VICAR’S COMMENTS

Lessons from a Dying Economy

Our recent trip to the Upper Peninsula reminded me of visiting parts of Appalachia. Things looked depressed, and people talked in a dispirited fashion about the economy. Last winter unemployment over the area was above 24 per-cent. The town I grew up in looked much more tired than I remembered it. But a nearby smaller community where Jane and I attended church was carefully manicured, houses were well maintained and it had a prosperous look.

When my father was a priest in the U.P. of Michigan he worked with a small tribe of Pottawatomie Indians.
They had nothing then; he helped them get decent housing through HUD and it made a difference. The tribe now boasts a first-rate Casino and Convention center and is prospering as never before. I found the contrast between prosperity and recession in a regional area to be perplexing. My hometown seems to have curled up its toes and said we’re done, while others have said they are moving on.

Churches go through cycles of growth and decline, but if they re-vision themselves they don’t stay in decline very long. That is what we are trying to do at St. James’. Re-visioning uses everyone’s gifts, and even those who seem less active have something to contribute. The failure to do this usually results in steeper decline leading to death. I am grateful to be vicar of a church with a desire to grow and flourish.

FIFTH SUNDAYS

Four times a year we get five Sundays in a month. On these Sundays we'll have some special program at St. James'. On Sunday, August 29, we will have a Guided Eucharist at the 10 AM service. This will be a Eucharist with commentary to help us all reflect on what is happening in the service. Other upcoming Fifth Sundays will include topics like, How Episcopalians use Scripture, How Do We Understand Salvation? and How Can I Explain My Church to Others.

ST. JAMES’ PICNIC by CHERI MUMAUGH

It’s picnic time once again for the St. James' congregation. This year's picnic will be held at the end of summer on September 19th following the 10:00 service (or around 11:30 or so for those not attending the late service that day).  We will gather at Dan and Cheri Mumaugh's home for a potluck outdoor meal.  The house is easy to find at 900 Pivot Rock Road just minutes from the church.  Wear comfortable clothing and footwear that day so you will be picnic ready after the service.

Toward the end of August there will be a sign up poster in the undercroft or you can call the church office or the Mumaughs (253-9139) to have them add you to the list.  This will give us a good idea on number of individuals or families planning to attend and what each will contribute to the meal.

An assortment of beverages and all paper products and silverware will be provided by the Mumaughs, and there are plenty of covered areas and chairs for your dining use.  Please bring your dish ready to set in either the meal or dessert serving areas, as we will eat starting right around noon when most have arrived.
 
In case of unfortunate weather on the 19th, we will use the following Sunday, the 26th, as a back-up date.  Please mark your calendars now and plan to join the fun.  Good times and good food guaranteed!

DATES SET FOR FALL CURSILLO by LAURA SHOFFNER

Are you looking for a means to jump start your Christian journey? To deepen your connection to Christ?  To explore Christian action in your world? A three-day Cursillo weekend may be just what you're looking for.
 
The three-day Cursillo weekend, set for Oct. 14-17, will be held at the diocesan church camp on beautiful Petit Jean Mountain. Offering a series of lay talks, a variety of worship experiences, and opportunities for learning and reflection, a Cursillo weekend, as those who have attended will tell you, can be an important step in enhancing one's faith. Besides all of that, the food is good, the music toe-tapping, and the setting spectacular.
 
To learn more or to secure an application, please speak with Larry or Laura Shoffner (253-5367), who will both be serving on the fall Cursillo team, or with Fr. Ben. Fees and other information is available on line at the Arkansas Cursillo website: www.cursillo-ar.com. Partial scholarship help is available from St. James’.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN by SUZANNE TOURTELOT, ACTING PRESIDENT

After our summer break, ECW will be meeting again on August 2nd at 6 PM.  We're planning a potluck salad dinner and hope that all will be able to join us for good food and fellowship with our sisters. All women of St. James' are encouraged to take part in this activity. Also, mark your calendars for the September meeting which will be September 13th due to the Labor Day weekend. Hope to see you there.

SUNDAY MORNINGS – MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK

Just look at all the willing, dedicated volunteers signed up for so many different duties on the August and September schedules. It takes MANY to keep our Sunday mornings running and welcoming, and we’re not even listing our wonderful priests, music providers, breakfast cook, and other behind the scenes people. HUGE THANKS to all of you.

We welcome new servers with open arms.  If you are available to assist in any of these areas, please let us know.  We would love to have you and, frankly, you are needed.   Bear in mind, these lists include just Sunday mornings.  We acknowledge the many of you that do other important tasks throughout the week. You are so appreciated.

