*** Newsletter for Thursday, November 20, 2025 ***
Worship Schedule
Saturday, November 29 (Readings for 1 Advent, Year A) 5:00 PM – Holy Eucharist using Enriching Our Worship (EOW) contemporary prayers with live music and hymn singing. Celebrant & Preacher: Father Sean.
Sunday, November 30 (1st Sunday of Advent, Year A) 8:00 AM – Holy Eucharist, Rite 1 spoken service (no music). 10:15 AM – Holy Eucharist, Rite II service with live music and hymn singing. Live stream on FB. Celebrant & Preacher at both services: Father Sean. Coffee hour will be in the narthex immediately after worship.
Saturday, December 6 (Readings for 2 Advent, Year A) 5:00 PM – Holy Eucharist using Enriching Our Worship (EOW) contemporary prayers with live music and hymn singing. Celebrant & Preacher: Father Sean.
Sunday, December 7 (2nd Sunday of Advent, Year A) 8:00 AM – Holy Eucharist, Rite 1 spoken service (no music). 10:15 AM – Holy Eucharist, Rite II service with live music and hymn singing. Live stream on FB. Sunday school & Youth Group will be meeting in the Education Building rehearsing for the pageant. Celebrant & Preacher at both services: Father Sean. Coffee hour will be in the narthex immediately after worship.
Saturday, December 13 (Readings for 3 Advent, Year A) 5:00 PM – Holy Eucharist using Enriching Our Worship (EOW) contemporary prayers with live music and hymn singing. Celebrant: TBA. Preacher: Deacon Jim.
Sunday, December 14 (3rd Sunday of Advent, Year A) 8:00 AM – Holy Eucharist, Rite 1 spoken service (no music). 10:15 AM – Holy Eucharist, Rite II service with live music and hymn singing. Live stream on FB. Sunday school & Youth Group will be meeting in the Education Building rehearsing for the pageant. Celebrant at both services: Father Sean. Preacher at both services: Deacon Jim. Coffee hour will be in the narthex immediately after worship. We will “green” the sanctuary during coffee hour.
+++++
Happy Thanksgiving! In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, the church office will close at noon on Wednesday, November 26 and reopen on Monday, December 1.
+++++
Merry Christmas! Our worship schedule for the Christmas season is as follows:
Sunday, December 21, 5:00 pm – Youth and Sunday School Christmas pageant. Refreshments afterwards in the narthex.
Wednesday, December 24 – The Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ 4:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist, family service with live music and hymn singing 9:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist, adult service with choir, live music, and hymn singing
Thursday, December 25 – The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ 9:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist, followed by continental breakfast in the church library
Saturday, December 27 – no 5:00 p.m. service
Sunday, December 28 – 1st Sunday of Christmas 8:00 a.m. – Lessons & Carols (spoken; no music or sermon), Communion from Reserve Sacrament
10:15 a.m. – Lessons & Carols (live music; no sermon), Communion from Reserve Sacrament
+++++
Stewardship 2026 – If you have discerned how you intend to give in terms of your time, talent, and treasury to St. James, please complete the pledge form using the following link: https://forms.gle/bFzaQHo3FEbNSKxBA. The online form is simple, user friendly, and takes only a couple of minutes to complete. If you prefer a hard copy, you can pick up a copy from the narthex or contact Edith at the church office. Thank you for your commitment to our church and its many ministries. And thanks to Kelly Benedetti our Treasurer for setting up the online platform.
+++++
Bible Study convenes monthly. Meeting dates and times will rotate. Most will be in person, but we will also offer online gatherings. Sessions will last one hour and focus on the Lectionary for the forthcoming Sunday. Our next gathering will be on Tuesday, December 9, 7:00 – 8:00 pm, online only via Zoom. Contact Father Sean for the Zoom link. We will focus on the readings for the 3rd Sunday of Advent — Isaiah 35:1-10, Canticle 15 (The Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55), James 5:7-10, and Matthew 11:2-11. The 2026 schedule is to be determined.
+++++
Sunday School meets in the Education Building during the 10:15 A.M. services on the following Sundays: December 7, 14, and 21. The December classes will be rehearsals for the Christmas Pageant. Classes are geared towards children aged 5-ish to 12-ish. If you have any questions, contact Alyssa Toth at AlyssaLToth@gmail.com. Looking ahead: Sunday school will take a break in January and resumes in February.
+++++
Sign-up Genius is our online platform for volunteering. Contact Edith in the church office with any questions.
