May 3, 2006 Volume 30, No. 5
Inside this Issue:
The next Loaves
& Fishes deadline is Monday, June 5, at 9:00 a.m. Please
forward your submissions to Janine Carmichael at janine@ stjamesleesburg.org or
drop them off in the Church Office.
Dear friends of St. James’:
Exactly
a year ago, I left on sabbatical.
Except
for joining you for the Shrine Mont retreat, I was gone for the months of May,
June, July, and August.
It
was one year ago this month that Pastor Keith and Pastor Linda
left, and that Donald Goodness took over as Priest-in-charge.
It
was a year ago this Memorial Day weekend at our Shrine Mont retreat that we
were introduced to Pastor Mary Davila for the first time.
It
was a year ago that the Vestry and other leaders of the church were
starting the process of re-writing our Vision document.
Now,
I’ve been back for eight months. While the “glow” of my silent retreat and the
deep refreshment of a relaxing summer are already a distant memory, the
closeness gained from traveling with my family and the insights gained during
my retreat and months of research are still very much with me, and a part of
me, and continue to enrich my ministry among you on a daily basis.
Now,
a year later, Pastor Keith is completing his first year of seminary at
the Seminary of the Southwest in Texas; Pastor Linda has accepted a call
to be Associate Rector of St. Matthew’s Church outside Philadelphia; and Donald
Goodness, after doing a tremendous job, had a total hip replacement in
December and – while not yet able to help with preaching, teaching, and in
liturgy – has returned to worship with us on Sundays.
Pastor
Mary
has ably replaced Keith as Youth Pastor, and in that role has not only taken
youth ministry several huge leaps forward, but has also grown Sunday School,
Children’s Chapel, and other children’s’ ministries and – because we
have not yet hired a replacement for Pastor Linda – she has also voluntarily
stepped up to take on many more additional responsibilities in liturgy,
preaching, and pastoral care.
In
the past year, the Vestry and other leadership of the church completed
our new vision document, urging us to continue excellence in liturgy and
preaching while setting forth three new major goals for our next three to five
years together. Over the next three to five years, we believe we are being
called to:
1) Inspire, equip, and empower each parishioner
of St. James’ to serve as an active disciple of Christ;
2) Equip each parishioner to become involved in
a hands-on service project; and
3) Expand and renovate the church’s facilities to better
serve our mission.
Since
September, the Vestry and other leadership of the church have started to
implement those goals. See Mary Frances
Forcier’s article on page 4 for more details, but in addition:
1) What used to be Pastor Linda’s job
description has now been broadened to include oversight of all Adult
Ministries, and a search team has been interviewing candidates for that
position;
2) The Outreach Committee is at work on
developing an outreach campaign that will publicize the many current and
new outreach opportunities available; and
3) The Building Committee, meeting weekly since
January, has done a thorough job of identifying the many ways that our
ministries are hampered by our current facilities and could blossom as
the result of a major renovation and expansion.
What
a year!
The
changes over the past year are big. We
have a team of clergy and staff that has never worked better.
The
goals we have as a parish are ambitious. They will not happen by accident: They
will take months and even years of deliberate effort, substantial new financial
commitments, and renewed dedication of your precious time.
And
yet, on another level the changes over
the past year are not nearly enough, and the goals we have set only scratch the
surface.
I
say that because the real goal of the clergy and staff – the real goal of the
vision document – is to transform lives. To transform your life, and my life.
The
clergy and staff exist for a purpose: to help you fall in love with, and serve
Jesus. Any measure of success that does not take that purpose into account is a
temptation to what they used to call “worldliness,” pure and simple.
The
Vestry goals are not ends in themselves, either. If they are successfully
implemented, they will change you, your relationship with God,
your relationship with those closest to you, your relationship with
your church, and the way you view your purpose in the world.
We’re
here to transform lives, the church, the community and the world. It’s that
ambitious. And yet it’s that simple, too.
Faithfully
yours,
Fr.
