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Making Sense

Below we demystify a few terms familiar to families at St. James’:

9:10 A.M. Service

  • The 9:10 a.m. service is a family-friendly service of Holy Eucharist. Children and youth serve as acolytes, lay readers, prayer leaders, ushers and chalice bearers; the children’s choirs sing.

Acolytes

Acolytes carry crosses, torches, flags and banners in the procession and assist the priests during the liturgy at the 9:10 a.m. service

Children's & Family Ministries

Children’s & Family Ministries is the umbrella group for everything that goes on for families with children birth through sixth grade.

Children's Eucharist

Children’s Eucharist focuses on young children at the 9:10 a.m. service on the first Sunday of each month. The Primary class students worship with their parents, all of the children’s choirs sing, one Church School class writes and leads the Prayers of the People, all of the children are invited up to the front for the homily, and the First Sunday Food Offering is received.

Communion Awareness

Communion Awareness classes are offered twice each year. Children and parents participate in an instructed Eucharist and are able to ask all the questions that they have about communion.

Decalogue Leaders

Decalogue Leaders lead the reading of the Ten Commandments during Advent and Lent at the 9:10 a.m. service.

Family Fellowship

Family Fridays feature bingo, movies, Lego building, dancing, and dinner from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Every Family Friday includes a mission component and encourages helping others. Watch for emails and notices in the Sunday leaflet for Family Friday dates.

Lay Readers

Lay Readers read the lesson at the 9:10 a.m. service.

Planitzer Nursery

Planitzer Nursery is a room maintained for our youngest parishioners, ages 0-2. The room is staffed by three wonderful women every Sunday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Pledging Member

Pledging Member is someone who has let the church know their financial commitment to the parish (what they intend to give) for annual operations in the calendar year. The gift(s) to fulfill the commitment may be made at one time, every week, or in another giving pattern during the year.

Prayer Leaders

Prayer Leaders lead the Prayers of the People at the 9:10 a.m. service.

Sunday Morning Hospitality

Sunday Morning Hospitality includes coffee and donut holes in Sunderland Hall from 8:30-9:05 a.m. Coffee service also follows the 9:10 a.m. service.

Toddler-Primary Chapel Service

Toddler-Primary Chapel Service is a brief worship service in the Primary classroom. The children light the candles, take up the offering, make a prayer circle and say “Thank you, God for…”, hear a homily by one of the clergy, and extinguish the candles. On the fourth Sunday of the month, this service includes communion.

Toddler-Primary Offering

Toddler-Primary Offering is the total of offerings taken up in our Toddler and Primary Chapel Service. The ministry that receives each year’s Toddler-Primary Offering is chosen by the children and teachers.

Worship Cart

The Worship Cart at the back of the nave provides packets for children’s use during the service. Each packet contains crayons, a pencil, paper and the “Sunday Paper,” an activity page for children based on the Gospel lesson of the day. A letter to the parents on the back of the Sunday Paper helps parents continue the teaching of the day throughout the week.