2024 Fall Ministries Guide

St. James' Episcopal Church Wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome at this table.

2024 Fall Ministries Guide

Our Mission St. James’ sets tables of welcome where all can encounter Christ's love.

We are an inclusive, multicultural, and affirming community, grounded and rooted in our African American heritage.

Worship Schedule Sundays 8:00 am Rite I Eucharist (In person) 10:30 am Rite II Eucharist (In person & Live-streamed) 1:00 pm Misa en español (In person & Live-streamed) 5:00 pm The Late Service (In person & Live-streamed). On First Sundays, this service is followed by dinner in Founders Hall.

On the last Sunday of the month, we offer a eucharistic service in Spanish at Casa Marianella, followed by a convivio meal.

Mondays 5:30 pm Intercessory Prayer Wednesdays 8:00 am Morning Prayer and Bible Study (Zoom & in person on the 3rd Wednesday of the month) Fridays 7:00 am Rosary (Zoom)

Staff

The Rev. Eileen O’Brien Rector

The Rev. George Porter Associate Rector

The Rev. Jim Harrington Missioner

The Rev. Robby Vickery Assisting Clergy

The Rev. Addison McMillan Curate

Aimee Estep Diana Espinosa Parish Administrator Office Assistant

Tanya Martinez Children’s Minister

Kennedy Thedford Youth Minister

Sharon Coleman Pianist

Martha Pulkingham Worship Leader

Shawn Ellison Pianist

Francisco Chavez Worship Leader

Nursery Staff: Richelle Easley, Imane Houdaifa, Tiffani Hobbs McPherson, Montserrat Martinez

worship ministries Liturgy Committee The Liturgy Committee establishes our yearly liturgical calendar with its various special commemorations, thinks through how each liturgical season shapes our practices of worship, and develops ways to better welcome and include people of various ages and backgrounds in our liturgies. If you are interested in serving on the Liturgy Committee, contact The Rev. Eileen O’Brien (rector@stjamesaustin.org).

Altar Guild The altar guild works behind the scenes to care for the altar, vestments, vessels, and altar linens of the parish. If you are looking for a behind-the-scenes ministry that is meaningful to the life of a community that delights in the beauty of worship, contact Lois Coleman (loisirenecoleman@yahoo.com).

Ushers & Greeters At each service of worship, ushers greet and orient those who come to worship. They are essential in welcoming people, orienting them so they know how to participate, and making sure they feel at home. If you would like to be trained as an usher, contact the church office (office@stjamesaustin.org).

Music Ministries 10:30 Choir This fall, the 10:30 choir will be regathering under the leadership of our Music Minister.

1 pm Coro Our worship team for the 1 pm service works with Francisco Chavez (francisco.chavez.silva@gmail.com) to lead us on paths or rejoicing and return.

5 pm Choir

Acolytes & Lay Eucharistic Ministers Youth and adult acolytes and eucharistic ministers serve during our eucharistic services in partnership with clergy and ushers. Contact the church office (office@stjamesaustin.org) if you would like to join a team or brush up on your skills.

This fall, the 5 pm choir will be gathering under the leadership of Martha Pulkingham (mpulkingham@gmail.com) and Pianist Shawn Ellison.

Lectors & Intercessors At every service, lectors and intercessors proclaim God’s word to us through the readings and they assist us in speaking before God through the prayers of the people. Trainings are designed to offer interpretive insight into the readings and the prayers of the liturgical season ahead in order to deepen preparation. If you would like to be trained as a lector or intercessor, contact the church office (office@stjamesaustin.org), and we will get you connected. Functional fluency in Spanish is expected of lectors in Spanish.

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Community Life AUGUST

NOVEMBER

18 - Back to School Sunday - Get Involved!

21 - Young Adult Group Kick-off 24 - Liturgical Ministries Training 25 - Strategic Planning Preview, Parents of Youth Meeting, Misa and Convivio at Casa Marianella

1 - Día de los Muertos Service 1-3 Youth Ministry Fall Retreat at Camp Allen 3 - All Saints Celebration + baptisms!, Dinner after the Late Service 5 - Election Day 15-17 - The 30th Annual Jazz at St. James’ with Tia Fuller 24 - Feast of Cristo Rey, Advent Wreath Making 28 - Thanksgiving Day Service

SEPTEMBER 1 - Day of the Worker Commemoration, New Sunday Morning Forum Series begins, Meet our Seminarians, Parents of Children Meeting, Dinner after the Late Service 8 - Feast of Alexander Crummell/UBE Day, ¿Qué es ser episcopal?

