Buildings & Grounds Committee
Jim Cassel & Kevin Vesely co-chairpersons
With the older facilities and buildings at St. James’, the Buildings and Grounds committee faces many challenges. We always have ongoing painting, electrical, carpentry, general clean up and fund raising projects.
We are always seeking people who would like to help.
Even if you don’t consider yourself handy with a paint brush, hammer or screwdriver, you are welcomed and encouraged to participate in this ministry of time and talent.
Fellowship Committee
Paul Wasmund – chairperson
The fellowship committee is comprised of the members of St. James’ church. We are all members of this wonderful St. James’ family.
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3
The fellowship Committee’s mission is to bring the members of our parish together outside of Sunday worship. Ultimately, these gatherings of the members of the St. James’ family are to strengthen the bonds of our community and that which unites us to Christ.
Some of the fellowship committee’s previous events have been:
- Fall Harvest Festival
- Progressive Dinner
- Maundy Thursday Agape Dinner and Easter Vigil Agape Reception
- Parish Picnic at Craigville Park
- Family Game Night
Greeters Ministry
Meg Strobl, chairperson
The primary purpose of the Greeters’ Ministry is welcoming newcomers to St. James’. Whether people have just moved to the area and are “church shopping,” come with friends, or are returning to church after an absence, the Greeters look for ways to make their visit a good experience.
Greeters serve at the 9 a.m. Family Eucharist and at the 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist service.
The Greeters’ role is to welcome new people coming to worship, and then encourage them to sign our guest book, show them where to find the hymnal and Book of Common Prayer, and answer any questions and concerns. In addition, the Greeters introduce them to our rector, give them a newsletter and other information about St. James’. They then accompany guests to coffee hour where they are then introduced to other parish members.
Outreach
John Strobl, chairperson
St. James’ Parish participates in many outreach programs, including:
- The Goshen Ecumenical Pantry – a group of volunteers from local area Churches and Temple, as well as concerned individuals in the Goshen community. Food is distributed to the needy of Goshen at 9:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month at the First Presbyterian Church (33 Park Place, Goshen, NY 10924) and the last Thursday of each month from 6:30pm to 7:15pm. Food bagging is done Tuesday mornings for 9:30am to 10:30pm. at the Pantry.
- Community Dinners – dinners that are held the last Saturday of each month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in St. James’s parish hall. Started in July 1999, the meals provide nourishment and companionship to our fellow residents. Each month a different group from the community hosts the dinner, which serves between 35- 60 individuals.
The gratitude expressed by the guests, as well as the fellowship involved in preparation and serving, make this an outreach project that St. James’ Parish is truly blessed to be a part of.
Other programs:
- Relay for Life Cancer Walk
- The ACS Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk
- Angel Tree – Thanks goes to Marci Hanners who spearheads this effort each year, and to the generosity of the parishioners of St. James’, gifts were distributed to needy families in Orange County.
Pastoral Care
Kathy Martin Brown and Jessica Sutton, co-chairpersons
Lay Pastoral Care is support to our sisters and brothers in Christ as they continue their journeys in faith. This support responds to the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of others.
Pastoral Care in a congregation happens when all baptized persons share in the pastoral ministries of the parish. The full awareness that we at St. James’ love and care about each other is a strengthening force in our faith community.
Our Lord instructs us to love God and one another. We promise to do this at every Eucharist. We put that promise into action through our giving and receiving of pastoral care.
Your participation is an opportunity to share with others the blessing and talents that God has given you. Your participation also allows you to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit through your active ministry.
At inception members composed a fundamental list of ways to serve our congregation. The Goals included preparing meals for the ill, sending greeting cards to the infirmed, visiting those in need of support and the creation of a phone chain to inform parishioners expeditiously if necessary. Meg Strobl organized the phone chain and it is updated periodically.
Stewardship Committee
Ed Fritsche, chairperson
St. James’ Stewardship Committee focuses on the Christian sense of the word “Steward”. One may define a steward as one who involves himself/herself with managing the affairs of a household. The Christian sense of the word Steward involves managing the affairs of God on earth. Each and every parishioner has unique abilities and talents. God has made each of us a Steward and we should use our abilities or talents to serve God.
Have you thought about all that God has given us? How about property, talents, the gospel, relationships, environment, health, and time. The Stewardship Committee encourages everyone to remember that a Christian steward serves God out of love and gratitude for those gifts knowing that it is not how much we have, but what we do with what we have that is important.
The Stewardship Committee throughout the year hosts numerous coffee hours to show our appreciation for all those who complete a commitment card during Commitment Sundays. This event is always held for three consecutive weeks in October. Completing these cards allows St. James to budget for the following year. The committee term is three years. We welcome anyone who is interested in serving St. James in this manner.
St. James’ Youth Group
Fr. Carl, chairperson
The St. James’ Youth Group is open to young people in the parish from grades 7-12. The goal of membership in the Youth Group is to reflect on what it means to live a Christian life- how our relationship with Christ shapes our decisions, friendships, and encounters at school and at home. The Youth Group meets on the third Sunday of the month after the 10:30am service (around 11:40am). Adult leadership is vital and we are always looking to add to our group.
The Youth Group events were Hosting the January Community Dinner, snow tubing and more events to come.
Youth please join, Adult’s consider being a part of our congregation’s efforts to minister to our youth and contribute to their faith formation.
St. James’ Sunday School
Jill Croucher & Bryan Giudice, Co. Directors
Sunday School is provided for children between pre-school to 8th. grade. Classes are held at 10:15am the first three Sundays of the month. We had a Mum Sale to raise funds for the Sunday School and for the Angel tree. And we had a Cookie Festival to raise money to buy Advent Calendars for the children and to improve our program. we also had a special service in November to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Our curriculum focused on the Old Testament in the Fall Semester. The younger children learned and preformed new songs. The older children demonstrated their mastery of the subject by sharing what ther learned about the Ten Commandments.
The children also participate in many special events throughout the year. We participated in a Easter Egg Hunt, held a Fall Festival and celebrated the birth of Jesus with a Christmas Party.