note: This may not be wise in all cases, given the timing of the situation or the level of hurt. Certain problems can be made worse by an unwelcome declaration of forgiveness. Consult with a clergy person before taking questionable action.
  4. Say, "I forgive you," out loud. A verbal declaration of forgiveness is ideal. Speaking the words enacts a physical chain reaction that can create healing for both speaker and hearer In the Bible, Jesus used these words to heal a paralyzed man from across a room.  Source: The Episcopal Handbook

HOW MUCH SHOULD I PUT IN THE OFFERING PLATE? - As much (or as little) as you like. Like most churches, Episcopal congregations exist mainly on donations from our members. Once a year most parishes run a "stewardship" or "pledge campaign", asking each individual or family to make a financial promise for the upcoming year. We then total those promises and create our budget.

In general, Episcopal parishes spend the majority of their money on salaries, building upkeep, and programming and outreach. Since the first two tend to be fixed costs, the more money that is collected, the more a church's ministry can be expanded into new programs and help to those outside the parish. Of course, donations also come in the form of volunteer time. For example, electricians help with maintenance and accountants help audit the books, which can be priceless.

However, the main reason for giving to a church has less to do with paying bills and much more to do with cultivating generous hearts. God wants you and me to be generous (2 Corinthians 9:7). The Lord wants us to be known not by the kind of car we drive, the size of the house we live in or the jewelry we wear, but by our love. As Christ gave himself away for us, so too are we asked to give of ourselves away to others. So the old adage "give 'til it hurts" comes to mind but, in fact, it could be better phrased as "give 'til it feels good".

Money is a spiritual issue and our churches address it by gently challenging their members to grow - to strive less for acquiring things for ourselves, and doing more to help those in need. Bottom line: when the plate gets passed, use your own discretion. Few people know (or care) how much money you put in. How much we give is between God and ourselves. But know that any contribution will be appreciated and, of course, tax deductible. Source: The Episcopal Handbook.

 
THE PRESENT . . .

Luke 1:41a When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb.
 
Mary must have needed to escape the rumors about her unusual pregnancy, so she set out to visit her cousin Elizabeth for support. Elizabeth had also conceived in an unusual way after many years of being barren. Gabriel’s news had changed the lives of two women. We can feel the intense joy of these two women as they greet one another. Elizabeth is overcome by the spirit and recognizes the special nature of Mary’s coming baby boy. Mary is so overwhelmed she bursts into song and tells of a new world order where everything will be seen in a new light. When I learned I was pregnant for the first time, I burst into tears. While I was happy, I was also overwhelmed with fear of becoming a parent. My life was about to change forever. Mary’s song is correct. Once her baby arrives, the world will never be the same.  Source Forward Day by Day
 
Relive our Christmas 2022 Midnight Mass at St. James by clicking the image below:
 



THE FINAL THREE - The illustrations behind all 24 of the Advent Calendar "windows" mounted on the doors in the hallways of our administration building have been revealed! Each day during the first 24 days of December, another window was "opened".

To view the "final three" illustrations revealed this week, just click thumbnails below.  These particular illustrations are original works of art created by Fr. John Mark Wiggers especially for our Advent Calendar.


 


CHRISTMAS REMEMBRANCES - Thanks to everyone who participated in our annual Christmas Remembrances program providing donations to the Flower Guild Fund, Clergy Discretionary Fund, Battlefield Farm Fund, and Capital Campaign Fund. Click on the image to the right to see the complete list of thanksgivings and memorials that were graciously contributed by, or on behalf of, members of our St. James family. We apologize for the inadvertent omissions that were made in the original document related to the memorial gifts given by Theresa DeRosa and Jane Clift. 


EPIPHANY LITURGIES - The Christmas Season is always very special at St. James. Please note the many special Epiphany liturgies planned throughout the month of January. 

January 1, First Sunday after Christmas
8:00 am, Celebrant, Fr. RJ Powell
10:30 am, Carols & Lessons, and Rite A, Celebrant, Fr. RJ Powell
 
January 8, The Epiphany (Transferred)
8:00 am, Celebrant, Fr. John Mark Wiggers
10:30 am, Liturgy of the Word, Epiphany Pageant, Rite A, Celebrant, Fr. John Mark Wiggers
 
January 15, Second Sunday after The Epiphany
8:00 am, Celebrant, Fr. John Mark Wiggers
10:30 am, Rite C, Celebrant, Fr. John Mark Wiggers
 
January 22, Third Sunday after The Epiphany
8:00 am, Celebrant, Fr. John Mark Wiggers
10:30 am, Rite C, Celebrant, Fr. John Mark Wiggers
 
January 29, Fourth Sunday after The Epiphany
8:00 am, Celebrant,, The Rt. Rev. Brian Cole
10:30 am, Baptism, Confirmation & Reception, Rite A, Prayers for Candidates, Celebrant, The Rt. Rev. Brian Cole


ALTAR FLOWERS - It is a St. James tradition to place altar flowers/greenery in honor of or in thanksgiving for loved ones. Altar flowers are needed for January 8, 15, 22, & 29. Please contact the church office for information,
lgoins@stjamesknox.org or 865-523-5687.