John Ohmer
Rector
By Mary Frances Forcier, Senior Warden
Greetings
to all! As we celebrate the arrival of spring and the joy of Christ’s resurrection,
I am happy to share with you good news: the Vestry, clergy and parish members
are working toward the goals you identified through last year’s process of
discernment and vision. These are goals that you, as a parish, laid out for us
in the Vision Document, and I wanted to bring you up to date on where we are
and how you can be involved.
The
Vestry and clergy have taken to heart what we learned from that process. For
example, a renewed focus on Bible study in Adult Forum has proved to be a
rewarding experience for 100 people each week during Lent. Small groups are
beginning to sprout in response to your interest.
Listed
below are the goals you established; working with parish leaders in each of
these areas, we have identified programs that we believe will help us reach our
goals.
Vestry
“champions” are charged with ensuring that we are making progress and including
as many parishioners as possible in the process. If you are interested in
helping develop programs in any of these areas, please contact the Vestry
Champions below, or the Church Office at (703)777-1124.
Just
because we don’t ask you directly doesn’t mean that we don’t need or want your
help! Sometimes we don’t know that you are interested or able to help in a
given area, so we rely on you to tell us. Also, the “Parish Leaders” listed
below are not a comprehensive list of everyone involved in planning these
programs; this marks a “first start” at communicating what’s going on and who’s
involved.
Goal
I. Ensure that each parishioner of St.
James’ is inspired, equipped and empowered to serve as an active disciple
within the Christian community of St. James’.
Programs:
A. Develop a comprehensive program that provides
adult Christian education at all levels
Vestry Champion: Mary Pellicano
Parish Leaders: Anya Johnson,
Henry Stribling, Linda Young
B. Develop neighborhood “shepherd” program to
provide fellowship and support to parishioners as well as create welcome,
engagement and follow-up process for visitors and new members
Vestry Champion: Clayton
Cameron
Parish Leaders: Ruth
Blakeslee and the Newcomers Committee
Goal
II. Further extend Christ’s love
to the world by enabling and encouraging each parishioner to become involved in
hands-on service in the local community, the nation and the world.
Programs:
A. Create intergenerational relationships through
outreach programs
Vestry Champions: Lisa Chapman,
Jan Joseph, Elaine Nunnally
Parish Leaders: Susie Harding
and the Outreach Committee
B. Have all parishioners give six hours outreach
yearly
Vestry Champions: Lisa Chapman,
Jan Joseph, Elaine Nunnally
Parish Leaders: Susie Harding
and the Outreach Committee
C. Establish crisis response capability for disasters
Vestry Champion: Ken Getty
Goal
III: Plan and execute a mission-driven
expansion and renovation of the church’s facilities.
Programs:
A. Develop plans for renovation and/or expansion
of facilities
Vestry Champion: Ken Getty
Parish Leaders: Ron Kunz and
Building Committee
B. Develop and carry out capital campaign to
enable renovation/expansion
Vestry Champion: Mary Frances
Forcier
Parish Leader: Mary Lou
Leipheimer
Goal
IV: Develop comprehensive
communications program, motivating parishioners to become involved in church
activities, drawing community support for programs, and connecting
parishioners, ministries and clergy.
Vestry Champion: Chris VandenHeuvel
As
you can see, there is much of God’s work to be done! You will find that working
on projects at St. James’ is a wonderful way to give your time and talent back
to God and make new friends, while making a difference in your community, your
church, and in people’s lives.
Faithfully yours,
Mary
Frances Forcier
Senior
Warden
By Mary Davila, Assistant to the Rector for Children & Youth Ministries
Vacation
Bible School
Summer
is nearly here and it’s time to register and volunteer for Vacation Bible
School, July 10-14, to be held at Leesburg Presbyterian Church. Please complete
the form located at http://www.lpcva.org/vbs.htm to register and
volunteer, and return it with $5 per child (maximum $10 per family) to the
Church Office by Sunday, June 26. Please
return your forms early: St. James’
parishioners have priority until May 28!
