Posted by John Strobl on February 28, 2010 under General | 
The St. James’, St. Patrick’s Dinner will be held Saturday March 13 at 6:00p.m. in the Parish Hall. Along with corned beef and cabbage, carrots and boiled potatoes we will be serving baked ziti. There will be various desserts too. The cost is $7.00 for adults and $4.00 for children under 12. Any one with questions can contact Jeanne Healy at 651-1254 or Donna Carbone at 355-7228.
St.Patrick
(c. 390-c. 460). Bishop and missionary of Ireland. He was born into a Christian family somewhere on the northwest coast of Britain. Patrick was the son of a local town councilman and deacon of the church. When Patrick was about sixteen, he was captured by Irish pirates and forced to serve as a slave for six years. Patrick either escaped or was freed. He eventually returned to Britain. He was ordained deacon, priest, and bishop. Around 435, he returned to Ireland. The exaggerated popular view of Patrick maintains that he converted the whole country by himself. As a missionary bishop, Patrick established his see at Armagh. He promoted monasticism, established schools, and evangelized some of the people. His major writing is an autobiographical Confession. “St. Patrick’s Breastplate,” Hymn 370 in The Hymnal 1982, is attributed to Patrick. Patrick is commemorated in the Episcopal calendar of the church year on Mar. 17. |
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Posted by John Strobl on February 27, 2010 under Featured |
The Sacrament of Confirmation & Recepition, will be held at St.James’, Saturday, March 6, 2010. The Eucharist will begin at 10:30am. The Right Reverend Mark S. Sisk, Bishop of New York, Officiating.
Confirmation
The Episcopal Church’s theology of Confirmation has continued to evolve along with its understanding of baptism. Confirmation is no longer seen as the completion of Christian initiation, nor is Confirmation a prerequisite for receiving communion. Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s body the church (BCP, p. 298). Accordingly, Confirmation has been increasingly understood in terms of a mature, public reaffirmation of the Christian faith and the baptismal promises. Some dioceses require that candidates for Confirmation be at least sixteen years old to insure that the candidates are making a mature and independent affirmation of their faith. There is considerable diversity of understanding and practice concerning Confirmation in the Episcopal Church. Confirmation has been characterized as “a rite seeking a theology.”
Reception (Christian Commitment)
Baptized persons who have been members of another Christian fellowship and who wish to be affiliated with the Episcopal Church may make a public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their baptism in the presence of a bishop. The bishop lays hands on each candidate for reception and says, “We recognize you as a member of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church, and we receive you into the fellowship of this Communion” (BCP, p. 418). Candidates for reception normally have made a mature commitment in another Christian fellowship. Some dioceses have reserved reception for those candidates who have previously received sacramental confirmation with laying on of hands by a bishop in apostolic succession.
Posted by John Strobl on February 26, 2010 under Featured |
Snow Closing Information:
The February 27, Community Dinner at St. James’ has been cancelled due to snow.
Posted by admin on February 18, 2010 under From The Rector |
“About this we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become dull in understanding. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us go on toward perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God, instruction about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.” – Hebrews 5:11-6:2 NRVS
Some Christians never really mature much beyond a Sunday school level of commitment, or a deeper understanding of their faith. A few Bible stories, along with a naive or superstitious image of God and our relationship with him, inform a rather underdeveloped, crisis testing, faith that is easily abandoned when it becomes inconvenient. Many lack the serious purpose needed to grow in knowledge and commitment (loyalty) to Christ as his followers as Scripture commends to us.
In the opening passages from Hebrews, the author challenges us to move beyond the basics – and to get deeper into our relationship with Christ, and to nourish our maturity as Christians. We are called to live out our understanding of our relationship to God, to one another and to the world.
The Christian faith is grounded in the love and grace of God, experienced through Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Christian life is our response to God: Christian discipleship.
Discipleship focuses on actively following in the footsteps of Jesus. As Christian disciple we are not passive spectators, but energetic participants in God’s activity in the world. Because of what God has done for us, we offer our lives back to God.
We order our lives in ways that embody Christ’s ministry in our families, workplaces, communities and the world. This requires an ongoing process of growth and maturity that an underdeveloped faith inhibits. We need to continue to progress in our faith journey all the days of our lives. When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, his response was:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment.” – Matt. 22:37-38 (See Matt. 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28)
Discipleship is about loving God. It is more than an acknowledgment of God’s existence or a statement of belief regarding God. It is total devotion, a head-over-heels-in-love-with adoration. It is the deep desire to know God, to be one with God and to worship God. There are many ways that we can develop our knowledge and love of God. These include: prayer, bible study, worship, fellowship with other Christians and servant ministry. These activities are the means for developing our relationship with God and experiencing God’s presence in our lives. These practices help us spend time with God, a significant factor in loving God.
