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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When are services held?
8:00 am service is the
traditional Rite I service of Holy Eucharist. At this service, there is a
sermon but no music, nursery, or church school.
10:00 am service is our family service. It is the Rite
II Eucharistic celebration at which the choir sings and a sermon preached.
Summer schedule: During the summer months
one service is held at 9:00 am
What about Nursery care?
The nursery is staffed and operated
from 9:45 to 11:15 am each Sunday. There is always a competent sitter
present and adults are present when the number of children requires it for their
welfare and safety.
Tell me about the choir.
The adult choir sings at
the 10:00 am service on Sundays. The adult choir rehearses on Wednesday
evenings at 7:30. Special rehearsals may be called before special services
or performances.
The choirs do
not rehearse or sing during the summer months.
CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION
Youth Christian Education
St.
James Sunday school, for grades pre-K through grade 6, meets at 9:45 am from
mid-September to mid-June. The curriculum includes Bible lessons and stories, church history and
community. The children also learn about Baptism, the Eucharist and Worship.
Youth
Fellowship groups, grades 7-8 and 9-12 meet regularly for Christian
fellowship, which includes meals, recreation, discussions, fundraising, and
service projects.
. Junior Pilgrim Fellowship (JrPF) is our youth group open to all 7th-8th
graders which meets monthly typically on Sunday afternoons from 4-6pm. JF seeks
to provide a safe environment that fosters a sense of welcome and belonging
where our youth can journey together in deepening their faith, spirituality and
knowledge and love of God. Our schedule of events provides a balance of
discussions, recreational activities, and service projects. All are
welcome! Come and bring a friend!
Pilgrim Fellowship (PF) is our youth group (open to all 9th-12th
graders) which typically meets weekly on Sunday evenings from 7-9 pm. PF seeks
to provide a safe environment that fosters a sense of welcome and belonging
where our youth can journey together in deepening their faith, spirituality and
knowledge and love of God. Our schedule of events provides a balance of
discussion nights, recreational activities, service projects, weekend lock-ins
and retreats as well as an annual week-long summer mission trip. All are
welcome! Come and bring a friend!
Adult Christian Education
There
are several programs offered during the year and we are always open to
presenting new ones.
All classes are open to all parishioners and is also designed for adults
who came from other denominations and desire to be confirmed or received into
the Episcopal Church.
We also offer Book Discussions groups, Bible study movie
nights and Lenten Luncheon programs.
FELLOWSHIP
Sunday coffee
hour
After the 10:00 service a coffee hour is held in the parish hall to
encourage fellowship. People volunteer to prepare the coffee, set up for
serving and provide simple food.
Social Activities
Social activities occur at times other than Sunday and allow us to know each
other on a little different basis, other than meeting at coffee hour after
Sunday service.
Annually, we have a Parish picnic, a Thanksgiving dinner and a Shrove
Tuesday pancake supper. Other events are planned and organized through various
groups and committees.
Welcoming Committee
The Welcoming Committee tries to welcome all newcomers to St. James and
to assist their transition and incorporation into the life of our parish,
including its worship and fellowship.
We meet periodically and continually update informative literature for the
benefit of newcomers to our church. The Committee also works with the Social
Committee to plan and sponsor social events each year.
We are here to help those new to our parish and act as a bridge between
newcomers and the established community. No training is necessary.
GUILDS
St. Andrew's Guild
All men of the parish are welcome and cordially invited
to join St. Andrew's Guild. Meeting are held periodically. The first
Sunday of each month the St. Andrew's guild provides and excellent breakfast,
between the 8:00 and 10:00 services.
St.
Anne's Guild
All women of the parish are welcome and cordially invited
to join St. Anne's Guild. We meet once a month at 7:30 pm - usually the
first Monday of the month, at a member's home or in the parish hall.
St. Francis Guild
The St. Francis guild serves the parish by planning,
planting, and tending the trees, shrubs and flowers on the church grounds.
