NEWS and EVENTS

 

 ST. JAMES': INSPIRED TO GIVE

Please prayerfully consider your 2026 financial contribution to St. James’. All pledges are appreciated and needed to continue our growth as a church. Let’s come together to be inspired to give in 2026! If you haven’t received your pledge card yet, please call the church office, or scan the QR code.

 
 

TUESDAY NOON BIBLE STUDY
in the Guild Parlor

Join us on Tuesday, November 4, where we will continue the study of the Gospel of Luke, with chapters 16 and 17.
Contact: Gates Elliott, gelliott@stjjax.org.

 
 

CALLED TO LOVE:
Finding our Common Purpose in the Bible

 10 am, Sundays, in Oak Ridge Hall.

We will continue with the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 10, on Sunday, November 2,
Our goal will be to journey one book at a time through the Bible and explore what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and a community based on God's love.
We will be striving to see ourselves and our world through the eyes of God: to give us purpose in our day-to-day lives and to guide us in doing the work God has given us to do.

 
 

ALL SOULS’ EVENSONG

Sunday, November 2, 4:00 pm.

Please join us for All Souls Evensong which will include canticles by Sarah Rimkus and movements of Herberts Howells’s beloved Requiem. 
This service is offered in remembrance and celebration of the friends and family we love but see no longer and the necrology will be read.
If you would like to add additional names to the necrology, call the church office, 601-982-4880, or email kstephens@stjjax.org.

 
 
 
 
 

CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD FORMATION FOR ADULTS

January 9, 10, & 11 

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd offers a unique formation that enriches the spiritual life of adults as they walk alongside children into the mystery of faith. Rooted in Scripture, prayer, and sacred environment, this approach invites both child and adult into a profound encounter with God’s presence. 

St. James’ is excited to offer a Level I training led by Stephanie Diethelm.
Stephanie has been a catechist since 1998, when she took a Level I course that she describes as life-changing. She has extensive experience working with children and adults in a variety of settings and now works with children in an atrium both at Red Mountain Community School and All Saints Episcopal Church in Birmingham, AL. 

For registration or inquiries, please contact Jess Eddleman at jeddleman@stjjax.org. 

 

JOIN THE CHOIR AT ST. JAMES’

If you are interested in becoming part of our vocal music ministry, we would love to have you with us. We rehearse each Wednesday from 6:00-7:30 pm. Members of the choir sing at both the 8:40 and 11:05 Sunday services and offer other sung services throughout the year. In St. James’ choir you truly could not find a more welcoming group or a safer space to share and to grow your vocal gifts.  Feel free to contact Jonathan Trotter with any questions you may have! jtrotter@stjjax.org

DAVID PRICHARD CONTEMPLATIVE OFFERINGS

SILENT CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER: Wednesdays, 7:45 - 8:30 am, St. Francis Chapel in Gray Hall next to the Moyer Room. All forms of silent prayer/meditation welcome, though Centering Prayer instruction—the Christian prayer practice of opening one’s “mind and heart, our whole being to God, the Ultimate Mystery, beyond thoughts, words, and emotions”—will be offered with discussion at 7:45 a.m. prior to the group sit at 8:00. Contact David Prichard to learn more at 601-503-7810.

CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUAL DIRECTION: “The ministry of spiritual direction can be understood as the meeting of two or more people whose desire is to prayerfully listen for the movements of the Holy Spirit in all areas of a person’s life (not just in their formal prayer life). It is a three-way relationship:  among the true director who is the Holy Spirit (which in Christian tradition is the Spirit of Christ present in and among us), and the human director (who listens for the directions of the Spirit with the directee), and the directee.” — Tilden Edwards. Contact David Prichard to learn more or set up an exploratory session at 601-503-7810.