(Nov 1-30): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F48ACAF2DA2FD0-58602164-pentecost
(Dec 4-Jan 4): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F48ACAF2DA2FD0-59665343-december#/
+++++
Greening of the Sanctuary – We will be decorating the church with greens after the 10:15 AM service on Sunday, December 14. You can help by (1) planning to be in the sanctuary at 11:30 AM that day, and/or (2) donate your “greens” for the windowsills of our sanctuary. We are looking for evergreen branches; please do not bring holly, since holly branches have sharp edges. You can drop off your evergreens outside the Education building in the patch of ground at the corner diagonal to the church entrance. Please deliver them by Saturday, December 13.
+++++
Christmas flowers – As has been our annual custom, the altar guild will be purchasing poinsettias for the Christmas services. We welcome your donations to offset the expense. Special envelopes for flowers can be found in the Narthex. You may make your offering in memory of a loved one.
+++++
From the Youth Group:
We are excited to be back together after the summer and look forward to seeing everyone on Homecoming Sunday if not before. Thanks to your generosity last year, we were able to donate Blessing Bags to both St. Mark’s Soup Kitchen, as well as the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. We think this is a worthy cause and are going to continue this work this year. Please see below a list of things we will be collecting. We’ll have a bin in the Narthex for your donations. Thank you for your generosity and kindness of heart!
Toiletries – small or travel sizes
– shampoo, – body wash/soap – toothbrushes – toothpaste – deodorant (regular size is OK)
– hand lotion – chapstick – hand warmers -*new item
+++++
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen: The next dates for us to volunteer at the kitchen (1625 Locust Street in Center City Philadelphia) is Saturday, December 6. The recipe this time is for “Dad’s Chicken Soup.”
Recipe:
● 6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth ● 3 onions, chopped ● 6 celery stalks, chopped
● 4 carrots, chopped ● 4 large garlic cloves, chopped ● 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried, crumbled
● 2 cups diced cooked chicken ● Fresh parsley* ● 1 cups uncooked long-grain white rice*
Method:
1. Bring first 5 ingredients to boil in a heavy large pot or Dutch oven over high heat.
2. Mix in thyme.
3. Return soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer soup uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
4. Add chicken and simmer until heated through, thinning with additional broth if desired.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
*Please provide packaged white rice and fresh parsley on the side. Makes 12 servings.
+++++
The next lunch of the “James Gang” will happen on Monday December 8th @ Raines’ Restaurant 2363 Bristol Rd, Bensalem. The lunch is an informal gathering for conversation and fellowship outside the church grounds. These lunches are “Dutch,” meaning that everyone pays their own way. Email Chris Parker if you have any questions: cprk210@aol.com.
+++++
Food humor:
Why did the girl think her clock was hungry? Because it went back four seconds.
What do you get when you eat onions and beans? Tear gas.
What’s the difference between the sun and a loaf of bread? The sun rises in the east and the bread rises from the yeast.
+++++
Parish Prayer list
HEALING:
Angela Oliver, C.J. Platt, Rev. Ellen M., Marcia Bower, Sandy K, Aiden, Amber, Aubrey, Bill Knight, Christopher, Damien and Jenny, Dan, Darryl, Dennis Keck, Erika Mayall, Eva Kozari, Heather Atkinson, Gary Williams, Jamie Beckman, Jason Flaville, Joanne Ledbetter, Jose Antunes, Karen Levin, Karon Aylmer, Keith, Ken R., Kevin, Kim & Charles, Kylene Chapman, Linda P., Lucille, Marcia Bower, Mark Cheresnick, Martha, the McKairnes family, Rebecca, Rhyse, Robin Rudy, Samantha, Spenser Mullen, Sue Hennigan, Terri Lotierzo, Theresa Klarich, Zachary
SPECIAL PRAYERS: Babe Sigman, Christopher, Doris Laino, Frances Mayall, Ginny Manning, Joan Eiker, Ryan, Stephanie
PREPARING FOR THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: Eddie Speller, Henry William Krass
THE NEWLY BAPTIZED: Hazel Joy Hirst, Lainey Caroline Strobl
EXPECTING NEW BIRTH: Kim & Lindsey Mizia, Stephanie & Megan
THANKSGIVING FOR NEW BIRTH: Sophie Grace Brodzik, daughter of Sara (Jones) & Bryan Brodzik
FAITHFUL DEPARTED: Bowers Ott Baldwin, Jr., Camela Lazo, Debbie Gillin, Donna Choi, Ginny Ceccoli, the Rev. Christina Nord
ALTAR FLOWERS: For the 23rd – John and Debbie Widenmeyer – In loving memory of Dorothy C. Widenmeyer. & G. Bradford and Lou-Rene Myers. For the 30th – Chris Parker – In grateful thanksgiving for all Gods gifts, especially for the community of St. James.
+++++