Sunday, January 7th: Baptism of Our Lord
Come meet the Zadas, our Afghan Refugee Family.
9:30am Eucharist
10:45am Coffee Hour
11:00am Open Space: Pastor David’s Sabbatical Trip
Sunday, January 14th: 2nd Sunday after Epiphany
Water to Wine Sunday
9:30am Eucharist
11:00am Open Space: Archery Summit Wine Tasting
Sunday, January 21st: 3rd Sunday after Epiphany
St. James Annual Congregational Meeting and Meal
Thank you to administrative assistant Elsa Dougherty who steps down from her job in February.
9:30am Eucharist
10:45am Annual Meeting
4:50pm Jazz Vespers featuring Adriana Wagner on trombone
6:00pm Artist Reception for Rose Clementi
Sunday, January 28th: 4th Sunday after Epiphany
Dietrich Bonhoeffer Sunday
Guest preacher Mark Brocker
9:30am Eucharist
10:45am Coffee Hour
11:00am Open Space: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Faith Under Fire
“When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone …
the work of Christmas begins.”
Howard Thurman etched those purposeful words on our hearts forty years ago. The theologian and Dean of Chapel at Howard and Boston universities was a mentor of Martin Luther King. He knew that for many, Christmas is a single day, or perhaps a 12 day season. But what then?
We may be asking the same question at St. James as Christmas turns to Epiphany and the festive tree is removed until next year. What now? Will “Joy To the World” have any lasting impact or be just a fading tune we hum?
Thurman, and this Christ-child, provides an answer:
“Then the work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost, to heal the broken,
To feed the hungry, to release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations, to bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.”
That’s the work of Christmas. That’s our work in 2024. The gift that Christmas brings is that now the divine presence accompanies us in our tasks; shoulder to shoulder. The Word has become flesh and indeed lives among us full of grace and truth. It is with that nativity gift that we walk boldly into this new year. We know our purpose. We know who walks with us.
–Pastor David
Coffee and Connection
Kick off the new year with the Coffee and Connection group! Join us at 11:00am at St. James on Thursdays, January 4th and 18th. It’s just for fun. Hope to see you there.
St. James Wine Tasting
The winemaker needs more time than Jesus did to make water into wine. The process takes place annually in the vineyards of the Willamette Valley when water makes its way into grapes which eventually become wine. It only takes a little longer. You can learn more about the mysterious and elegant characteristics of well-crafted wine on Sunday, January 14th, 2024 in the Pioneer Chapel when Archery Summit Winery will be sponsoring a wine tasting event following 9:30am worship. Non-alcoholic beverages will also be available. If you would like to attend the wine tasting, please sign up on the bulletin board in the hall near Pioneer Chapel. There is a $10 suggested donation. Proceeds will be donated to Lutheran World Relief.
Annual Meeting
The St. James Annual Congregational Meeting will take place after service on Sunday, January 21st. All members are asked to attend as we hear reports of last year’s ministry and set plans for 2024. Your voice and vote will be needed to make decisions. An Annual Report will be available Thursday, January 18th on this website for you to print at home and prepare for the discussion. There will be a luncheon following the meeting.
Hiring New Administrative Assistant
We are so pleased that Elsa Dougherty at our St. James front desk was able to work with us for two years. At the end of January she will move over to our St. James Child Development Center. Please join us for a thank you reception on Sunday, January 21st, the day of the Annual Meeting.
Wednesday Noon Eucharist Returns
We gather for Noon Eucharist and the Imposition of Ashes on Ash Wednesday, February 14th as the Season of Lent begins. Then join us every Wednesday following for Noon Eucharist in Pioneer Chapel and a Bible Exploration Class led by Pastor David. These events will continue until the Festival of Pentecost in May.
Welcome to our Three New Choral Scholars
We are blessed to have three new choral scholars in our St. James choir! Della Simone studies Jazz Voice and Music Education at PSU, Zachary Martin studies Vocal Performance at Lewis & Clark, and Henry Alexander studies Music Composition at PSU. Welcome!
New Members to be Welcomed
We will welcome new members to our church family on Sunday, March 3rd. Please see Pastor David if you too would like to be part of St. James.
