As much as I enjoy worship services in the parish hall, I am excited to return to the nave. If everything goes as planned, we will return to the nave on September 10 and celebrate our 100 years on September 17. I think that we have learned and are learning some things about ourselves in this transitional space. Are you realizing anything about our community? I will tell you what I think if you share some thoughts with me.
Fine, I will say that I do feel that energy as we gather close and can see each. We will carry that energy into our newly renovated space as we get creative about ways to use our spaces for ministry. Again, that is something that I want to hear about from you. I also hope that the excitement about the improvements will move us all to give in support of the work. Many have given generously, and I am grateful. Every gift counts.
In the weeks to come we will celebrate St. James Day on July 23 and gather for a Friendship Circle on July 24. See the information below about how to sign up for the Friendship Circle dinner. Most other things don't require signing up. We will be needing folks to step forward to be on the vestry, serve as acolytes, and form a team to help set up our flexible spaces for all the activities that will be happening.
In the midst of joy and color swatches, I am grateful to be a part of the St. James community. That energy I mentioned above? I am going to step out and say that is the Holy Spirit. You help me see that through your faithfulness. You welcome others when you share that Spirit with others. Thank you.
Peace,
Fr. John Mark
FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE DINNER - You are invited to join us for the upcoming Friendship Circle dinner on Monday, July 24th at 6 pm in the Parish Hall. We will discuss our centennial project, enjoy fellowship with one another, and imagine our future together. This month's event will be catered by Tarik's North African. Please RSVP to kevin@stjamesknox.org or call the church at 865-523-5687 to reserve your space and help us to determine how much delicious food to order.
OUTREACH/IN-REACH - One of the many wonderful things about the ministry at St. James is our history of providing outreach and in-reach to our neighbors through the many different ministry groups that meet and serve from this place. A printed guide describing more than 40 of these groups may be accessed and downloaded by clicking THIS LINK. During the next couple of months, these descriptions are being reviewed and updated. We are also inviting group leaders & volunteers to record video interviews regarding their mission and activities. Edited excerpts from these interviews will be shared in future editions of the St. James Sentinel and at our website. To schedule a 30-minute interview at St. James pertaining to your ministry group, please contact Kevin Jeske-Polyakkevin@stjamesknox.org.
ALTAR FLOWERS -It is a St. James tradition to place flowers or greenery on the altar in honor of, or in thanksgiving for loved ones. Altar Flowers/Greenery are needed for Aug 20; Sep 24; Oct 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29; Nov. 5, 19, & 26; and Dec 3 & 17. Please contact Linda Goins for information lgoins@stjamesknox.org or 865-523-5687.
FORWARD MOVEMENT -Acts 10:28.And [Peter] said to them, “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean.”
We should always remember these words by Peter. I came closer to God 25 years ago in an evangelical church for which I always pray. Unfortunately, they reject other denominations and deem the Catholic faith diabolical. When I started to date my now husband, he was a Roman Catholic, and many in my evangelical church repudiated me—especially the young people. I didn’t stop seeing him, because I felt his love for God was the same as mine. After getting married, we both abandoned our churches and continued our faith journey in the Episcopal Church, which welcomed us as family. God doesn’t love some more than others because of religion, race, sexual orientation, or gender. Many of our perceived differences are subjective or the product of social norms. We are all equally worthy of God’s love. Source Forward Day by Day
EMBRACING EVANGELISM -Evangelism is a term that is often used in Christian circles, but what does it mean? Our Episcopal faith invites us all to leave our church home and share our stories of witnessing God’s presence in our lives through personal conversations with friends, family, coworkers, and even acquaintances. Every Episcopalian has vowed to proclaim with our words and our lives the loving, liberating and life-giving good news of Jesus Christ. We do this by sharing stories which is something we all do, whether we realize it or not. Episcopal Evangelism is just that, sharing our stories with each other, except we add our experiences of God’s presence in our lives, to those stories. Drew Jeske-Polyak, a licensed lay evangelist facilitator in the Diocese of East Tennessee, offers a six-session Embracing Evangelism course to any of our East Tennessee communities either in-person or online. He will travel to your community to lead the series. Click the image above to find out more, email Drew at jeskepolyak@gmail.com or call the diocesan office at 865-966-2110.
