April 2020 Volume 20 Number 3 Sunday Schedule 8:00 AM Holy Eucharist Rite I 10:00 AM Holy Eucharist Rite II 11:15 AM Coffee & Fellowship 11:30 AM Sunday School (ages 3 through grade 12) 5:30 PM South Sudanese Worship Please note that in response to the Coronavirus, St. James will have . no worship services, parish meetings, or other in-person Dear Saints of James, programs until further notice. Please visit our diocesan website for the most up-to-date I am sitting in front of my home altar, that you see above, as information: I write this. I have had this sacred space set up for quite a https://www.dioswva.org/coronavirus- while, but have added some items that are meaningful, since response.html COVID19 has made this the only altar that I am connected to. A priest and an altar have an intimate relationship; by traditional definition, an altar is the stone or wooden table where the bread and wine are consecrated/blessed by the Holy Spirit to become for us the spiritual food of Christ’s Body and Blood. So this is holy space and holy work for a priest. I am not consecrating any bread or wine at home, but I do need to be connected to a space that has become holy, as I gather things that connect me to God and to my inner spiritual life. Things that appear ordinary can become for us a spiritually grounding touchstone with God. The flickering of a candle is a sign of the light of God that shines in the darkness. The St. James Episcopal Church candle light reflects off the gold of the icons in a way that 4515 Delray Street brings feelings of beauty, hope, awe, wonder, and peace. The Roanoke, VA 24012 small labyrinth allows a centering rhythm to be traced with the Phone: 540-366-4157 stylus, that slows my thoughts to a place where I can be still, Fax: 540-366-2851 and encounter God. The icon of Julian of Norwich whispers to E-mail: [email protected] me “All shall be well, all shall be well, all shall be well, all www.stjamesroanoke.org manner of things shall be well.” A small icon entitled, “Mother of Captives” has been on my altar for a long time, so I could pray for this who are in prison or captive to anything that holds them hostage. Today we are all held captive by the COVID19 virus, Lord have mercy. (continued on page 2) St. James Connection April 2020 2 St. James Episcopal Church I have added a small, tiny angel that one of my longtime friends sent me at Christmas, and as I Clergy: said my prayers several nights ago, focused on The Rev. Susan E. Bentley, Rector this angel, the refrain of an old Gospel hymn The Rev. William R. Eanes, Retired Deacon floated into my mind: “All day, all night, angels The Rev. Dr. Robert T. Copenhaver, watching over me my Lord, all day, all night, Adjunct Pastoral Associate angels watching over me.” That brought me so Staff: much peace; I knew God had spoken to me to Mrs. Connie Bierly, Secretary reassure me that angels are watching over me Mr. Andrew Cochran, Choir Director & Organist day and night, and I know they are watching Mrs. Donna Parks & Mr. Marshall Hudson, Sextons you too. When I start to get anxious about this virus, how devastating it is to our whole way of The Connection: life, I sing that refrain in my head and it calms Send copy to: [email protected] my soul. A new addition to the altar is a beautiful Internet Web Page: glass blown orb, entitled “Tree of www.stjamesroanoke.org Encouragement”, sent by a St. James Laura Anderson, Web Master [email protected] parishioner. The colored glass catches the light of the candles in the evening and the The St. James Vestry: natural light when the blinds are up during the Senior Warden, Gail Fields, 556-0086 day. The light and the color are ethereal, Junior Warden, Arby Frost, 989-3054 taking me to places of light, love, beauty, † Clerk, Katie Rucker, 362-2205 peace and God. Trees speak of time and † Treasurer, Kevin Shepherd, 556-3011 seasons, new growth, shelter, rootedness, † Ass’t. Treasurer, Avis Aheron, 580-9203 shade, fruits and blossoms, beauty, and so † Rec. Treasurer, Danny Fainter, 977-4408 much more. I love the title of this work of art - Maile Armstrong, 354-6016 Tree of Encouragement, just what we all need Ann Bird, 366-0996 right now. The small card that came with the Linda Bryant, 776-6886 Chris Criscione, 915-2657 orb reads, “The tree Encouragement reminds Cam Srpan, 562-0954 us the while the path may be long, we are not Doug Tuggle, 776-2405 alone. With support of others anything is Gina Wellford, 588-7521 possible.” ( † - Not