Mission
Trip Fundraiser: Parents’ Night Out!!!
On
Saturday, June 10, the youth who are going on the summer mission trips are
offering a night of babysitting at St. James’. Drop off your kids and go out
for a night on the town! Babysitting for infants through 5th graders is
available from 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. in the Nursery and Parish Hall. There is no
fee, but we ask that you consider making a donation consistent with what you
would normally pay a babysitter. Friends of parishioners (non-members) are
welcome! All proceeds will go to fund our youth mission trips—Solar Light for
Africa (Senior High), Towel Ministry in North Carolina (Senior High), and Good
Shepherd Church in Bluemont, Virginia (Middle School.) Reservations are
required. Please contact the Church Office at (703)777-1124 or
info@stjamesleesburg.org.
Pizza
with Purpose
May
3: No meeting due to Confirmation!
May
10: Middle School: 6:00-7:30; Senior High: 7:30-9:00
May
17: Middle School: 6:00-7:30; Senior High: 7:30-9:00
May
24: End of Year Party: Middle School: 6:00-7:30; Senior High: 7:30-9:00. PwP will resume in September!
Children
Chapel
will continue through the summer months, but the 3-5 year olds and the 1st-5th
graders will merge at the 9:00 service, just until September.
The
last day of Sunday school is June 11!
Blessings,
Pastor
Mary
Jamie Brown, a member of the 1998 Super Bowl Championship Denver
Broncos, will join us for a game of football, and tell us how he made it from
college to the NFL, and then went on to work for Good Shepherd Alliance of
Loudoun County! If you’re lucky, he’ll let you try on his Super Bowl ring….
Meet at St. James’ at 7:45 a.m.
Middle School and Senior High will participate in “Walking for Water”
that begins at Morven Park. We’ll walk together as a group (5K) in order to
raise money for villages in West Africa that are struggling with lack of food
and water, an initiative that was started by a teenager. The fee is $15, and
all proceeds go to “Walking for Water.” Please sign up with Pastor Mary.
Middle School: 4:30-6:00
Senior High: 6:00-7:30. Kathleen Martin, a graduate of St. James’ Youth
Group and a student at VCU, will be on hand to talk to the Senior High about
college life. She’ll give us a behind the scenes look at studying, dorm life,
and socializing!
Youth will stay “up the hill” in the luxurious cabins! Be part of the
youth weekend that includes a bonfire, yoga, kickball, hiking, and A LOT of
free time. You can come even if your parents aren’t going to be there… but find
an adult to be in charge of you!
Middle School: 4:30-6:00. We’ll bid farewell to Maddy and Jamie
VandenHeuvel who are moving to Charleston, SC.
Senior High: Time TBA. “The
DaVinci Code”. Plan to see the much talked about movie with Youth Group!
Sunday, June 11: End of the Year Party. Middle School and Senior High, 5:00-7:00. Volleyball, games, and lots o’food.
Thursday, June 15:
Senior High: Celebrate the end of school with a day of high ropes in
Harper’s Ferry! All Senior High youth are invited; all who are going on the
mission trip are required to attend as part of our training.
Wednesday, August 23-Thursday, August 24: Middle School Mission Trip! The Middle
School Youth Group will go to Good Shepherd Church, Bluemont, VA, to help with
some repairs that need to be done to the church. Chris Cunningham, vicar of
that parish, is creating some work orders for us. Please save the date for this
overnight mission trip!
(an occasional insight into St. James’ history)
By Jack Davison
A
few weeks ago, we reported how the Rittenhouse extension to the Parish Hall
came to be built. This may put the cart before the horse since it skips over
the building of the church itself. The present church is the third seat of
Shelburne Parish within the limits of Leesburg, after the Chapel of Ease near
Springwood north of town.
