CALENDAR & SCHEDULES | St. James533

WEEKLY SERVICE

OPPORTUNITIES

Sundays

10am - Holy Eucharist

August - October 2020

Ministry Schedules

(click below)

2020-08-10 - August-October 2020.pdf

NOTES FROM THE MINISTRY SUPPORT TEAM (MST)

How to Zoom - It's Free

To join by computer:

Click on the Zoom link that's been sent to you in an email and Zoom should automatically and quickly download to your computer.
In "Downloads" on your computer, click Zoom_launcher.exe. Zoom should direct you to this with a large orange flag.
Once Zoom has launched, a screen should pop up asking for your name. This will identify you during the meeting.

You should now be part of the meeting. Click on the green button that says "Join Audio By Computer". This will allow you to speak during the meeting.
To join by tablet or smartphone:

If you choose to use your tablet or smartphone, be sure to download the Zoom app ahead of time.
Once you have downloaded the Zoom app, follow the "Join by computer" instructions above.

If you don't have access to a computer, you can still fully participate in a meeting by connecting with your phone:

First, dial the phone number provided in the Zoom email.
Your phone will be automatically muted once the meeting starts. If you want to speak, press *6 to unmute yourself.

If you've ever attended a meeting, you understand that you want to begin on time. In consideration of the whole group, please arrive early - some recommend 15 minutes early - in order to get successfully connected. This is especially important if this is your first time using Zoom. Be sure the person that's invited you to the meeting is aware that this is your first attempt at Zoom, so they can provide additional help if needed.

If for some reason you come to the meeting late and have difficulty connecting, please disconnect from the computer and phone in to the meeting.

RE-ENTRY DIRECTIVES

The following directives for Phase II have come from the Bishops of Michigan with additional directives from St. James’ Vestry and the Ministry Support Team. Please remember these directives are put in place for your protection.

Masks and social distancing will be mandatory.
Pews unavailable for seating will be roped off.
The parking lot door will be the only entrance and exit.
Households must sit together.
Congregants will dismiss one pew at a time and in an orderly way to ensure social distancing.
There will be no receiving line following a service.
There is no nursery or in-person Sunday school or coffee hour following a service.
Please remember non-contact greetings only and to refrain from shaking hands and hugging.
People are to leave the building rather than mingling in-person

The following decisions will be in place when the doors open to help keep the traffic flow to a minimum.

An usher will be available to assist in social distancing.
The usher will keep an attendance list of attendees for contact tracing.
A hand sanitizer station will be at the back of the church.
Individually wrapped disposable masks will be provided for those that do not have one.
The Sunday offering plate will be at the back of the church to drop your offering in as you enter.
Bulletins will be on the back table for you to keep or dispose of after the service.
The reader scheduled for the Sunday readings will sit in the front pew in front of the lectern on the south end.
The same reader will also read the Prayers of the People.
The kitchen is currently unavailable.
Washrooms have been sanitized but wipes are available in the washrooms to wipe down things before using (if it makes you feel more comfortable). DO NOT FLUSH WIPES.

If there is an outbreak in Chippewa County, St. James might need to reclose. Therefore, please call the church office, (906) 632-2451, before attending to see if the service has been canceled. You can also check the website, or St. James Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/stjames533

If at any time your health changes due to COVID-19, please notify Rev. Bob Aldrich, (906) 632-8598. Fr. Bob is our contact person with the Chippewa County Health Department. All calls will be confidential.

If there is anything, we can do to provide virtual worship services or pastoral care, please do not hesitate to let us know. Call the office, (906) 632-2451, and someone will get back to you.

The Diocese of Northern Michigan has a live service Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. on their Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/EpiscopalDioceseofNorthernMichigan The service is available for viewing any other time on their YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGV-u4HHBVutJkJU3BHvMFA The National Church also offers a Sunday Service at 11 a.m. on their website www.cathedral.org/worship/service

Click here for "Bishops Directives for Re-Entry"

ADDITIONAL EUCHARIST DIRECTIVES FROM BISHOP RAY

There will not be a deacon or acolyte.
A Priest will be the only one behind the Altar.
No communicating of the cup to the congregation.
No singing.
Folks will be asked to come up to the Priest for communion, social distancing themselves.
Doors will be open for ventilation
Fans cannot be on.
Presider will sanitize hands before the Great Thanksgiving and immediately afterwards i.e. before they communicate folks with the bread.
The Priest will not touch the hands as they drop the host into folks hands
If they should touch someone's hands, they are to sanitize.
EVERYONE WILL WEAR MASKS UNTIL THEY GET TO THEIR SEAT, THEN THEY CAN REMOVE THE MASK TO PLACE THE HOST IN THEIR MOUTH AND THEN REMASK.

A NOTE FROM THE OFFICE

Week 28 of "work from home" has been quiet. Bills are being paid and the organ and piano have had their annual maintenance and tuning in preparation for the winter.

Bishop Rayford Ray, our bishop of the Diocese of Northern Michigan, will be making his annual visit to St. James, Sunday, September 27 for the 10 a.m. service.

