Weekly Update

Dear St. James Community,  January 29 is the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. We will have Service of the Word beginning at 10:15am, following a short time for quiet meditation and prelude music. Calendar

Sunday, January 29Bible Study, 9:00 amService, 10:15 amConfirmation Class, 11:30 amCongregational Luncheon

Monday, January 30Boy Scouts, 7:00 pmPrayer Team, 7:00 pm

Tuesday, January 31DayBreak, 7:00 pm

Wednesday, February 1Prayer Shawl, 6:30 pmStewardship, 7:00 pm

Thursday, February 2Soccer, 6:00 pmChoir, 7:00 pm

Saturday, February 3Men's Breakfast, 8:30 am 

Sunday, February 4Bible Study, 9:00 amService, 10:15Girl Scout Troop 71471

Announcements

Pastor Anne's office hours for the week of January 29 will be Sunday 2:00 to 4:00, Thursday 10:00 to 12:00 pm and by appointment.

Sandy's office hours for the week of January 29 will be Monday 10:00 to 1:00 pm and Thursday 10:00 to 1:00 pm.

DayBreak - Please remember that DayBreak will be using our facilities on Sunday morning at 9:30, so please use the main entrance.

Men's Breakfast at Shady Maple - will meet on Saturday February 4th at 7:30 AM to get to the restaurant and beat the rush. Those who would like to car pool can meet in the St James parking lot at 6:40 AM. The restaurant is located just off of Rte 23 at 129 Toddy Drive in East Earl, PA.  Seeds for Moringa Community - We will be running the ingathering of seeds for the month of February.  The children will be leading this effort. They can be any variety of vegetable seeds.  Squash of any kind, tomatoes of any kind, cucumbers, peppers, beans of all kinds are just a few suggestions that you might want to buy. Souper Bowl 2017 - Put on your team colors and bring canned goods to church on January 29th and February 5th!  We will have two boxes representing the teams in the Super Bowl.  Support your favorite team by placing your food items in the appropriate bin.   Let's see who is the favored team of our church!  A soup cauldron will also be in the narthex for monetary donations.   

Congregation Pot Luck Luncheon and Celebration for all members of the congregation is being be held January 29 th in the fellowship hall immediately following worship. It is a wonderful time to celebrate the ministries of St. James and acknowledge and recognize our faithful brothers and sisters who make it all possible. Together, we are the Body of Christ, and everyone’s contributions great and small make a difference in the life of our church and in the lives of those we serve. Please join in the celebration! The sign-up sheet is in the narthex bulletin board. Please bring your favorite dish to share.

Women’s Fellowship Breakfast - Eleanor Roosevelt will speaking on “A Life of My Own” Saturday March 25th at 8:30am. . Contact Sandie Fetterman at (610) 948-6613 for tickets ($12.00).   St James Website Update - In order to put our best digital foot forward for our community to see, we at St James plan to update our website to a more contemporary design and establish means to maintain current content. If you'd be interested in contributing to this important effort, please contact Jay Smith or Pastor Anne. 

Conference and Local EventsQuiet Days on Various Dates in East Greenville

2017 Dates: Feb 7, Mar 7, Apr 4, May 2, Jun 6, Jul 11, Aug 1, Sep 5, Oct 3, Nov 7, Dec 5 Quiet Days are held at New Goshenhoppen UCC, 1070 Church Road in East Greenville, PA 18041. They are designed to open new avenues of communing with God, and to provide an opportunity for sharing faith journeys and stories. They allow for Sabbath time and renewal in the midst of our busy world. There is no formal registration, but a minimum donation of $5 is requested on Quiet Day. Each participant is asked to bring a Bible, journal, pen and a bag lunch. Come and see what God has in store for you!

UCC's scholarship and grant process goes online to reach more students - This year, the United Church of Christ's Office of Philanthropy and Stewardship debuts a new online application process, continually seeking to help undergraduate and seminary students pay for the cost of their education. There are as many as 30 different scholarships that will award $150,000 to $200,000 in the grant cycle, with the goal of reaching more qualified applicants than ever before by inviting students to apply online.By taking the application process online, the UCC is able to provide broader support, more access and ease of use to a larger, more diverse pool of qualified applicants. At the same time, streamlining the system increases efficiency for applicants, recommenders and evaluators; helps establish consistent practices; improves communication; and strengthens relationships with recipients.The application process for scholarships, available on the UCC website, is open through   March 1 . Any mailed, hand-delivered, shipped, emailed and faxed applications, references and transcripts will no longer be accepted or acknowledged.

2017 GENERAL SYNOD -  Every two years, General Synod brings together thousands of faithful members of the United Church of Christ for formal church witness, inspirational worship, and fellowship with friends (new and old).

 From June 30th – July 4th, 2017, thousands from across the country (and abroad) will gather for General Synod 31 in Baltimore, Maryland. Together, we will discern resolutions of witness, church structure, and function. We will stand up for issues that demand a faithful witness. And we will joined together in worship each day to lift up the Stillspeaking God. At General Synod 31, we will “Make Glad!” as we celebrate, debate, worship and witness. Join us.More information will be posted as it becomes available. Tuesday Afternoons – Quilting for a Cause – PottstownTrinity Reformed UCC, 60 N. Hanover Street in Pottstown 19464 teaches low-income and homeless people how to quilt on Tuesday afternoons from 2 pm to 5 pm. If you are a quilter, and would like to share your gifts with others, please contact Barbara Cooper through the church: 610-326-2243.

Saturdays from 10 am – 5 pm at Trinity Reformed UCC in PottstownJoin members of the Trinity UCC Pottstown Area Homeless Outreach on Saturday’s from 10 am– 5 pm. – Providing a warm place for the homeless, job search activities, lunch, movies, games and fellowship. For more information and to register visit http://www.trinityuccpottstown.org/saturday-drop-in-center-….