BE COUNTED -
At the end of each year, every parish in The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee is required to submit a rather detailed report called the Parochial Report. It is the oldest, continuous gathering of data by The Episcopal Church. Combined data from all the parishes provides insights to the state of The Episcopal Church as a whole. This year, in addition to the number and age categories of the members at each parish, the report is requesting the percentage of members in each of 7 racial/ethnic categories. This request is related to our shared commitment to being inclusive of all people. Since we have not collected this type of demographic data in the past, we have designed a simple survey to help us satisfy the request. If you consider yourself to be a member at St. James, and you have not already done so, please take 1 minute to respond to the 3 questions on the demographic survey today or before Jan 1st by clicking THIS LINK. Thanks to the more than 100 members who have already submitted their surveys! Note: The categories listed in this survey and included in the Parochial Report are taken from the Faith Community Today (FACT) survey, the most comprehensive survey of congregations in America. This allows for comparison with other denominations and faiths.


MINISTRY GROUP ACTIVITIES - More than half of our ministry groups have already submitted information about their activities this year, including the total number of people who were "members" of the group, the number of “new” members, the number of times their group held meetings or events, and the estimated number of people reached through their activity. All this information is being compiled and considered for our annual reporting. So far, information has been submitted by these groups: Acolytes, Altar Guild, Alcoholics Anonymous, Audio Visual Team, Children’s Chapel, Children's Nursery, Cursillo, Doorstep, Episcopal Church Women, Eucharistic Ministry, Finance Committee, Flower Guild, Funeral Guild, Handbell Ensemble, History Ministry, Justice Knox, Kitchen Guild, Lay Readers, Lectors/Intercessors, Library, Narcotics Anonymous, Neighbor Day Team, Prayer Shawl, Praying the Anglican Rosary, Realm Orientation Crew, S.E.T., St. Francis Guild, Tue Study Group, Thu Study Group, Ushers, Vestry, and VMC. There is still time for the remaining groups to submit their information to kevin@stjamesknox.org.



YOUR EMPLOYER - Some of us are employed by organizations that offer community grants or match donations made by their employees to worthy causes. One such business recently contributed $10,000 to our capital campaign just because they were asked. If you think your employer might consider making a donation in any amount, or match a donation you plan to make, it is certainly worth it to ask! Likewise, if you could share any information about specific foundations or other funding sources that provide grants to your place of work, that could be extremely helpful. In either case, please contact kevin@stjamesknox.org for more information. Here is a summary of what our capital campaign is about: What The Money Will be Used For: Planned improvements to our 100 year-old downtown church include renovation of our parish hall, expansion of our kitchen, replacement of our HVAC system and single pane windows, installation of an elevator lift, replacement of the seating in our nave, replacement of the flooring in our nave, installation of a labyrinth in our nave, upgrade of a restroom in our sacristy, cleaning & restoration of our exterior walls, expansion of the columbarium in our memorial garden, and sealing & re-striping our parking lot. Unique Things That Separate Us from Other Funding Applicants: We are proud of our 100-year history of feeding and tending to the needs of our neighbors, including those who live in our downtown neighborhood and many more who are homeless. We are a welcoming Episcopal church that embraces traditional liturgical practices combined with progressive attitudes that emphasize inclusion. Our members have joined from a wide variety of different faiths and locations across the city and country because they share our commitment to loving our neighbors, community outreach and social justice.


AMAZON SMILE UPDATE - This is the quarterly notification to inform us that AmazonSmile has made a charitable donation to St. James Episcopal Church, in the amount of $74.60 as a result of qualifying purchases made by customers between July 1st - September 30th. So far, AmazonSmile has donated $235.37 to St. James Episcopal Church and over $400 million to US charities.  When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates 0.5% of your eligible purchases - at no cost to you. AmazonSmile offers the same products, same low prices, and same services as the Amazon you know. For answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about AmazonSmile, click THIS LINK or contact kevin@stjamesknox.org.



KROGER UPDATE - The Kroger Co. family of stores is committed to bringing hope and help to the local neighborhoods they call home. They recognize that every community, like the one served by St. James, has unique causes that need support. That is why we encourage you to link your Kroger Community Rewards card to St. James! The Community Rewards program is easy to use. The more you shop at Kroger, the more money St. James will earn at no cost to you! During the 3-month period from September 2022 through November 2022, purchases made by 11 different households resulted in a donation from Kroger in the amount of $34.87. That’s good news, but we can do much better than that. If you shop at Kroger, even if just occasionally, and don’t have a Community Rewards card, (or don’t know how to get one), email Drew at jeskepolyak@gmail.com and he will help you quickly get it set up.