From
the Revolutionary War until the early 19th century the congregation
had no church and held its services at the Leesburg Presbyterian Church. After the war of 1812 the first church was
built on Church Street next to the site of the present Loudoun County jail. Up
to that time the Rector enjoyed the use of the Glebe but it had to be given up,
so a Mite Society was organized to raise money for a rectory with each member
of each family giving one cent each week. The proceeds paid much of the cost of
the first rectory, now a bed and breakfast on west Loudoun Street, and after
that was paid for the society continued in existence to provide funds for its
maintenance.
In
1836 the first church was torn down and a new building erected on the same
site, paid for by subscription and a construction loan, most of which was paid
through the proceeds of the sale of the pews. It was consecrated two years
later:
Whereas
devout & holy men in every age since it pleased Almighty God to command a
temple to be built at Jerusalem have delighted to honour him by the erection
& dedication of suitable places for public worship, and whereas a number of
persons in the Parish of Shelburne & Diocese of Virginia have erected an
house of prayer by the name of St. James Church; therefore I William Meade
assistant Bishop of Virginia do, on this 24th of September in the
year of our Lord eighteen hundred & thirty seven, according to the forms of
the Protestant Episcopal Church in these United States, dedicate the same to
the celebration of the several offices of divine worship, in the name of the
Father, and of the Son & of the Holy Ghost, praying that the divine
blessing may ever more rest upon it & that the worshippers in this house
may become meet to join with those who worship the triune God in the Temple
above not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens.
Given under my
hand & seal this 24th of September, 1837
William Meade,
DD
This
church was enlarged in 1848 by extending a vestibule across its yard to the
street, again financed by subscription. The vestry resolved to sell the church
plate (such as the communion vessels) if necessary. This added pews that were
sold at public sale in 1849. This church, “the old St. James’,” continued in
use until almost the end of the century and major maintenance and improvements
were financed by periodic subscriptions.
In
1856 a committee was formed to buy a lot and construct the present rectory. It
was completed the same year and has been the home of every Rector since The
Rev. David Caldwell.
Interfaith Relief, our local food pantry, is looking for an adult group
who would be interested in volunteering at the pantry every 4th Saturday of the
month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The group
should consist of six volunteers and would be a great opportunity for a small
group (Bible study, Inquirers’ class, etc.)
All interested individuals should contact Duffy Sanchez, Director of
Operations and Outreach at Interfaith Relief, at interfaithduffy@aol.com or
(703)777-5911 for more information and to set up a training session.
Interfaith Relief was one of the local recipients of our Easter Offering
this year and is the beneficiary of our ongoing food drive with collections in
the Narthex.
Spotlight
on Youth! Kudos to:
Pastoral
Associates invites the St. James’ Senior Saints to a luncheon in their honor Wednesday,
May 24, 12:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall. RSVP to the Church Office at
(703)777-1124.
Shrine
Mont 2006: Registration
Forms are now available in the Narthex.
Please fill out your registration form and return it with your check
payable to St. James’ to the Church Office. Registration closes at 1:30 p.m.
on Sunday, May 14. Get your form in early—there are many more people
registering each year than we have space to accommodate!
Corner Chorale Male
Singers Needed: 9:00
a.m. Worship Service: Summer rehearsals
on Saturdays, June 3, July 1, and August 5, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Add your voice
to our group and reap many rewards! See
Dr. Pat or a current Corner Chorale member for more information.
Adult
Mission Trip July 16 - 22. The St James' hard work, heartwork crew will
support the Highland Education Project in Welch, WV, by assisting the Rev.
Hilda Kennedy in her mission to care for the underprivileged in that depressed
area. Initial coordination with the project indicates several construction
projects await our expertise.
Interested parishioners should contact the Church Office at (703)777-1124
for more information.
Cursillo
Reunion Group Forming: Jesus said, “…“Where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20). We all have friends, but “graced friendships”, where friends meet
regularly to converse about Jesus and His place in their lives, bring us closer
to God. Cursillo Group Reunion is a
method to build such graced friendships.