10 - Mueller Tuesdays begin again 15 - Strategic Planning Kick-off/Inicio de la planificación estratégica 21 - Welcome Table Open House 22 - IACT Interfaith Passport Program visiting, Mes de Herencia Hispana Celebration, Trinity Center 29 - New Member/Confirmation Class Begins, Fall Baptismal Day, Misa and Convivio at Casa Marianella

OCTOBER 5 - Blessing of the Animals 6 - Stewardship Season Kick-off: A Future Filled with Hope, Dinner after the Late Service 12 - Caminando con Cristo Retreat 19 - Fall Workday, Stewardship Dinner 26 - Raising the Altar for Día de los muertos 27 - Stewardship Finale; The St. James’ Chili Cook-off (turn in your pledge cards for 2025), Casa Marianella

DECEMBER 1 - First Sunday of Advent, Dinner after the Late Service 3 - Giving Tuesday - Support Welcome Table!

7&14 - Saturday New Member/Confirmation Class 8 - Founders Day 12 - Las Mañanitas at Casa Marianella 15 - Parish Elections for Vestry and Diocesan Council 20 - La Gran Posada at St. David’s 22 - Confirmation Day - The Bishop is coming!

24 - Christmas Eve Services 25 - Christmas Day Service 29 - First Sunday after Christmas 31 - Watch Night Service

Hospitality Guild The hospitality guild plans receptions for Sundays, memorial services, and other special events, graciously gathering people around tables for life together. Be a part of the Sunday rotation. Contact office@stjamesaustin.org.

pastoral care The ministry of caring for each other through change and transition as an expression of God’s love is at the heart of the church’s life together.

The Community of Hope The Community of Hope are trained lay chaplains who offer pastoral visitation as a ministry to our church membership and beyond. The group convenes a monthly Circle of Care meeting, anchored in Benedictine spirituality, in order to support each other in pastoral work. If you are discerning a call to this ministry, contact The Rev. Eileen O'Brien at rector@stjamesaustin.org.

Monday Intercessory Prayer Group This group commits to praying the St. James' prayer list every Monday at 5:30 pm whether they are praying from their homes or together in the sanctuary. Check the church calendar for the downloadable liturgy and the location.

The Meal Ministry The St. James’ meal ministry provides support to individuals or families experiencing a moment of crisis or transition even as other sorts of pastoral care are provided. Contact office@stjamesaustin.org to be added to the email list or to notify the church of a need.

Lay Eucharistic Visitors Lay Eucharistic Visitors help us to extend our table of welcome into the community.

Family members may be trained to take communion from our common table to elder members of their household, but we are also seeking individuals who can take communion to homebound community members. If you would like to be trained, contact the church office (office@stjamesaustin.org) to learn more about the process.

The Prayer List The entire St. James’ community is invited into the work of pastoral care through praying for each other through the Prayer List. This list includes members of the extended family of St. James’ who seek prayer for either short term or long term needs. You can add people to the prayer list by filling out a prayer card in your pew and putting it in the offering plate, calling the office (512-926-6339), or emailing prayerbox@stjamesaustin.org.

Emergency Pastoral Care Line Your clergy and lay pastoral care givers at St. James’ want to be there for you and your loved ones in those critical moments.

Be sure to reach out to the church office and let us know when you are having a surgery or if you or a loved one is in the hospital. Even if you call after hours, the emergency pastoral care line (512-6777991) will connect you.

caring for community

Christian Formation Children's Ministries Nursery To help provide a time of focused worship for parents and a positive church experience for our youngest children, we offer childcare during services and other scheduled events. The nursery is available for ages 0-3 on Sunday morning beginning at 10:15 for the 10:30 service. Our professional childcare workers have completed both a background check and Safeguarding God's Children training (child abuse awareness and prevention education). For more information about our nursery, please contact Diana Espinosa, office@stjamesaustin.org.

Godly Play Children (age 3 – 5th grade) are invited to join us for Godly Play in the Orange Building during the 10:30 am service. Godly Play is a Montessori-based program through which children become more fully aware of the mystery of God’s presence in their lives through parable, sacred story, silence, and liturgical action.

For more information about Children's Ministries, contact Tanya Martinez, tanya@stjamesaustin.org.

Youth Ministries We seek to foster a nonjudgmental and compassionate environment where youth in grades 6-12 can grow their faith and relationships through the diverse community of St James’ and the larger Episcopal Church.

We offer youth regular Sunday opportunities plus additional special events, for fun, fellowship, food, and formation. Friends and additional guests ages 12-18 are always welcome at youth ministry activities. Youth are also encouraged to take on leadership roles in worship services and other activities in the life of the church.

