St. James Sentinel 23:38

COMMUNITY IMPACT LUNCHEON - The Compassion Coalition held the organization’s sole fundraiser with its annual Community Impact Luncheon this past Tuesday at Cokesbury’s Epworth Hall. Compassion Coalition has 53 church and organization members, (including St. James Episcopal Church), from 20 different denominations. The Compassion Coalition Connection Point Call Center, staffed by a team of caring volunteers, takes calls from families in need. In addition to providing direct assistance and referrals, Compassion Coalition offers 6 different trainings to help churches better serve those in need. This year, nearly 600 people attended 21 trainings facilitated by the staff. Find out more about Compassion Coalition by visiting their website at compassioncoalition.org.

LOCAL NEEDS - 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. These local needs have been identified by Compassion Coalition . . .

A single mom of twin preschoolers in the 37921 area needs a sturdy, wooden dresser for the twins' bedroom, a chest of drawers or dresser is fine. If you can help contact lila.powers@knoxvilleheadstart.org.

A family that is in need of a mattress for their child. If you can help contact amber.cruze@knoxschools.org.

HELPING HANDS PRAYER - Please pray for the Helping Hands ministry group on Saturday, September 23 as they move their food/fellowship time, check-in, and prayer requests back into the Parish Hall. We always appreciate your support and feel secure in your prayers for this ministry to our neighbors. Prayer - Thank you, Father, for giving us the opportunity to tend and feed your sheep in our neighborhood. Guide us in seeking and serving Christ in each person we meet, respecting the dignity of every human being. Help us to remember that we are your voice and heart as well as your hands and feet, and that smiles hugs and kind words feed the soul as surely as bread nourishes the body. Grant us patience with ourselves, each other and those we serve. Please forgive us when we fall short of the goal. Bless those who receive and those who give with your heavenly grace and the peace that passes understanding. Amen

THE SACRAMENTS IN A DISENCHANTED WORLD - Come join a conversation on the enduring and evolving meaning of the Sacraments in Christian worship. Bring your thoughts and questions about what the Sacraments mean today. Science changed the world about 400 years ago, allegedly explaining everything with atoms and molecules. Water, bread, and wine are made of atoms and molecules, aren't they. So what happens when we name them "these holy mysteries" in which we encounter and embody the Body of Christ? What does "real presence" mean? No one has a final answer to these questions, but we can share our stories, and look back at others' stories, about what these Sacraments mean, and grow together as we share. We will be enlisting the help of brilliant philosopher/theologian/Anglican Priest John MacQuarrie as we explore. So come join us on Oct. 1, 8, 15, and 22, at 9:15 on Sunday mornings, to consider the meaning of Sacraments in today's world. Conversation facilitated by Brian Austin.

NEIGHBOR DAY - REGISTER NOW TO BID! - More than 70 wonderful gift items have already been collected and posted at the St. James Neighbor Day Auction website: sjneighborday.com. Even more will be added this week. Regardless of whether you have previously participated in our auction or not, remember you MUST register EACH YEAR to bid on the items offered! Register now by clicking on the red "REGISTER" button displayed here.

Once you have registered, you will be provided with the login credentials you will need to place bids during the 2-week period between Sun, Sep 24 – Sat, Oct 7. If you have some interesting items you think would be great to include in our fundraising auction, please contact Drew Jeske-Polyak jeskepolyak@gmail.com 865-659-6742. Here are some of the gift items already donated for this year's Neighbor Day Auction:

23-003 Ken Lane Bib Pendant 23-012 St. James Watercolor 23-018 Mink Fur Stole

23-030 Scuba Gear & Lessons 23-056 Pine Cupboard Set 23-059 Internet Photo Frame

23-072 Trapiche Emerald 23-095 Tito Vodka Guitar 23-109 Scuba Lessons

LIFE LINE SCREENING NEXT THURSDAY - St. James is pleased to be partnering with Life Line Screening to offer cardiovascular screenings in our neighborhood. Advanced ultrasound technology looks inside your arteries for signs of plaque buildup. That's why 9 out of 10 cardiovascular doctors support preventive screening for all adults age 50+ and others who are age 40+ with high risk factors that may include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, smoking, or family history. Four different screenings will be offered for one church discounted price of $149, but you MUST register for an appointment. The screenings will take place in the Parish Hall right here at St. James on Thursday, September 28, 2023. To reserve your appointment, please call 1-800-640-6307 or visit LLSA.SOCIAL/HC. Click HERE to download the a flyer which includes a more detailed description of the four different screenings.

THE SUNDAY PAPER (FOR KIDS) - In this “new normal” world of uncertainty, with multiple options of in-person church, livestreamed church, at-home church, and other non-traditional ways of doing church, there is a new urgency for materials that children can read and ponder for themselves, at home, with their parents or even alone. The Sunday Paper Junior is ideal for this purpose. It works well in church, as a children’s bulletin—particularly in parishes where children are present for the readings and sermon, and need a quiet activity to help fend off the fidgets. Current editions of The Sunday Paper Junior, to which St. James has a paid subscription, are posted here, ( Sep 24, Oct 01, Oct 08, Oct 15 ), with permission of the author/illustrator, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard. The Sunday Paper, 19 Colony Road, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, www.the-sunday-paper.com. All rights reserved. This is copyright material and should not be further forwarded or distributed.

BLUE BOX TIME - It's Blue Box time again at St. James. The United Thank Offering boxes will be available this Sunday. Whenever you recognize and name a daily blessing offer a short prayer of thanksgiving and drop some money in the box.

Collected funds go to the national UTO office to fund grants for significant projects such as kitchen equipment for a homeless shelter, a school in the Dominican Republic, afterschool programs and much more. The next ingathering will be Sunday, Nov. 12.