RESTRICTED AREA -The Nave is now considered a "restricted area", meaning no one is allowed to enter the building for ANY reason without expressed authorization from Wayne, (our construction site manager). Sensitive work is being done related to the application and curing of the epoxy coatings and sealants being applied to the floor. When it is safe to re-enter the building again the signs that are posted will be removed.
SEPTEMBER CELEBRATION -St. James Episcopal Church is celebrating its 100th year as a part of Knoxville’s religious community. We are truly proud of our heritage and look forward to preserving it for another century. To commemorate this significant milestone, we are reaching out to all whose personal history has been touched by St. James at one time or another in the past whether through baptism, confirmation, marriage, memorial, or general attendance. We hope you will join us in the centennial observance and celebration to be held on Sunday, September 17th. On that date, you will recognize familiar sights on the outside, but many of the views on the inside will be strikingly new. You will see the results of the recently renovated parish hall originally built in 1996. Less visible, but equally important, you will find a new heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system. In the nave, you will notice the traditional pews have been replaced by individual cathedral chairs which will allow more flexibility for worship services, conferences, and other get-togethers. We hope you will join the celebration on September 17th and participate in our centennial capital campaign. There are numerous ways to help with the capital campaign, including: providing a one-time gift or a pledge contributed over time, sponsorship of a cathedral chair honoring loved ones, and/or a planned legacy gift. If you are unable to make a gift, please honor us with your presence on September 17th. Thank you for having made St. James a part of your spiritual journey. May the Lord bless you and guide you in the years ahead.
FREE TRAINING -Compassion Coalition, of which St. James is an active member, is transforming our city. It represents the body of Christ working together in unity to serve the greatest needs. Have you ever been approached and asked, "Hey, can you help me?" Did the experience leave you unsettled, questioning, and wondering if you handled it well? Helping people can be tough, it can cause stress, burnout, and turnover in your church or organization. Benevolence work can also be the most rewarding thing you will ever do. Compassion Coalition wants to help alleviate your stress and burnout to make the most out of your benevolence ministry. On Thursday, August 17th @ 1 pm - 4 pm, Compassion Coalition will present Frontline 1: Responding to Requests for Assistance(location TBD). This in-depth training offers the tools to help you confidently answer those requests for assistance. Come learn more in this updated training about verification, 10 best practices, when ‘no’ is appropriate, and how to help without hurting. Lunch will be provided. COST: Free for Compassion Coalition members, (including St. James members), and $50 for non-members. RSVPs are REQUIRED contact training@compassioncoalition.org. Location: TBD.
CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS - As we continue to hold Sunday morning worship services, weekly discussion groups, community meetings, and social events in the newly renovated Parish Hall, work continues on the installation of an elevator to the second floor. Newly installed weatherstripping on all of the exterior doors will increase heating & cooling efficiency and help improve pest control as well. Intensive renovations are well underway in the Nave as well, including tiling of the ramped incline to the altar rail and the refinishing of the floor with an epoxy resin. We remain on pace to achieve our goal of project completion by September 24, 2023. Click the images below for a closer inspection of some of the renovations currently underway. Please make your donation to the Centennial Capital Campaign to help us keep up with the expenses incurred thus far as we prepare our facilities for the next 100 years!
CATHEDRAL CHAIR DEDICATIONS -Forty-six of our new cathedral chairs have been sponsored in thanksgiving or in memory of loved ones by family, friends, and St. James ministry groups. Our solid red oak chairs will have the look and feel of pew seating but they will be much more comfortable and allow for greater seating flexibility.You are invited to "sponsor" an individual cathedral chair(s) by making a $500 cash contribution to St. James Episcopal Church. In exchange for your cash contribution, the backside of each chair you sponsor will be fitted with an engraved brass plate commemorating your gift. Access a Cathedral Chair Sponsorship Form at THIS LINK. If you have additional questions about sponsoring one or more cathedral chairs, please contact kevin@stjamesknox.org or jwiggers@stjamesknox.org. Below are examples of the dedications that have already been secured. Three more examples will be displayed next week!