If you have attended a Cursillo Weekend (or Walk to Emmaus Weekend/Via
de Cristo Weekend/Tres Dias Weekend) and are interested in joining a Reunion
Group, please contact the Church Office at (703)777-1124. If you haven't attended a
Cursillo Weekend, but would like to, or are just curious about Cursillo, please
contact one of us.
New
to St. James’? Our next Newcomers' coffee will be on
Sunday, June 4, at 10:10 a.m. in the Janney Parlor. Come if you are new or even feel new and collect your St. James’
information/welcome packet
St. James’
Book Club: Veronika Decides to Die is Paulo
Coelho’s fictional account of how one woman’s feelings of powerlessness and
apathy lead to her desire to leave this world.
Join the St. James’ Library Book Club on Thursday, May 11, at
7:00 p.m. when we discuss this book and
its themes of mental illness, the will to live and society’s narrow view of
what is considered “normal.” Check out
the book from the Parish Library, and join us in the Janney Parlor. All are welcome; bring a snack or beverage
to share. Contact the Church Office at
(703)777-1124 for more information.
Keith
Turbeville Scholarship Fund—Parishioners wishing to make tax deductible donations
in support of our Postulant, Keith Turbeville, while attending The Episcopal
Seminary of the Southwest may do so by making checks payable to St. James’
Episcopal Church with a notation in the memo field “Keith Turbeville
Scholarship Fund.” The memo field
notation is important to comply with IRS requirements.
Graduation
Recognition Sunday: Graduation Recognition Sunday will be held
on June 4, at the 9:00 service. If you are graduating from high school, college,
or an advanced degree program, please let Pastor Mary know so that we can
recognize you and your accomplishment!
Now
Hiring: The Nursery is now hiring dependable
teenagers or adults to work the 9:00 and 11:15 Sunday services. Schedule can be
flexible and pay is terrific. Earn much
more than working retail or any part-time job. Come support the young children
of St. James’ and spend some time enjoying our “little ones.” Please contact the
Church Office at (703)777-1124.
Sundays
Adult Forum, 10:10 a.m., Board Room, North Street School Building
Sunday School, 10:10 a.m., St. James’ Campus
Youth Group, Middle School 4:30 p.m., Senior High 6:00 p.m., Parish Hall
Education for
Ministry (EFM), 6:30 p.m., Janney Parlor
Alcoholics
Anonymous, 5:30 p.m., Rittenhouse Basement
Mondays
Education for
Ministry (EFM), 7:00 p.m., Parish Library
Women’s
Alcoholics Anonymous, 8:00 p.m.,
Rittenhouse Basement
Tuesdays
Education for
Ministry (EFM), 6:30 p.m., Janney Parlor
Al-Anon, 7:00 p.m., Rittenhouse Basement
Wednesdays
St. James’
Building Committee, 7:00 p.m., Parish Library
Pizza with a
Purpose, Middle School: 6:00 p.m.; Senior High: 7:30 p.m.,
Catacombs
Children’s
Choir, 5:45 p.m., Music Room
Corner Chorale, 7:00 p.m., Nave
St. James’
Adult Choir, 7:45 p.m., Music Room
Narcotics
Anonymous, 7:00 p.m., Rittenhouse Basement
Thursdays
St. Gabriel’s
Choir, 6:30 p.m., Nave
Alcoholics
Anonymous, 8:30 p.m., Rittenhouse Basement
coming UP at
St. James’
Saturday, May
6
Master Singers
of Virginia, 8:00 p.m., Nave
Monday, May 8
Vestry Meeting, 7:00 .m., Parish Hall
Tuesday, May 9
Prayer Team, 7:15 p.m., Nave
Wednesday, May
10
Girl Scouts, 6:30 p.m., Janney House J1
(meets again
on Wednesday, May 24)
Good Grief
Support Group, 7:30 p.m.,
Janney Parlor
(meets again on Wednesday, May 24)
Thursday, May
11
St. James’
Book Club, 7:00 p.m., Janney Parlor
Monday, May 15
Pastoral
Associates, 7:30 p.m., Janney Parlor
Tuesday, May
16
Brownies, 4:30 p.m., Parish Hall (meets again
Tuesday, May
30)
Preschool
Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m.,
Parish Library
Tuesday, May 23
Vestry Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Parish Hall
Wednesday, May
24
Senior Saints
Luncheon, TBD, Parish Hall
Thursday, May
25
Red Cross
Blood Drive, 1:00 p.m., Parish Hall
Friday, May
26, through Sunday, May 28
Shrine Mont All-Parish Retreat, Shrine Mont
Honor
a loved one, give thanks for an anniversary or accomplishment, or commemorate a
loved one’s birthday or death by sponsoring flowers for the St. James’
Episcopal Church altar or other worship related expenses. If you would like to celebrate in this way,
please fill out this form and mail it to:
St. James’ Episcopal
Church
14 Cornwall Street NW
Leesburg, Virginia 20176
along with a
contribution of $50 payable to “St. James’ Church”
with “Altar Flowers/Worship
Expenses” in the memo line.