The vestry has voted to work with Save-A-Lot Store and Community Baptist Church for the distribution of food bags, "Bags for a Brighter Holiday," starting in November and ending the first part of January. Save-A-Lot will provide the food in bags for us to distribute during this time period. As we get closer to this event, more information will be provided.

Sunday Eucharist is going strong on Sunday morings at 10 a.m. We are still under our limit of 30, so we haven't had to move outside. Although we can move chairs outside, it is still suggested to have your lawn chair in your vehicle just in case. Inside or out, you are still required to social distance and wear masks. As always, if you do not feel comfortable taking communion, the team will also offer "spriitual communion" during the service.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THERE CAN NOT BE ANY UNNECESSARY MOVEMENT IN THE CHURCH DURING THE SERVICE. IF YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE, THEN YOU MUST DELIVER IT FROM YOUR PEW OR EMAIL OR WRITE IT ON PAPER AND GIVE IT TO THE PRIEST PRIOR TO THE SERVICE.

Please remember to wash your hands, social distance six feet apart, and mask up. The main thing to remember is these directives have been put into place for our health and safety.

REMEMBER, NO ONE IS TO ENTER THE BUILDING WITHOUT A MASK. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A MASK, A DISPOSABLE MASK WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU.

The church will continue to be closed to everyone except for the Sunday service. No one is to be in the building any other time. I will continue to work from home and will check the answering machine on regular basis.

Pledges are still needed to keep the church operating and can be dropped in the offering plate or mailed to the church or directly to me, 508 Sheridan Drive, SSMarie, MI 49783. It is also time to start thinkng about stewardship and pledging for the 2021 year.

Dave will continue to do a daily check on the building and I will continue to check the answering machine.daily, so feel free to call the church, (906) 632-2451, and leave a message.

If you would like to include any family news in the weekly newsletter, let me know by Friday morning. Pictures are welcome as well. It would be great to keep up on family news.

Hopefully you got a chance to use the "Prayers of the People" and "St. James Prayer List" in your prayers. If you want to add someone to the prayer list, email the church, stjames533@gmail.com or call the church (906) 632-2451 and leave a message. You can find the prayer list and the weekly prayers of the people below.

I am still in the process of changing computer programs for our membership and finances (something our auditors suggested). If you have changed phone numbers or email addresses recently, please email the church, stjames533@gmai l.com with the changes. This also includes changes or additions for birthdates, anniversaries, family info. This has been more involved than I expected, but it is slowly getting done.

The diocese sends out emails with links to services and diocesan news. You can sign up for their UPCHAT information by contacting Jane Cisluycis.

Please "Stay Home, Stay Safe."

---Pam

Announcements

To place items in the weekly bulletin, weekly newsletter, or on the website, contact the office by phone or email.

The office will be publishing a new Church Directory in October. If you have changes, please notify the office asap: phone: (906) 632-2451 or email: stjames533@gmail.com

ALL EVENTS ARE CANCELED AT ST. JAMES UNTIL FURTHER DIRECTIVE FROM THE EPISCOPAL MICHIGAN BISHOPS.

Office hours are suspended until further notice. The answering machine is on and will be checked on a daily basis.

Many thanks to those who contribute returnable cans and bottles to our recycling container at the church. Contributions really add up during the year and the proceeds go towards helping area families purchase gifts and food during the holidays. Please remember to remove all caps from bottles and make sure that the bottles you leave are clean and returnable for a deposit refund. Susan Harries would like help taking the cans and bottles back to stores so that they don't pile up near the trash receptacle. If you can help with this project, please contact Susan at (906) 322-1793 as to the procedure to follow to document the number of bottles and amount of money taken in.

Please update your email address with St. James:’ stjames533@gmail.com

To keep Up-To-Date on Happenings around St. James & the Sault, go here and click on the link to sign up for the weekly newsletter. To add news, the office needs it by 11am Friday.

Rainbow Recovery (RR) is canceled until further notice. Call Mike D. (906) 259-0203 with any questions.

The group “One Day At A Time of Alcoholics Anonymous” (ODAAT-AA) is canceled until further notice. Call Mike D. with any question (906) 259-0203.

The “Soo Women's Recovery Group” is canceled until further notice. Call Brenda at (906) 259-2976 for more information.

ST. JAMES’ CHURCH DISCRETIONARY FUND

The Vestry and the Ministry Support Team have been in conversation regarding St. James’ Discretionary Fund.

The Discretionary Fund has always relied on the ECW, weddings, funerals, and donations for its funding. As those are now not as frequent, it was suggested to designate funds collected on the fourth Sunday of each month to be placed in the Discretionary Fund. These funds will be used by our Priests in order to assist others in time of need or crisis.

A collection plate will be placed by the font on the fourth Sunday of the month for donations to help the members of St. James to “Reach Out and Celebrate the Love of Christ.”

“Discretionary Fund” envelopes for loose offering will be next to the collection plate. If you would like to place a check in the Discretionary plate instead of cash, make it out to St. James Church and remember to put “Discretionary Fund” on the memo line.

Thank you for helping achieve our goal.