INVEST IN ST. JAMES - To date, we have secured $716,008 in gifts to our Centennial Capital Campaign - 35.8% of our $2 million fundraising goal.
Campaign Donations: $370,393
Additional Pledged Donations: $316,445
Cathedral Chair Donations: $23,000
Pew Purchase Donations:$2,700
Quilt Signature Donations: $3,470
TOTAL: $716,008 (35.8% Goal)
That's a great start, but we need to raise much more to do what must be done to upgrade our facilities. Renovations in the kitchen, parish hall, and administrative wing are nearly complete as renovations in the nave are in full swing! 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 are incurring and accelerate the progress toward reaching our goal. Please join the folks who have already pledged and/or made cash contributions 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, Paul Cate, Harry & Patty 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, Kristin (Dunlap) Eddy, Bea Emory, Episcopal Church Women, Financial Marketplace, Inc., Linda Fitzpatrick, Linda Goins, Liz & Christopher Golliher, Margaret Goodman, Joseph Gouffon, Linda Granstrom, Susan Gray, Stacy Hall, Patricia Hammer, Drew Harper, Victoria Hawkins & Bryce Giesler, Barbara Hickey & David Linge, Judy Householder & Trina Hubbs, Lou Ann Gaby, Mary Ireland, Kevin & Drew Jeske-Polyak, Carl Keaney, John & Merilee Kerwin, Sheila C & Donn Kurtz, Charles & Diane Livermore, Carlene Loop & Lew Walton, Charles & Frieda Marsh, Carol McDaniel, Mary McGavock & Damon Beard, Ed & Evelyn Miller, 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, Nancy Pullen & David Preuss, Lou Ann Robinson, Jim Rowland, Gerald Segroves, Kenneth & Kathleen Sherfick, Drew Steen & Karen Lloyd, Jennie Sullivan, Sharon Teets, Gay Thompson, Cynthia Thornburg & Tom Dunne, Thursday Christian Formation Class, Janet Van Der Dussen, Jimmie & Carolyn Wheeler, John Mark & Liz Wiggers, Dean Wiggers, Butch & Carol Yates, Bill & Kim Yearman, and Elizabeth Young, Jeffrey & Alice Zaher.
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.
SUN: Sunday Morning Christian Formation. (Library). 9:15 am - 10:15. Join Fr. John Mark at 9:15 am on Sundays. We will be discussing various subjects.
MON: Centering Prayer. (Zoom 1st & 3rd Monday, Zoom & Library 2nd & 4th Monday). 6 pm - 7 pm. Not meeting in July, will resume on Monday, August 7th Zoom Link Meeting ID: 813 3584 8679 | Pray.
TUE: Tuesday Morning Discussion Group. (Zoom). 11 am - noon. Meeting ID 816 8271 5668 and Passcode 481655. Contact: Margaret mbick7@gmail.com, or call 865-384-7422 for assistance.
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: rondmorton@gmail.com for the link.
THU: Thursday Study Group. (Parish Hall). 10 am - 11:15 am. Studying Dr Amy-Jill Levine’s book “Signs and Wonders”, revealing the wondrous details of the most prominent miracles in the Gospels. No need to buy and read the book to participate. Just join us! Call or email Nancy Pullen with any questions - 415-722-0139 or nepullen@gmail.com.
THU: Praying the Anglican Rosary. (Zoom). 7 pm - 8 pm. One hour of praying the Anglican rosary. All are welcome! Meeting ID: 836 8961 2206 | rosary Contact cynthia.thornburg16@gmail.com or mbick7@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
CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS -
CATHEDRAL CHAIR DEDICATIONS -
INVEST IN ST. JAMES - 