Each of us as Episcopalians and members of St. James’ church are part of a 2000 year old tradition of Christian discipleship. We are the church! We are the successors to the first disciples of Jesus; we are his presence in the world. We are called to love Jesus by devoting our lives to him. Are you devoting your life to Christ?
This is a question that stands at the heart of our faith. Do we pay lip service to our baptismal promises and commitment or do we continually try to progress in our faith trusting in the Holy Spirit. Re-commitment and re-dedication should always be part of our spiritual vocabulary as we strive to live into our call in Christ. God promises us a better reward (Hebrews 11:40) for those who devote their lives to seeking the Kingdom of God. Even though life has its ups and downs, St. Paul kept the proper perspective:
“…I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” – Philippians 3:8 NIV
Jesus promises us eternal life at the resurrection. In the mean time, he will comfort us when serving him brings painful sacrifices (2 Corinthians 1:3-5.) Maintaining a clear vision of our future with God and remembering God’s promise of comfort helps us to continue to develop a living, maturing faith as his disciples. May God bless and guide us all as we seek his Kingdom and trust in his grace.
Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (Book of Occasional Service 1994 pg.171)
Posted by John Strobl on February 16, 2010 under From The Rector |
Friday March 5, 2010 at 12:00PM at St. James’
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER (WDP) is a worldwide ecumenical movement of Christian women of many faith traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday in March.
Throughout the entire day, we collectively pray all over the world, beginning with the first sunrise and ending at the last sunset. Our prayers follow the sun’s path around the globe. WDP’s motto is “Informed prayer leads to prayerful action.”
Through World Day of Prayer, women affirm that prayer and action are inseparable and that both have immeasurable influence in the world.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER:
- is a movement initiated and carried out by women in more than 170 countries and regions.
- is a movement symbolized by an annual day of celebration–the first Friday of March–to which all people are welcome.
- is a movement which brings together women of various races, cultures and traditions in closer fellowship, understanding and action throughout the year.
THROUGH WORLD DAY OF PRAYER WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD:
- affirm their faith in Jesus Christ;
- share their hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, their opportunities and need;
- become aware of the whole world and no longer live in isolation;
- are enriched by the faith experience of Christians from other countries and cultures;
- become aware of their talents and use them in the service of society.
Through World Day of Prayer, women affirm that PRAYER and ACTION are inseparable and that both have immeasurable influence in the world.
Posted by John Strobl on February 13, 2010 under General |
Since 1910, the ideals of Scouting have guided young men to perform “service to others and to the community.” Responding to the plight of America’s poor and hungry is a traditional Scouting “good turn.” During World War I, Boy Scouts planted vegetable gardens to provide food for the hungry. President Roosevelt called on Scouts to collect food for the needy during the Great Depression. Planting Victory Gardens were the Scouting “good turns” organized during World War II. Today, Boy Scouts continue their Good Turn efforts in community stewardship through Scouting for Food.
Event Organization
Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Venturing units will distribute Scouting for Food bags to neighborhoods on March 6th then will return to collect canned food contributions on March 13th. Contributions to the Scouting for Food campaign will be distributed to the Goshen Ecumenical Food Pantry to help meet the needs of our hungry neighbors.
Scouting for Food will commence on March 6th at St James when scouts and venturing groups will put bags out. Please meet at St James at 8:30AM.
March 13th will be food collection beginning at 9:30 The Troop will be putting the Bags together at the March 4th meeting rain, snow or otherwise. ALL SCOUTS ARE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE.
Goshen Residents have your bag of food out your front door by 9:30am on March 13
Posted by John Strobl on February 11, 2010 under From The Rector |
Ash Wednesday is February 17. Imposition of Ashes will be at 8:00am at the 12 Noon Service and 7:30pm.
Ash Wednesday, in the Western Church, the first day of Lent, being the seventh Wednesday before Easter. On this day ashes are placed on the foreheads of the faithful to remind them of death, of the sorrow they should feel for their sins, and of the necessity of changing their lives. The practice, which dates from the early Middle Ages, is common among Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Episcopalians, and many Lutherans; it was also adopted by some Methodists and Presbyterians in the 1990s.