ON BEADS OF PRAYER by JANE HELMER

This ministry, making hand-held prayer beads for every man and woman deployed in the armed forces, is up and running at St. James. Work sessions will be after the 10 a.m. service on the second Sunday of each month. Start-up training times are planned for two Saturday mornings from 9:30 to noon. Contact person: Jane Helmer 479-363-6266, e-mail mjhelmer@cox.net

 August

Saturday 7: Start-up for new participants; others welcome
Sunday 8: Beading together

September

Saturday 11: Start-up for new participants; others welcome
Sunday 12: Beading together

CALENDAR

Monday, August 2: 6 PM ECW meeting 
Saturday, August 7: 9:30 AM - Noon Start up training, Beads of Prayer  
Sunday, August 8: 11:15 AM Work Session Beads of Prayer
Monday, August 16: 5:30 PM Vestry Meeting
Tuesday, August 17: 1 PM Prayer Shawl Ministry Knit-Together at Carol Belt’s
Friday, August 20: 10:30 AM Gospel Sing at Peachtree
Sunday, August 29:10 AM (5th Sunday) Guided Eucharist

Saturday, September 11: 9:30 AM - Noon Start up training, Beads of Prayer
Sunday, September 12: 11:15 AM Work Session Beads of Prayer
Monday, September 13: 6 PM ECW meeting
Friday, September 17: 10:30 AM Gospel Sing at Peachtree
Sunday, September 19: Picnic at Mumaughs (rain date: September 26)
Monday September 20: 5:30 PM Vestry Meeting
Tuesday, September 21: 1 PM Prayer Shawl Ministry Knit-Together at “TBD”

TREASURER’S REPORT by JERRY WAYMAN

JUNE 2010	INCOME	EXPENSES	NET INCOME
BUDGETED	$9,215 $55,290 YTD	$9,999 $59,994 YTD
ACTUAL	$12,067 $62,665 YTD	$11,328 $56,151 YTD	$739 $6,504 YTD

AUGUST SUNDAY WORSHIP MINISTRIES

	AUGUST 1 10 PENTECOST	AUGUST 8 11 PENTECOST	AUGUST 15 12 PENTECOST	AUGUST 22 13 PENTECOST	AUGUST 29 14 PENTECOST
ALTAR –8 AM ALTAR –10 AM	KAREN RALPH JEANNE OMUNDSON	LINDA GEORGE CHERI L & NANCY M	MARILYN MILLER SUZANNE & KAY	CHERI & DEBORAH JEANNE OMUNDSON	SUZANNE TOURTELOT CHERI L & LOYANNE
READER - 8 AM	JIM COPE	LINDA GEORGE	DAVID MILLER	JIM MARIS	SUZANNE TOURTELOT
BREAKFAST HELPERS	MARILYN MILLER DAVE MILLER	FRANCES DAVILLA CHERI LACOCK	WE NEED YOU!	PLEASE VOLUNTEER!	PLEASE HELP!
READERS - 10 AM	CAROL BELT WHIT BRITTAIN	BILL HILL AL LACOCK	MARTY JOHNSON LARRY WAGNER	JANE HELMER CLIFFORD PORTER	ED TOLLE CHERI LACOCK
ACOLYTE/CRUCIFER	LAUREN ARCHIBALD	MANON GROS	SUZANNE TOURTELOT	CHERI LACOCK	MANON GROS
EUCHARISTIC MINISTER	JANE ACORD	LARRY JOHNSON	AL LACOCK	SUZANNE TOURTELOT	MARY SPRINGER
USHERS	LARRY SHOFFNER CHERI LACOCK	SUZANNE TOURTELOT PEGGY POT	JANE ACORD WHIT BRITTAIN	JERRY WAYMAN LOYANNE COPE	LARRY JOHNSON CATHERINE LEWIS
OFFERING COUNTERS	LARRY SHOFFNER CHERI LACOCK	SUZANNE TOURTELOT PEGGY POT	CHRISTI WAGNER WHIT BRITTAIN	KAY WAYMAN JANE HELMER	MARY SPRINGER MARTY JOHNSON
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS	JANE ACORD	OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE!	WILL YOU HOST?	BETSY PORTER CLIFFORD PORTER	KAY WAYMAN