Our youth are accompanied on the journey by a dedicated group of adults, youth sponsors, who have completed both a background check and Safeguarding God's Children training, and who are committed to nurturing the social, emotional, and spiritual needs of young people.

For more information on youth ministry, or on becoming a youth sponsor, contact Kennedy Thedford, kennedy@stjamesaustin.org.

College Ministries The Episcopal Student Center at the University of Texas does great work, and we support that work by feeding students there and connecting them with St. Jamesian UT faculty, staff, and alumni. Mark your calendars for November 10, when we will be serving up some post-election comfort foods (no matter who wins).

There are many college students who are not at UT, and we are starting a campus ministry that reaches out to Huston-Tillotson University and beyond. If you have connections to students, faculty, or staff at HT, ACC, St. Edward’s, or Concordia, reach out to The Rev. Addison McMillan (addison@stjamesaustin.org).

Christian Formation Adult Education

St. James' offers a variety of regular adult education opportunities: The Sunday Morning Forum, 9:15-10:10 am, hybrid Beginning on September 1, the Sunday Morning Forum will seek to reintroduce you to the Old Testament. Since our Sunday lectionary will be emphasizing the various Old and New Testament traditions of Wisdom Literature, there will be a special emphasis on these writings and the intersection of practical wisdom and ethics in this class.

Mueller Tuesdays, 6:30-7:30 pm Join us for Bible Study and treats at a rotating location in Mueller on Tuesday nights. This fall, we will be doing a study of Simon Peter, the disciple who represents us all.

The Wednesday Morning Bible Study, 8-9:30 am, online This lectionary-based Bible study looks to the readings for the coming Sunday.

Education for Ministry, Monday and Wednesday Night Groups Education for Ministry is a 4-year program, meeting weekly during the program year to study Christian scripture, history, tradition, and theology and to develop practices of connecting these things to our lives today.

The Thursday Theological Reading Group (TREND), every other Thursday, 9:30-11:30 am, at Central Market on N. Lamar.

Sacramental Preparation

St. James’ Young Adults This group for 20s & 30s will start up on

St. James' clergy offer periodic baptismal

Wednesday, August 21, 7 pm, with an organizational

workshops to prepare parents, godparents, and

meeting at Batch on Manor. The St. James’ Young

candidates for baptism. This fall, workshops

Adults group will be focused on the work of figuring

will be offered on September 28 and

out “adulting” together as they navigate this

November 2.

spiritual journey. For more information, contact The

Adults seeking baptism, confirmation, reception,

Rev. Addison McMillan (addison@stjamesaustin.org).

or reaffirmation are required to participate in

Discernment for Ministry

one of our New Member/Confirmation Classes.

New Member/Confirmation are small groups which orient newcomers to St. James' and seekers to the basics of Christian faith and practices in the Episcopal Church. This fall, there will be a Sunday 12-1 pm class series starting on September 29 and concluding on November 3, and a Saturday series, 12-3 pm on December 7 & 14.

St. James' seeks to nurture each baptized person in their call to be an instrument of God's love in the world. Some feel called to particular ministries (eg Deacon, Priest, lay chaplain). In concert with the diocesan Discovery Retreat, discernment conversations with clergy and discernment groups accompany people of all ages in listening to God's call. If you would like to start a conversation, contact Rev. Eileen O’Brien (rector@stjamesaustin.org).

Welcome Table, a 501(c)3 of St. James' Episcopal Church Welcome Table is a source of community for neighbors creating abundance together in East Austin. We honor each other by nourishing mind, body, and spirit.

Welcome Table faithfully advances a cycle of giving and receiving that began in 1941 with the founding of St. James Episcopal Church. Today our signature programs, Freedom Schools and Neighbor2Neighbor, demonstrate a deep commitment to Dr. King’s inclusive vision of Beloved Community.

Neighbor2Neighbor shares food, diapers, utility assistance, and caring community with our lowincome neighbors in East Austin, with a special focus on our senior neighbors. In the last two years alone, we have generated 8,000+ of volunteer hours and shared over 320,000 pounds of food and more than 150,000 diapers with our neighbors.

CDF Freedom Schools® Austin is a year-round culturally responsive family support network that culminates in a free six-week literacy and STEAM education program for scholars ages 6-11.

Since 2014, almost 400 scholars averaged a 9-month increase in reading level during the program. Scholars’ trajectory for success is fortified with family support, a team of collegeaged Servant Leader Interns, and professionals in the community who come together to support and celebrate their potential.