Your
name and telephone:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Please
specify your dedication:
“To the Glory of God and . . .
.
. . in celebration of
________________________________________________________________________
.
. . in honor of
________________________________________________________________________
.
. . in memory of
________________________________________________________________________
.
. . in thanksgiving of
________________________________________________________________________
|
Please circle the date you would like to sponsor in 2006: |
|
|
May 14, 21, 28 |
|
|
June 4, 11, 18, 25 |
July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 |
|
August 6, 13, 20, 27 |
September 3, 10, 17, 24 |
|
October 21, 8, 15, 22, 29 |
November 5, 12, 19, 26 |
|
December 3, 10, 17 |
|
Who we ARE…
We
are...St. James’ Episcopal Church,
a community of 1,057 baptized members.
We
belong...to the Diocese of Virginia,
a community of 89,000 baptized members and 400 clergy in 38 counties of
central, northern and northwestern Virginia, serving the world through 195
congregations, six schools, two diocesan retreat centers, and six diocesan
homes, and home to the largest Anglican seminary in the world—Virginia
Theological Seminary in Alexandria.
Which
belongs to...The Episcopal Church, USA,
a community of 2.5 million members in 113 dioceses in the Americas and
abroad. The Episcopal Church, USA was
organized in 1789.
Which
belongs to...the Anglican Communion,
a global community of 73 million Anglicans in 38 member provinces.
Service
Information
Sundays
7:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite I
9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II
10:10 a.m. Christian Education
11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite I or II
Wednesdays
12:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II
Childcare for infants and toddlers is available in the Nursery during the 9:00 & 11:15 services.
How to
Contact Clergy & Staff via E-mail
Rector: The Rev. John Ohmer: john@stjamesleesburg.org
Assistant to the Rector
for Adult Ministries: (vacant)
Assistant to the Rector
for Children & Youth Ministries: The Rev. Mary Davila:
mary@stjamesleesburg.org
Priest Associate: The Rev. Donald Goodness: drglrg97@adelphia.net
Seminarian: Casey Shobe: cshobe@vts.edu
Property Manager: Gary Gearhart: gary@stjamesleesburg.org
Registrar/Wedding
Coordinator: Kay Gregg: kay@stjamesleesburg.org
Financial Administrator: Sheri Nelson: sheri@stjamesleesburg.org
Parish Administrator: Janine Carmichael: janine@stjamesleesburg.org
Parish Secretary: Laura Heyer: laura@stjamesleesburg.org
14
Cornwall Street NW, Leesburg, Virginia 20176
Phone:
703-777-1124
Fax:
703-777-1129
e-mail: info@stjamesleesburg.org
http://www.stjamesleesburg.org
For pastoral emergencies, dial (703)777-1124 option 3 to alert the on-call clergy.
Acolytes: Dottie
Brannock
Ushers and Greeters:
Tom Smith
Lay Eucharistic Ministers:
Jeff Brannock
Children’s Chapel:
Laura Young (9:00)