Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries in Critical Need The food pantry at SVCM is extremely low right now. They are in critical need of non-perishable donations, especially canned meat, canned beans and canned tomato products. Please consider a donation to the Little Red Wagon in the narthex. Items are picked up by SVCM volunteers weekly.

Homily for Sefton Abbott
Many of you have requested an audio link to the homily Fr. Scott preached at the Celebration of Life service for Sefton Abbott. You can click here to listen.... There is also a link on the "sermons" page of our website at (www.stjameswnc.org).

Healing Winds Conference
On October 17-19 the Mountain Chapter of the Order of St. Luke is sponsoring this annual conference at Lake Logan Episcopal Center. This year’s speaker is The Rev. Dr. Russ Parker, who is the Director of Acorn Christian Healing Foundation in England. The topic will be “Ransomed, Healed, Restored, Forgiven”. Informational brochures are on the table outside the Parish Office.

Youth Happenings!
All youth grades 6-12 are invited to join in the fun! There is a youth event planned each Sunday in August directly following the 10:30am service. Upcoming events:
This Sunday! Movie Matinee. Cost: $7.00 plus lunch. We’ll return to St. James at 4:45pm.
Next Sunday, August 24:  Diocesan Youth Splash at Camp Rockmont!

Adult Forum
There will be no Adult forum this Sunday, August 17. But, lots of exciting Adult Forum events are to come:
    Several of the pilgrims who participated in the 2007 and 2008 Civil Rights pilgrimages will share their experiences and insights at the Adult Forum on August 24 and 31. Our journeys included such places as the Civil Rights Museum in Birmingham, the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, the Dexter Ave. Baptist Church in Montgomery and the the Lorriane Motel in Memphis. Both groups heard a presentation by Dr. Fredrick Douglas Reese, an organizer of the Selma to Montgomery March of 1964 and a Sunday School lesson by President Jimmy Carter. Glenda McDowell, parishioner at St. Matthias, helped with the leadership of the pilgrimages. David McNair was the leader of the youth pilgrimage and Charlotte Cleghorn led the adult trip.
    On Sept 14, Carl Hankins plans on beginning a book study of Robert Capon's Kingdom, Grace and Judgement in the Library.
   
Parish Picnic
Mark your calendars! The annual Parish Picnic will be Sunday, September 7 at Crestridge Girl’s Camp in Ridgecerst. The service will be held at 10:30am followed by food, fellowship, and fun!! Hot dogs, hamburgers, and drinks will be provided. Please bring a covered side or dessert to share. Food sign-up sheets are in the narthex. The 8:30 service will be held at St. James as usual.

St. James Players
It’s time for the St. James Players to tune up in preparation for the annual parish picnic scheduled for September 7 at Crestridge Girl’s Camp. We’ll be doing the old time gospel favorites that have become the signature sound of this special worship event. If you’d like to be part of the picnic band, bring your instrument to church on Aug. 31 for a brief rehearsal after the 10:30am service. If you’re new to the group, touch base with Louise (828-433-7541 or louise51@charter.net).

Mystery!
Who were the good Samaritans who dismantled the Wholly Sweets Booth at the Sourwood Festival Sunday afternoon before the regular crew got there? We would like to know so we could thank you. If anyone knows, please contact Nancy Wrenn or Roy Fenton.

St. James Choir
The new choir season begins September 14 when the choir returns to the 10:30am service. Rehearsals for the new season begin Wednesday, August 27 at 7:00pm in the church. If you would like to be a part of this important ministry, please see Louise White.

Thursday Bible Study
    Bible Study will resume at St. James in the Library on Thursday, September 18, 2008. The study runs from 1pm - 2pm each Thursday.
    At our last meeting a suggestion was made that rather than considering one book in the bible we take a theme that runs through both Old Testament and New. After much prayerful thought, I have chosen to focus on the Holy Spirit throughout Scripture. This critically important theme runs from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation and provides us with a wealth of opportunities for study. We will also share how our own experience of the Holy Spirit has helped us understand the stories of the Hebrew Scripture and the New Testament and how they relate to us today.
    Fr. Scott will lead on October 2 and on other times that I need to be out of town. I look forward to being with all of you regular class members again and incite newcomers to join us. We will use as primary source the New Revised Standard Bibles that are in the Library.
    -Anne Weatherford

St. James Volunteer Needs:
1. Tommy Stephens needs a ride to church on Sundays from Highland Farms. Please contact Carl Hankins (273-3438, cabinet1943@att.net) if you are interested. There is a small amount of instruction in securing his wheelchair.

2. An energetic, organized person is needed to coordinate St. James' participation in the annual Crop Walk. CROP Hunger Walks help children and families worldwide -- and right here in Black Mountain -- to have food for today while building for a better tomorrow. Each year some two million CROP walkers, volunteers, and sponsors put their hearts and souls in motion, earning over $16 million per year to help end hunger and poverty around the world-- and in their own communities. The Black Mountain Crop Walk is scheduled for Oct. 12. Please contact Deacon Kristi at mtnhigh1@charter.net if you are interested in being the St. James coordinator of this event.