 
ONE CUP AT A TIME . . . Amidst the construction activity currently taking place in the parish hall and the kitchen, Coffee Hour continues at St. James following our regular Sunday morning worship services. The serving area has moved from the kitchen to Conference Room A, but feel free to meet up with friends & neighbors in other open areas of the administration building. 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 and light cleanup activities afterwards. For more information, or to sign up to help, contact Carol Yates at cyates0222@gmail.com. Click the images below for a CLOSER INSPECTION of the some of the construction currently underway.


INQUIRER'S CLASS - Are you considering officially becoming Episcopalian? You can do that by being baptized, confirmed, or received. Following a December break, classes will resume Jan 8, 2023 from 5 - 6:15 pm. We will meet in person and have the option to join online. The suggested text for the class is Walk in Love by Gunn and Shobe. Contact Fr. John Mark  jwiggers@stjamesknox.org to sign up or if you have any questions.
OUR FUTURE . . .

CLICK THE IMAGES BELOW - for a closer inspection of the construction currently underway at St. James and make your donation to the Centennial Capital Campaign to help us prepare our facilities for the next 100 years!  




INVEST IN ST. JAMES - To date, we have secured $609,873 in pledged gifts to our Centennial Capital Campaign, 30% of our $2 million fundraising goal.  That's a great start, but we need to raise much more to do the necessary things we must do to upgrade our facilities. Construction has already begun in the kitchen and parish hall. So, if you have been prayerfully thinking about making a pledge, now would be a great time to help us keep up with the expenses we will incur and accelerate our progress toward reaching our goal. Please join the folks listed below who have already pledged to the campaign. Obtain a downloadable Capital Campaign Pledge Form by clicking THIS LINK

Thank You . . . Mark & Susan Abell, Aramark Hospitality Company, Mike & Elizabeth Armstrong, Asset Realty Management, Brian & Sandra Austin, Caroline Ballinger, Rick Bearden, Marty Begalla, Blackburn Development Group, Betty Bowling, Rick & Lynda Brown, Bessie Burell, Ashley Burell & Kyla Keck, Troy Burns, Chester & Francie Butler, Hoyt & Marilyn Canady, Marie Cantrell, Harry & Parry Chase, Scott Childs, Jane Clift, SuAnne Cobb & Margaret Bickley, Brian Cole, Bill & Ginny Combs, Thomas & Rebecca Cox, Lee Creech & Beth Meyer, Katharine Criss, Janet Dees, Linda Denton, Theresa DeRosa, Boyce & Susan Driskell, Duane & Linda Dunlap, Bea Emory, Episcopal Church Women, Financial Marketplace, Inc., Linda Fitzpatrick, Linda Goins, Margaret Goodman, Joseph Gouffon, Stacy Hall, Patricia Hammer, Drew Harper, Victoria Hawkins, Judy Householder & Lou Ann Gaby, Mary Ireland, Kevin & Drew Jeske-Polyak, John Kerwin, Sheila C & Donn Kurtz, Charles & Diane Livermore, Carlene Loop, Charles & Frieda Marsh, Carol McDaniel, Mary McGavock & Damon Beard, Rodney & Mary Moore, Pam Morris & Renee Smith, Sarah & Todd Moss, Mary Muir, Phyllis Muth, Timothy & Jessie Nichols, Audrey Nitz, Mary Nelle Osborne, Powell & Susan Partridge, Steven Pierce, LouAnn Robinson, Jim Rowland, Gerald Segroves, Kenneth & Kathleen Sherfick, Jennie Sullivan, Sharon Teets, Cynthia Thornburg & Tom Dunne, Jimmie & Carolyn Wheeler, John Mark & Liz Wiggers, Dean Wiggers, Butch & Carol Yates, Bill & Kim Yearman, and Elizabeth Young.
 
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 LINKNeatly 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.  Following a December break, classes will resume Jan 8, 2023.

SUN: Sunday Morning Youth Formation. 10:45 am. Two classes offered, Youth Group ages 5-8 and Pre-Teens ages 9-13. Contact: Theresa Russell for additional information.

SUN: Inquirer’s Class. (Library). 5 pm - 6:15 pm. Following a December break, classes will resume Jan 8, 2023.

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.  (Library and Zoom).  10:00 am - 11:15 am. Following a December break, the study group will resume January 5, 2023. "Episcopal Evangelism" by Drew Jeske-Polyak. Contact Nancy Pullen for information.
  
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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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

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