Trinity Center Sundays Get involved with serving the unhoused by joining the Trinity Center Sunday team. The Trinity Center team prepares and distributes meals on select Sunday afternoons (roughly every other month). Check the St. James' Calendar page for dates or get on Trinity Center email list by emailing office@stjamesaustin.org.

Make a difference at Norman-Sims Elementary!

Reading Buddies volunteers are paired with an elementary-aged student at Norman-Sims Elementary School, with whom they read for 30 minutes each week, for the duration of the school year. Most of our volunteers work with two students for a total of an hour-a-week on campus.

Throughout the school year, our teacher appreciation team supports and encourages the teaching and administrative staff.

To sign up to help this fall, email office@stjamesaustin.org for the link.

serving east Austin

ministries of stewardship and governance The Vestry The Vestry of an Episcopal church is like the governing board of directors, which meets monthly to take decisions on financial, personnel, and infrastructural issues, but also to drive the implementation of the mission and vision of the congregation.

Each year our parish seeks and elects four new Vestry members. Each Vestry member also serves on one of the subcommitees.

Meetings of the Vestry are open, and Spanish-language interpretation is possible with notice to rector@stjamesaustin.org.

The Vestry Mission and Ministry Subcommittee The Mission and Ministry Subcommittee of the Vestry is made up of vestry members and non-vestry members. This committee is charged with maintaining a strong and clear sense of our mission as a parish, ensuring that our ministries are aligned with that mission, and attending to the health of our varied ministries.

The Vestry Administration Subcommittee The Administration Subcommittee of the Vestry is made up of vestry members and non-vestry members. This committee is charged with oversight of the maintenance of buildings and grounds, and policies related to campus safety (eg implementation of the emergency plan, COVID-related policies, etc.)

The Vestry Finance Subcommittee The Finance Subcommittee of the Vestry is made up of vestry members and non-vestry members.

This committee is charged with development and oversight of the annual budget, regular communication with the parish about the finances of the church, financial policies, and long-term financial planning for the health of the parish.

Personnel Committee The Personnel Committee is made up of vestry members and non-vestry members. This committee assists with personnel-related policies and procedures, advises the Finance Committee on pay scale questions, and advises the rector in personnel matters, while maintaining appropriately high standards of confidentiality.

The Land Committee The Land Committee is made up of vestry members and non-vestry members. This committee monitors development contiguous to our property and is charged with making suggestions to the Vestry about how to respond and adapt to our developing landscape.

Brushbusters The Brushbusters help to maintain and care for our grounds, contributing valuable volunteer hours and making our physical environment one that nurtures the spirit and sense of welcome.

partners in ministry The Union of Black Episcopalians, Myra McDaniel Chapter The Myra McDaniel Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians has its origins in the St. James' congregation, but it now reaches out to gather Episcopalians from all over the greater Austin area to its mission, which is: To unite the diverse cultures, concerns and gifts of Black Episcopalians by providing preparation and encouragement for living the Baptismal Covenant and fully participating in the mission and governance of The Episcopal Church.

Our local chapter of the UBE is particularly engaged in actions that nurture multicultural democracy, such as voter registration, voting rights advocacy, and voter education, as well as creating open spaces for people of many backgrounds to learn and share about race and to practice anti-racism.

To learn more about the One Human Race program, go to onehumanraceaustin.org. One Human Race is essential formation for being a part of the St. James' community.

Child, Inc. Early Childhood Education Center St. James’ mission includes being a good neighbor in East Austin. As part of that goal, St. James’ partners with Child, Inc. to provide a full-time preschool on our campus. Child, Inc. provides low- income families with comprehensive early childhood education, including extensive child and family support services. For more information, go to childinc.org.

Center for Health Empowerment (CHE) St. James' is a clinic site for CHE. CHE Center for Health Empowerment offers educational services and FDA approved medical treatments at little to no out-of-pocket cost. The CHE wellness clinic provides PrEP and PEP medications, STI screenings, prevention, treatment and continuing care.

We work with community partners to help eligible participants find community resources for transportation, housing, mental health and substance abuse. Our navigators provide personalized, caring support at all stages of care. For more information, go to checlinic.org.

Get Involved!

We hope that you will make the mission of St. James' your own!

How will you set a table of welcome for others who are seeking nourishment?

Where will you seek refreshment for your own spirit and to know and be known by those unlike you?

Where will you find clarity about your call?

If you aren't quite ready to jump in, set up an appointment with Rev. Eileen, rector@stjamesaustin.org, to think and pray about some options, to hear more about community needs and hopes, and to ponder where your gifts might be a God-send.

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