AUGUST EUCHARISTIC VISITORS

VISITS TO	AUGUST 1	AUGUST 8	AUGUST 15	AUGUST 22	AUGUST 29
VIRGINIA HUMPHREYS	MARTY JOHNSON		JANE ACORD
VIVIAN MASON			GLORIA RENNELS
LUCILLE ZIMMERMANN	SUZANNE TOURTELOT		KAREN PRYOR

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

AUGUST 3	KEITH TODD
AUGUST 8	KAY WAYMAN
AUGUST 13	JUDITH DEVINE
AUGUST 19	STAN HARTEY
AUGUST 22	MAXINE GARING
AUGUST 24	DON OMUNDSON
AUGUST 25	MERIWETHER GARING
AUGUST 26	KEVIN CROSSON
AUGUST 26	HEATHER QUINNEY
AUGUST 28	PEGGY POT

AUGUST FLOWERS

AUGUST 1	DON & JEANNE OMUNDSON FOR DALE'S BIRTHDAY
AUGUST 8	JERRY WAYMAN FOR KAY'S BIRTHDAY
AUGUST 15	IN MEMORY OF GEORGETTE & JOHN GARNER'S WEDDING ANNIVERSARY & JOHN’S MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY
AUGUST 22	JEANNE OMUNDSON FOR DON'S BIRTHDAY
AUGUST 29	CLIFFORD & BETSY PORTER FOR BROTHERS JON & ROGER

SEPTEMBER SUNDAY WORSHIP MINISTRIES

	SEPTEMBER 5 15 PENTECOST	SEPTEMBER 12 16 PENTECOST	SEPTEMBER 19 17 PENTECOST	SEPTEMBER 26 18 PENTECOST
ALTAR - 8 AM ALTAR -10 AM	LINDA GEORGE SUZANNE & KAY	KAREN RALPH DEBORAH & CHERI L	KAREN RALPH LOYANNE & CHERI	LINDA GEORGE SUSAN VANSELOW
READER - 8 AM	LINDA GEORGE	DAVE MILLER	JIM MARIS	JIM COPE
BREAKFAST HELPERS	DAVE MILLER MARILYN MILLER	FRANCES DAVILLA CHERI LACOCK	CAN YOU HELP?	WE NEED YOU!
READERS - 10 AM	SUZANNE TOURTELOT LARRY WAGNER	JERRY WAYMAN CLIFFORD PORTER	WHIT BRITTAIN JANE HELMER	BILL HILL MARTY JOHNSON
ACOLYTE/CRUCIFER	HENDRIK POT	MANON GROS	LAUREN ARCHIBALD	SUSAN VANSELOW
EUCHARISTIC MINISTER	CHERI LACOCK	JANE ACORD	LARRY WAGNER	DAVE VANSELOW
USHERS	LARRY SHOFFNER JERRY WAYMAN	JERRY WAYMAN WHIT BRITTAIN	SUZANNE TOURTELOT LOYANNE COPE	LARRY JOHNSON CHERI LACOCK
OFFERING COUNTERS	LARRY SHOFFNER CHRISTI WAGNER	KAY WAYMAN WHIT BRITTAIN	SUZANNE TOURTELOT JUDY GODFREY	DAVE VANSELOW MARTY JOHNSON
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS	HELP, PLEASE!	WILL YOU HOST?	SIGN UP NOW!	PLEASE VOLUNTEER!

SEPTEMBER EUCHARISTIC VISITORS

EUCHARIST VISITS TO	SEPTEMBER 5	SEPTEMBER 12	SEPTEMBER 19	SEPTEMBER 26
VIRGINIA HUMPHREYS	JUDY GODFREY		CHERI LACOCK
VIVIAN MASON			GLORIA RENNELS
LUCILLE ZIMMERMANN	LAURA & LARRY SHOFFNER		JUDY GODFREY

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS

SEPT 2	JUDY GODFREY
SEPT 3	MARTY JOHNSON
SEPT 7	JILL HODGE
SEPT 21	JUDY MARTIN
SEPT 23	NIGEL HARTEY
SEPT 27	DAVID MILLER
SEPT 27	CHERI MUMAUGH
SEPT 28	HAYLEY TOMLINSON

SEPTEMBER FLOWERS

SEPT 5	PEGGY POT IN HONOR OF JUDY GODFREY’S BIRTHDAY
SEPT 12	GEORGETTE GARNER IN MEMORY OF JOHN D GARNER
SEPT 19	LAURA & LARRY SHOFFNER IN MEMORY OF HER BROTHER SKY
SEPT 26	AL & CHERI LACOCK FOR THEIR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY