FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When are services held?

    8:00 am service is the traditional Rite I service of Holy Eucharist.  At this service, there is a sermon but no music, nursery, or church school.
   10:00 am service is our family service.  It is the Rite II Eucharistic celebration at which the choir sings and a sermon preached.
    Summer schedule:  During the summer months one service is held at 9:00 am

What about Nursery care?

    The nursery is staffed and operated from 9:45 to 11:15 am each Sunday.  There is always a competent sitter present ad adults are present when the number of children requires it for their welfare and safety.

Tell me about the choir.

    The adult choir sings at the 10:00 am service on Sundays.  The adult choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 7:30.  Special rehearsals may be called before special services or performances.
    The junior choir usually sings about once a month at the 10:00 am service on Sundays.  The junior choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 4:30 pm.  All children grades 2 through 8 are welcome to join.
            The choirs do not rehearse or sing during the summer months.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

    St. James Sunday school, for grades pre-K through grade 6, meets at 9:45 am from mid-September to mid-June. We use the Episcopal Children’s Curriculum which includes Bible lessons and stories, church history and community. The children also learn about Baptism, the Eucharist and Worship.

    The Junior High Youth Group meets each Sunday at 9:45 am in the parish library.  The group studies the Episcopal Curriculum based on the community, contemporary times and spirituality.  They participate in Sunday worship as ushers and readers.  Social events are planned at various times.

Adult Christian Education

    There are several programs offered during the year and we are always open to presenting new ones.
    Each fall there is an Enquirer’s class held over 6 evenings. This class focuses on our heritage, Parish development, the Ministry of Clergy and Laity, our Book of Common Prayer and Worship. This class is open to all parishioners and is also designed for adults who came from other denominations and desire to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church.
    We also offer Book Discussions groups Bible study movie nights and Lenten Luncheon programs.

FELLOWSHIP

Sunday coffee hour
    After the 10:00 service a coffee hour is held in the parish hall to encourage fellowship.  People volunteer to prepare the coffee, set up for serving and provide simple food.

Social Committee
    The Social Committee serves St. James by creating activities from time to time to bring parishioners together in a relaxed situation.
    Social activities occur at times other than Sunday and allow us to know each other on a little different basis, other than meeting at coffee hour after Sunday service.
    Annually, we have a Parish picnic, a Thanksgiving dinner and a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper. Other events are planned and organized through various groups and committees.

Welcoming Committee
    The Welcoming Committee tries to welcome all newcomers to St. James and to assist their transition and incorporation into the life of our parish, including its worship and fellowship.
    We meet periodically and continually update informative literature for the benefit of newcomers to our church. The Committee also works with the Social Committee to plan and sponsor social events each year.
    We are here to help those new to our parish and act as a bridge between newcomers and the established community. No training is necessary.

GUILDS

    St. Andrew's Guild
    All men of the parish are welcome and cordially invited to join St. Andrew's Guild.  Meeting are held periodically.  The first Sunday of each month the St. Andrew's guild provides and excellent breakfast, between the 8:00 and 10:00 services.
    St. Anne's Guild
    All women of the parish are welcome and cordially invited to join St. Anne's Guild.  We meet once a month at 7:30 pm - usually the first Monday of the month, at a member's home or in the parish hall. 
    St. Francis Guild
    The St. Francis guild serves the parish by planning, planting, and tending the trees, shrubs and flowers on the church grounds.  There are no regular meetings; volunteers are recruited when there is a need for assistance.  The guild includes creating and maintaining a living Advent wreath and tending the Memorial Garden.

OUTREACH

    We support local, area, state, national and international programs and missions through contribution of time, goods, and money. Children are of particular interest - their welfare, education, and development through positive activities during their free time.
    We welcome anyone with interest and ideas about outreach. We would like to expand the program to include more opportunity for personal involvement and increase our awareness of other opportunities to serve. We hold monthly meetings in the library.

Outreach Committee Mission Statement

The Outreach Committee is committed to enabling the members of St. James Parish to give of their time, talent, and resources, following Christ’s teaching, to serve our neighbor within our community and the Greater Hartford area.  We will work to expand the awareness and understanding of the needs around us and to facilitate opportunities for service.

PROGRAMS

    Acolyte/Crucifer Program
            Acolytes (torchbearers) and crucifers (cross bearers) are the young people of the parish who assist the Rector and the congregation during services.   Fifth grade is the minimum level at which one may become active in the vital, highly visible position of responsibility.  Training is held annually.

    Altar Guild
            The Altar Guild prepares the altar for baptism, weddings, and funerals, in addition to all celebrations of the Eucharist.  Members are teamed in pairs to "set the Lord's table" for two week periods alternately during the year.  Sharing the work of this ministry promotes among the Guild's members a feeling of closeness to God and to His community.

    Chalice Bearers
            The chalice bearers are an integral part of the service.  They distribute wine during the communion and read the Prayers of the People.  This group is licenses annually by the Bishop.  The vestry approves, and must recommend all candidates.

    Lay Reader Program -Lectors
            To be a lector is to have one of the most important functions in the service; it is to read the lesson(s) in a way that makes the word of God meaningful to the congregation. 

    Ministry to the Elderly
            Several years ago, St. James parishioners began a ministry to our elderly at nearby Haven Health Center.    On the second Sunday of each month a parishioner leads a short worship service at the Center. Several others from the parish serve as greeters for those who attend this service.
            We have found that this ministry really brightens the lives of the ladies and gentlemen who live there – and ours too! It is gratifying to see their faces light up as we welcome them to worship or just to stop by their rooms to say hello. Many of the residents have no family and few visitors so they very much appreciate our presence and opportunity to worship. Several parishioners have formed strong friendships with people there and visit on their own.

    Ushers
            The ushers greet those who come to worship at St. James parish and make them feel welcome. There is one usher at the 8 o’clock service and two at the 10 o’clock service and they work on a rotating schedule. Training is given as we have additional volunteers.
            Ushers distribute the service leaflet, answer questions, and if needed, assist people to a pew. They also control the flow of people during communion. They are available to assist anyone in any way they can.