St. James' News



  Weekly Service Schedule St. James Episcopal Church, Greenfield

Welcome to St James Episcopal Church

Come and worship with us!  St. James is a community that strives to be inclusive, sustain faith in God and affirm that faith in action.  All baptized Christians are invited to the altar to receive the Holy Eucharist.  Services this weekend are Saturday at 5:30 p.m., Sunday at 8 and 10 a.m.  Church School begins at 9:45 a.m.  The Adult Forum takes place at 9:00 a.m. in the Whiteman Room.  A nursery is provided during the 10 o'clock service.  All services at St. James are handicapped-accessible.

<>Monday Second Helpings are served in the Parish Hall at 5:30 p.m.  All are welcome.

Holy Eucharist is said at 7:15  in the Chapel, entrance on Church Street.


 


 
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  December, The Reverend Dr. John A. Cerrato

Dear Parishioners & Friends of Saint James,

As we move into the autumn season, we again face the glories of nature’s change. With the turning of the seasons we are reminded
of the steady and reassuring cycles of life through which we all pass. Parts of our yearly living once again go by in a familiar way.

One of the great spiritual masters of the western world Thomas a Kempis wrote to his followers in the language of his day: sic transi t
gloria mundi, so passes the glory of the world. If Saint Thomas had lived in a later age, he might have seen the new world of New
England, and have learned this lesson from a brilliant Massachusetts fall. The many greens of summer will become the dazzling colors of
the fall, as they make their way toward the arrival of winter.

With the dawning of each new season comes the agenda of that time, the things that need doing. For Saint James’ Church this means all the activities and commitments of the autumn, as we pace ourselves toward Advent and Christmas and the civil year’s end. Programs of the parish start again, commensurate with the school year. The return and re-gathering of the community from summer travels allows our worship and life together to resume in its fullness.

Let me commend to you all these opportunities: invitations to selfcare and to the service of others. Let me also highlight a few as of
special interest: one that will not happen again for a while and another that is of vital concern to the whole parish.

First let me urge you to celebrate with Bishop Gordon Scruton, the clergy of the diocese, the leaders and people of Saint James, and
with me, the Institution Service of a New Rector. This event is announced for Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 7 p.m. It will be a
privilege for me to greet you at this liturgy of a new beginning, followed by a reception in the Parish Hall. We will say prayers
together to mark our collaborative commitment to the service of Christ in the years ahead.

Secondly, of vital importance to the life and health of the parish of Saint James is our Stewardship appeal in October and November.
This year the Finance Committee and the Vestry are sculpting a Mission Budget 2009. A Mission Budget differs from a Maintenance
Budget in that allows us to carry forward the work that we are called to do, rather than try to survive with a diminished regard for
Christ’s instruction. We will present a well thought-out, basic and clear report of our needs for the new year and ask the community as
a whole to respond.

The leadership and I will be speaking in the Eucharistic services about how fulfilling it can be for all of us and each of us, even in these
challenging and changing times, to pledge ourselves to Christ’s ministry in terms of our time, our talent, and our treasure. My promise is that
we will do so gently, elegantly, appropriately, even humorously.

My prayer for our community is that God will continue to bless and guide us, to lead us to the new and old places where we should be, and to
grant us the grace of a vibrant ministry together, now and in the coming years. The glory of the world passes, but the honor of Christ does not. So I
wish you

God’s peace and blessing,
The Reverend Dr. John A. Cerrato

Library News
The Library Committee
Jack Kazar, South Deerfield            Alice Kells, Greenfield
Susan Crawford, Winchester NH        Dot Hmieleski, South Deerfield
Beth Lorenz, Greenfield

A recent meeting of the new library committee brought out some fresh and different ideas.  We want to tell you what we have brought into the library, have you use the library and have fun doing it!  Newly purchased books will be listed in the Epistle, upcoming bulletins and look for us on the St. James Web site!  That way you know what has been purchased or donated recently.  Checking out a book is based on the honor system.  Simply follow the directions in the library and return the books in 2 weeks!
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Recent additions include:

Book Title                                                 Author
Beyond Retribution                                    Marshal, Christopher
Lord I Believe                                            Farrer, Austin
The Practice of The Presence of God          Brother Lawrence
Christ on Trial                                            Williams, Rowan
The First Christian                                      Zahl, Paul
The Encyclopaedia of Celtic Wisdom         Matthews, Caitlin & John
Anglo-Catholic Worship                            Buchanan, Colin
Open Mind, Open Heart                            Keating, Thomas
English Writings                                         Rolle, Richard
The Minds Road to God                            Boas, George
The Inward Pilgrimage                              Christansen, Beruhard
Abandonment of Divine Providence          Caussade, Jean-Pierre
The Passionate Steward                            O’Hurley-Pitts, Michael
So Winter Solstice                                    Pilcher, Rosamunde
The Way of Perfection                              Peers, E. Allison
The Dance of Hope                                  Frey, William C.
Tuesdays with Morrie                               Albom, Mitch

We will be asking you to look over your home library for donations to our library and/or providing for a fundraiser.  In the past, a book sale combined with an art auction/sale has helped us to provide for our purchases.  We will inform you in the bulletin about our collection procedure.

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