About David Prichard: David’s grounding in contemplative practice and instruction is the result of nearly 15 years as a student in the meditative tradition of Shambhala Buddhism, a time of deep retreats, with half a year in solitary retreat, over a year in group retreats, and thousands of hours of daily practice. As a Meditation Instructor, he met with students to aid them in their retreats and to help establish meaningful daily practices. His return to Mississippi and the Church spurred him to seek the mystical equivalents within the Christian tradition. Inspired now by the practices of ‘attention of the heart’ in the Eastern church, and those of Centering Prayer in the West, he is also training with the Shalem Institute to help make contemplative prayer and spiritual direction more widely available.

 

DIOCESE OF MISSISSIPPI COMMUNICATION UPDATES

Bishop Wells is working to enhance communication with all members of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi.
To facilitate this, she is requesting email addresses, which will allow for direct email delivery of important updates, including:

·         Messages from the Bishop

·         The Mississippi Episcopalian 

·         TME-News

Parishioners can easily subscribe themselves by visiting this link:

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/aBQf1mM/diomscomm  

Please be assured that the Diocese of Mississippi is committed to protecting this information.
It will not be shared with any third parties, and parishioners will have the option to unsubscribe at any time.

 

ADULT FORMATION
Sunday Mornings at 9:50 to 10:50 am

We have three Adult Formation Offerings:

  • Holy Conversations Lectionary Class gathers in the Parish Library.

  • Called to Love: Finding our Common Purpose in the Bible gathers in Oak Ridge Hall.

  • Life with the Sacred Text, a small group reflection on various topics and their relevance as relates to Scripture and daily life, gathers in the Guild Parlor, just off Fowler Hall.

All adult offerings are open and inclusive of adults of any age or interest, no experience required.
Grab coffee and donuts in Fowler Hall and join one of our Adult formation offerings SUNDAYS at 10:00am.

REGULAR WEEKDAY OFFERINGS

MONDAYS, 2pm – Twisted Stitchers, Guild Parlor

TUESDAYS, 7am - Holy Eucharist, Church

Noon - Bible Study, Guild Parlor

WEDNESDAYS, Noon - Trellis Book Group, Library

5:00 - 7:00 pm - Wednesday Night Supper , Fowler Hall

THURSDAYS, 7am - Men's Bible Study, Guild Parlor

 

SEEKING BAPTISM?

If you or someone you know is seeking Baptism, contact one of our clergy or Kathy Stephens: kstephens@stjjax.org.

2026 BAPTISMAL DATES:
Sunday, January 11, The Baptism of our Lord
Saturday, April 4, Easter VIgil
Sunday, May 24, Pentecost
Sunday, July date TBD, St. James’ Sunday
Sunday, November 1, All Saints Sunday

LIFT UP YOUR HEARTS ON SUNDAYS!

Be sure to watch with the whole family!
St. James' will livestream the 10:00 am services on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/stjjax.org. 
The Service Leaflet is available on the website and on the ‘This Sunday’ email.

SEND US YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

If the church does not already have your email address, or if there have been any changes, please send it to Kathy Stephens at kstephens@stjjax.org.

FLOWERS ON THE ALTAR

If you are interested in giving flowers for a month either in thanksgiving or in loving memory of anyone, call Kathy Stephens at 601-982-4880 or
email her at kstephens@stjjax.org. The cost of this is $50 and the flowers are published in our 7:30 am service leaflets, in our Sunday announcements,
and on our website for the month. This is a perfect way to remember someone or to say thank you.

WATCH OUT FOR SCAMMERS!

Please be aware that scammers have gotten some of our work email addresses and are sending out emails that look like they come from St. James' staff. If you receive one of these please know that we would never reach out to you and ask you for money or for you to buy gift cards, etc. Usually you can tell from the extension on the email. All of St. James' staff have our first initial and last name followed by @stjjax.org. If you have any doubt at all please call our office at 601-982-4880.

MEMORIALS AT THE COLUMBARIA


Flowers and mementos left on the columbarium as memorials are a normal part of grieving and are allowed by the Church. Memorials may not be left at either of the inside columbaria. Only fresh flowers may be placed on the outside columbarium. St. James' will remove all flowers once they start to wilt. Mementos left on the outside columbarium will be removed daily. Due to the possibility of breakage and injury, glass of any sort is not allowed on the columbarium.