2016 Fall News Letter

2016 Fall Letter
 
Dear Family and Friends of St. James’ Episcopal Church:
 
As we turn the calendar to September we also find the weather turning cooler and fresher.  Soon the leaves will be turning too.  With all the rain we had in August everything is turning green again, the flowers and weeds are thriving and we have a new batch of mosquitoes!  My tomatoes are ripening in Albion, but not in St. Joseph and the plants came from the same flat.  Isn’t God’s creation amazing!
 
Professors and students at Albion College have been back to classes since the middle of August and the rest will be back after Labor Day.  Our regular schedule for Choir and Christian Formation for Adults and Children will begin on September 11th.  We will again be using “Weaving God’s Promises” for our Children’s program.  Adults will be reading “Christian Social Witness” and discussing what Social Justice means for a Christian.  Let me know if you need a copy of the book. 
 
We have a busy fall planned with a Catechism class planned for those seeking to be confirmed in our faith and Bible Study resumes September 7th at 7:30pm.  We will be making Cheeseballs after the service on September 11th and Purse Bingo is planned for October 13th.  September 18th will be “The Great Parish Swap”.  We will have visitors from Trinity, Marshall and several of our members will attend Morning Prayer at Church of the Resurrection, Battle Creek, MI.  October will again be our Stewardship month.  I am planning my fall retreat for October 2nd to 6th immediately following Sunday Services.  Dick Porter and I will have our final two Congregational Development weekends October 7th & 8th and November 18th & 19th.  The Albion Community Gardens project continues to move forward with preparation of the land for planting in spring 2017.  Please join us at our next meeting.  Anti-Racism Training, “Examining Our Own Racism Training” will be available October 15th from 9:30am-2:30pm at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Kalamazoo.  Registration is available on the Diocesan website.  Diocesan Convention is November 4th & 5th at the McCamly Plaza Hotel, Battle Creek, MI.  The Rev. Eric Law will be the Keynote Speaker.  Confirmation, Reception and Reaffirmation will occur at 10:00am at St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Saturday, November 5th.  I hope you find something of interest.  Please join us!
 
                                                          God’s Blessings,
                                                                   Mother Darlene+