St James

A.C.W. at St James

The A.C.W. continues to be a dedicated and busy group who accomplish a tremendous amount of work in support of St. James.
Catering remains a significant activity, lunches are provided for the Annual vestry meeting, Clericus meetings, funerals, and other incidental activities. In addition the A.C.W. is responsible for Community Care dinners held in St. James Church Hall monthly (except for the summer months) as a shared service with other churches.
The members have strengthened their focus on Outreach and in 2008 sent donations to a local youth drop in center, PWRDF, Rural Women’s Shelter Program, the local food bank, St. Matthew’s House, and to Huron College for a student in need.
Basement sales twice annually remain successful fund-raising efforts. There is also an annual Book sale.
Get–well, sympathy and birthday cards are sent, often hand delivered. At Christmas, cards with candy canes are delivered to “shut-ins” at home and in residences.
This is an excellent group who does so much for the church and has fun working and planning. Many ladies who are not formally part of the A.C.W. help out at many of the mentioned events.

 Adult Christian Education
There are two study groups at St. James, The Spiritual Life Group and Living Faith. Both are small groups and each is facilitated by a member of the congregation and is inter-active within the group. Studies are primarily from the Bible although the concept of studying selected topics of Spiritual interest or concern is included in our over-all perception of Christian education
Each Group meets twice a month on separate evenings except during 10 weeks of the summer and during Lent when a weekly Lenten Study is facilitated by the Rector.
The topic of Study is selected independently by each group and is usually different except in the current year when each chose to study Matthew’s Gospel by coincidence.

Altar Guild
The Altar guild has 18 members divided into teams. Each team of 3 ladies is on duty once every 6 weeks. Each team is responsible for cleaning the brass and silver, use of the correct colour, Eucharist set-up, flowers if available, linens and laundry. For the special services of Easter, Harvest, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all members help with the decorating.

Our Sacristy was built in 2004 and is a well organized functional room. It is well stocked with linens and vessels. We have paraments for all seasons of the year- white, green, red, blue, violet, and purple, as well as a growing collection of some 14 liturgical banners.

The guild members are very familiar with the work of the Altar Guild and take their responsibilities very seriously. Most are open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.

The Butterfly Garden
St James Fergus received the remarkably generous gift of a beautiful garden area in the summer of 2008 from our parishioners.
The garden is picturesquely located overlooking the Grand River and contains a wonderful variety of perennials, providing continuous bloom and beauty throughout the summer and fall.
There is a spacious Marquee tent with a seating capacity for 150 people and ready access to the Church Hall, church kitchen and washrooms.
A miniature replica of a church is separated from the Marquee tent by a lawn, and houses garden tools, barbeques, and furniture for the Marquee tent.
These facilities are available to the Church and congregation for a variety of social functions, fund-raising efforts, and for out-door worship.
In addition the garden and facilities are available by rental to the community for wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions, and other functions, and as such serves as a potential source of income.
It is a truly marvelous place for worship, enjoyment and quiet reflection.

Greeters
Greeters faithfully welcome everyone, at the 10:30 a.m. service, and at Festive or Special services, provide the Order of Service, the Prayer Book and collect the offering. This group also helps those who are disabled in any way necessary. They are prepared to assist in the event of an evacuation or emergency.

Jolly Friar Chip Wagon
For a number of years, the people of St James have participated in community events held at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex by selling refreshments by way of the Jolly Friar Chip Wagon.  Events include Canada Day, Fergus Truck Show, Fergus Scottish Festival, and Fergus Fall Fair – and at the County Museum for The Harvest Home Event.  The Jolly Friar aims to be a visible presence in the wider community and to prepare and serve good quality food at reasonable prices.  Participating as a Jolly Friar is a wonderful way of promoting community and fellowship, and has the added benefit of raising money for outreach beyond the church as well as for projects within the parish.
     
Merry Widows
Sadly, the reality of life is that most couples do not die together, and it is often the wife who is left alone.  At St James, the Merry Widows group meets monthly for lunch and fellowship. 

Music at St. James
Music is provided by an Adult choir and the Gospel Acclamation Group offering Contemporary Music.

The adult choir consists of 10 enthusiastic and dedicated people albeit with variable attendance though not less than six for regular services. On special occasions such as funerals, Christmas, Easter and as occurred on the visit of the Diocesan Bishop for our 150th. Anniversary Celebration the numbers increase to 16 and to remarkably enhanced sound.
It is hoped that renewed appeals to the congregation will increase the numbers.
The choir is led by an organist and Music Director and mainly leads the Hymns and sung parts of the liturgy. Anthems are sung usually for church festivals and are selected to match the musical capabilities of the singers.
Although small the group is faithful and optimistic for increased numbers and with that improved musical leadership.

The Gospel Acclamation Group has provided Contemporary Music for the parish of St. James and the Community of Centre Wellington, over the past 10 yrs. There are 4-5 singers and 2-3 guitarists. During 2008 services with Contemporary Music were held on 7 occasions.
Out in the Community the group provided entertainment for the Church’s 150th Anniversary Dinner celebrating the Feast of St. James Homecoming week-end and some events at other churches.
The group continually searches for new music to enable musical and spiritual growth.

Outreach Committee
This committee started it’s ministry in 2008 and has initiated monthly financial support of a local drop-in center for youth called The Door. It has also supported Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Centre Wellington. Various events have been held with donations going to the local Food Bank and the local hospital. Each year two parishioners undertake to ask for donations from St. James to help people in areas of the world covered by World Vision.  Last year for the first time we were able to sponsor a child for a full year.  We have a picture of our child (Frank) and a group photo was taken to send to him along with a letter. Local support of PWRDF will be on our next agenda as we seek ways to extend God’s love and compassion by responding to the needs of others.
For over 5 years, St. James has been involved in the Samaritan’s Purse Shoebox Operation Christmas Child.  Each fall, parishioners gather small gifts to fill shoeboxes that are then taken to a donated warehouse and shipped locally and internationally to needy children through a Christian-based outreach.  This began as a youth group outreach program but is now looked after by two parishioners with the help of the parish.  St. James has donated over 150 shoeboxes.

Quilters
Each Tuesday morning a group of ladies, not all of them active parishioners, meet in St James Parish Hall for the production of quilts, large and small, and wall hangings.  Most of the quilts are created to order. The sale of the quilts covers the cost of materials and any profit is donated to the church. 

Servers
There are 10 servers who serve mainly at the 10:30 am service. They recognize serving in the Sanctuary as a privilege and honour and are dedicated and reliable.

Social Committee
Social events play an important part in community-building in the life of any church, and St James’ is no exception.  Social events typically include various dinners, parish barbecues, Parish Picnic, Pancake Supper,  a Spring Fashion Show, outings to the local theatre and others events e.g. ROM, and concerts featuring outside artists. 

Parish Council
Parish Council consists of both elected and appointed members whose responsibility is to advise the parish leadership in both spiritual and day-to-day practical matters.  These range from developing new programs within the parish to mundane matters such as whether the furnaces are working properly.  Parish Council is chaired by the People’s Warden, reflective of the fact that we believe that ministry is carried out largely by the laity with the support of the clergy, rather than exclusively by the clergy.

Getting Involved
As a member of St James, parishioners are not pressured to do anything beyond what they want to do.  If coming to worship with is sufficient, that is just fine.  If, on the other hand, people would like to participate more extensively, there are plenty of opportunities to do so.  Some parishioners take special roles in the worship services as Readers, Greeters, Chalice Bearers, or Choir Members.  Others join one or more of the groups listed in this section on Groups.  Our principal concern is that everyone feels welcome and can identify St James as their spiritual home.