Vestry members ) Indeed, anything is possible with the support of others, and most importantly with Standing Committees & Chairs God. This is the hope we claim in the Finance: Doug Tuggle, 776-2405; unprecedented times we are living in. I think 394-1425 we will all find a strength and resilience that we Property: Arby Frost, 989-3054 did not know we had. These are not easy Hospitality: Kim Laxton, 632-9148 times, they are trying times, and as people of Stewardship: Chris Criscione, 915-2657 faith, we are not strangers to suffering but we also proclaim that our God is a redemptive, * * * * * * * * * * saving God, who hears our prayers and stands Episcopal Church Women: with us in our darkest moments. If you have Dorothy Herndon 362-0457 not crafted a sacred space or sacred activities for yourself, while you remain isolated at home, Daughters of the King: you might consider doing this. Anything that Pat Ball 725-8730 helps you be grounded and connected to our loving God, is very important right now, and I St. James Connection April 2020 3 look forward to hearing how you have been Thursday afternoon, from 3:00pm to experiencing God’s presence in the pandemic 5:00pm. time. Psalm 46:1: God is our refuge and strength, an Coffee Hour with the Rector, each Sunday ever present help in trouble. Peace be with afternoon at 12:30 pm. I hope many of you you, SEB+ will watch the National Cathedral Sunday service on line (https://cathedral.org/worship/ ) Netflix Movie: Messiah on Sundays at 11:15 am, and afterwards we can talk about the lessons, sermon, music, If you want to watch a very thoughtful movie on faith and the quarantine, or whatever you wish, Netflix, I recommend Messiah. Messiah is an with others from St. James. It is not ideal, but American thriller web television series created will be a new way to connect. by Michael Petroni . The first season consists of ten episodes which were released on Netflix Specifics for a Zoom video conference call: on January 1, 2020. The series stars Mehdi Dehbi , Tomer Sisley , Michelle Monaghan , You will need a computer, tablet, or smart John Ortiz , Melinda Page Hamilton , Stefania phone that has audio and video camera LaVie Owen , Jane Adams , Sayyid El Alami, capability. If you only have audio, then you can Fares Landoulsi, and Wil Traval . The series only listen to the conversation and not see focuses on the modern world's reaction to a others. Zoom is fairly user friendly to set up on man who first appears in the Middle East, your device, and cell phones. whose followers claim him to be the eschatological return of 'Isa (Jesus). His If joining by computer , just before the time of sudden appearance and apparent miracles the meeting, open the email invitation that is spark a growing international following, casting sent from the church and click the link titled doubts around who he really is, a case “Join Zoom Meeting.” An option “Join from your investigated by a CIA officer. Browser” may appear automatically. If it does not, select “download & run Zoom.” Then the Connecting During Social Distancing option “Join from your Browser” will appear. You may be prompted to enter the meeting As we are all well aware, the social distancing Password (found in the email invitation), type of the COVID19 will be a marathon and not a that in, and also type in your name. Then click sprint - in other words St. James will not be “Join” to be taken into the meeting. Once open for worship or parish programs for an you’ve joined the meeting, click “Join Audio” undetermined time. As a faith community, then “Join Audio by Computer.” being together is one way we nourish our faith, support each other, and grow in our faith. If joining by smartphone or tablet , first Even though we cannot physically be together download the free Zoom App from your Apple now, we can use technology to assist us. Store or Google Play Store in advance. At the Zoom video conference calls, like Skype and time of the meeting, go back to the email FaceTime can allow us to gather in a video invitation on your device and click the link titled conversation, where we can see and hear each “Join Zoom Meeting.” The app will open, and other. So I have set up Zoom meetings for two you will automatically join the meeting. such opportunities: Here is a website with more instructions: Coffee and Tea with the Rector , a time to sit https://www.edusc.org/blog/how-to-join-a- with your beverage of choice at home and chat with me and other parish members, each St.