There are no regular meetings; volunteers are recruited when there is a need for
assistance. The guild includes creating and maintaining a living Advent
wreath and tending the Memorial Garden.
OUTREACH
We
support local, area, state, national and international programs and missions
through contribution of time, goods, and money. Children are of particular
interest - their welfare, education, and development through positive activities
during their free time.
We welcome anyone with interest and ideas about outreach. We
would like to expand the program to include more opportunity for personal
involvement and increase our awareness of other opportunities to serve. We hold
monthly meetings in the library.
Outreach Committee Mission
Statement
The Outreach Committee is committed to enabling
the members of St. James Parish to give of their time, talent, and resources,
following Christ’s
teaching, to serve our neighbor within our community and the Greater Hartford
area. We will work to expand the awareness and understanding of the needs
around us and to facilitate opportunities for service.
PROGRAMS
Acolyte/Crucifer Program
Acolytes
(torchbearers) and crucifers (cross bearers) are the young people of the parish
who assist the Rector and the congregation during services. Fifth
grade is the minimum level at which one may become active in the vital, highly
visible position of responsibility. Training is held annually.
Altar Guild
The Altar
Guild prepares the altar for baptism, weddings, and funerals, in addition to all
celebrations of the Eucharist. Members are teamed in pairs to "set the
Lord's table" for two week periods alternately during the year. Sharing
the work of this ministry promotes among the Guild's members a feeling of
closeness to God and to His community.
Chalice Bearers
The chalice
bearers are an integral part of the service. They distribute wine during
the communion and read the Prayers of the People. This group is licenses
annually by the Bishop. The vestry approves, and must recommend all
candidates.
Lay Reader Program -Lectors
To be a
lector is to have one of the most important functions in the service; it is to
read the lesson(s) in a way that makes the word of God meaningful to the
congregation.
Ministry to the Elderly
Several years
ago, St. James parishioners began a ministry to our elderly at nearby Haven
Health Center. On the second Sunday of each month a parishioner leads a short
worship service at the Center. Several others from the parish serve as greeters
for those who attend this service.
We have found
that this ministry really brightens the lives of the ladies and gentlemen who
live there –
and ours too! It is gratifying to see their faces light up as we welcome them to
worship or just to stop by their rooms to say hello. Many of the residents have
no family and few visitors so they very much appreciate our presence and
opportunity to worship. Several parishioners have formed strong friendships with
people there and visit on their own.
Ushers
The ushers
greet those who come to worship at St. James parish and make them feel welcome.
There is one usher at the 8 o’clock
service and two at the 10 o’clock
service and they work on a rotating schedule. Training is given as we have
additional volunteers.
Ushers
distribute the service leaflet, answer questions, and if needed, assist people
to a pew. They also control the flow of people during communion. They are
available to assist anyone in any way they can.
COMMISSION LEADERS
What is a
Commission Leader?
A
Commission Leader is a vestry member who is tasked with being a liaison between
a committee or ministry and the vestry. They have several related
committee's that they oversee and offer assistance to. They make regular
reports at the vestry meetings on the activities being help.
What are the
different commissions?
Commission
Committee/ministry
Worship/Liturgy
Acolytes/Crucifers, Chalice Bearers, Lectors, Ushers,
Altar Guild, Worship Ministry, Choir
Christian
Education Sunday School, Youth Group, Adult Christian Education,
Christmas Pageant
Pastoral
Care Nursing Home Ministry, Care Ministry, Pastoral Care,
Prayer Shawl
Ministry
Outreach Outreach Ministry, Rummage Sale, Book
Sale
Fellowship Coffee Servers. St. Anne’s Guild, St.
Andrew’s Guild
Stewardship/Financial Fundraisers, Stewardship, Legacy Society
Communications Good News Ministry, Concert Series
Administration
Vision 2012
Facilities Buildings and Grounds, St. Francis
Guild
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