Featured events
SJES Summer Social
Saint James’ Episcopal School invites you to this end-of-summer celebration featuring games and prizes for kids and adults alike, food, drinks and live music. Weather permitting, this free event will be held on the newly renovated playground and outdoor space next to the school parking lot, and Father Ben will take the opportunity to bless the space. The event will move indoors if it rains.
Moo Thru and Barking Rose Brewing Company will each be on site, and the High School Youth Group will be selling food as a fundraiser for its annual volunteer trip to Hurley, Virginia. Local band DMH will perform.
RSVP by Aug. 22.
Episcopal Church Women
This first gathering of the program year, in the Parish Hall, will be about reconnecting with each other and talking about the plans for the rest of the year. No need to RSVP. Bring a bite or sip to share.
Email Jennifer Taylor at jennifer.taylor@saintjameswarrenton.org, or Margy Thomas at mweastham@gmail.com to be added to the ECW email list.
Youth Group Kickoff at Verdun
All middle- and high schoolers are invited to this fun day of team building — and activities like ziplining and ropes courses — at Verdun Adventure Bound in Rixeyville. Lunch will be provided.
Register by Thursday, Sept. 11.
Photos from last year
Firewood Initiative Split-and-Stack
The Fauquier Community Coalition’s Firewood Initiative provides firewood to local residents identified by the Department of Social Services who need firewood to keep their homes warm during the winter. Volunteers from several churches gather each week at the Warrenton Baptist Church property behind Brumfield Elementary School to split and stack wood for delivery to almost 60 individuals and families.
This is where you come in. We’ve committed to providing volunteers from Saint James’ on the second Saturday of each month. The time commitment is about two hours, and all adults and teenagers are welcome to volunteer.
Email Judy Williams at jwilliams0721@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Parish Picnic at Chapultepec
Our gathering at this beautiful Free State farm is all about reconnecting with our fellow parishioners and having fun as a new program year begins. Families of all ages are welcome, and there’s something for everyone — lawn games for all ages, a pool for swimming, a pond for fishing and trails for a short hike to the Rappahannock River.
The church will provide the main meal and non-alcoholic beverages. If your last name starts with A-L, we suggest bringing a savory side. If it starts with M-Z, consider bringing a sweet side. (Those are just guidelines — don’t let the letters get in the way of bringing a family favorite.) Bring a lawn chair, and all are welcome to bring a beverage of their choice.
CPR, AED & First Aid Class
This class offered by the Parish Health Team at Saint James’ teaches skills to provide assistance in an emergency. It's open to anyone 12 or older, and there is no written test. Each participant received a manual and a first aid kit to take home.
Blessing of the Animals
This short outdoor service honoring the legacy of St. Francis of Assisi is a longstanding and beloved tradition at Saint James'. We will celebrate with a special blessing to which all of our animal companions — and their humans — are invited to attend. Stay afterwards for pizza!
Saint James' is also accepting donated items for the Fauquier SPCA. Consider bringing an item from the SPCA’s wish list so we can show our love and appreciation for the caretakers at the shelter and the animals they care for.
Iberian Wine Dinner
This evening, curated by our very own Greg Arthaud, will feature a five-course meal inspired by the bold, fresh and diverse cuisines of Spain and Portugal. Between gazpacho, tapas and chocolate Basque cheesecake, you’ll enjoy a main offering of lamb stew or chicken and seafood paella. Each course will be paired with a Spanish or Portuguese wine. Conversation and laughter with friends new and old are sure to abound!
Registration is $100 per person. All proceeds from this event will benefit Saint James’ food and fellowship ministries, including Café and Coffee Hour.
Courses
Amuse-bouche — gazpacho
Spanish/Portuguese charcuterie
Tapas — 4-5 different selections
Main course (served with asparagus and papos secos)
Option A: Spanish lamb stew with white beans
Option B: Paella — chicken and seafood
Chocolate Basque Cheesecake
A selection of six to seven Spanish and Portuguese wines — white, red, bubbly and port — will be served throughout the evening.
Photo by Eva Bronzini from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/glass-of-red-wine-and-grazing-board-on-a-flat-surface-5975511/
Episcopal Schools Celebration
This abbreviated Holy Eucharist service geared especially toward young families brings our church and school together as part of a nationwide, weeklong celebration of the more than 800 Episcopal schools and early childhood education programs throughout the Episcopal Church.
There will not be Children's Church during this service, but nursery will still be available for small children.
Firewood Initiative Split-and-Stack
The Fauquier Community Coalition’s Firewood Initiative provides firewood to local residents identified by the Department of Social Services who need firewood to keep their homes warm during the winter. Volunteers from several churches gather each week at the Warrenton Baptist Church property behind Brumfield Elementary School to split and stack wood for delivery to almost 60 individuals and families.
This is where you come in. We’ve committed to providing volunteers from Saint James’ on the second Saturday of each month. The time commitment is about two hours, and all adults and teenagers are welcome to volunteer.
Email Judy Williams at jwilliams0721@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Breakfast for Dinner
Join us as we kick off a new year of Café Ministry! This ministry is all about serving food with love and creating a warm place for our parish to gather. Whether you’re on a team already or just curious, come enjoy yummy breakfast fare and laughter while learning how you can help bring our community together one meal at a time. All are welcome.
Please RSVP so we know how many people to prepare for.
Chalice Bearer Training Session
Could this be your calling?
Chalice bearers fill a unique role with their presence and assistance to the priest. Being part of the worship team is an honor.
As the fall approaches, it’s an appropriate time to refresh all the logistics involved in this ministry. It’s also a perfect time to invite those in the congregation who might be interested in joining this ministry.
This refresher session shouldn't last more than an hour. It will be held in the sanctuary. A complimentary light lunch will be served afterward.
Email Anita Sherman at anitajustwrite@gmail.com or text/call her at 540-272-9200 for more information.
Slow Pitch Softball vs. Oak View National Bank
This is a makeup game after our previously scheduled doubleheader against Oak View was rained out.
Everyone 14 and older is invited to play! The first game of the doubleheader starts at 6 p.m. — please arrive by 5:45 p.m. so we can get you in the lineup. If you're unable to make it by then, arrive by 6:45 p.m. to play in the second game.
We'll gather at Glory Days in Warrenton after the doubleheader for food, fellowship and Icy Hot.
Email saintjamessoftball@gmail.com to be added to the distribution list for updates.
Godly Play Training Session
Have you been searching for a volunteer opportunity that will feed your own soul as well as make a profound difference in others? Are you interested in making a deeper connection with children? Look no further than this opportunity to learn about Godly Play.
The session will be led by Norma Thatcher and Jen Taylor.
Godly Play is a Montessori-based method of teaching the Old Testament (Sacred Stories) and New Testament (Parables) lessons to children by using simple props while telling an easy-to-comprehend story from your heart instead of reading it from a book. There is also the category of Liturgical Lessons. These lessons explain the rituals and traditions of our church such as communion and baptism, again using simple props and a story.
Saint James’ invested in the Godly Play curriculum about twenty years ago. Around the same time the church sent Norma to a three-day training class in Maryland to become a certified Godly Play teacher. Norma would love to pass along her knowledge, enthusiasm and love for Godly Play to people who want to deepen a child’s relationship with God the Father the Creator, Jesus the Son and our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit, a gift from God who helps us act and talk and live like Jesus. (These are examples of Godly Play language.)
The training will consist primarily of a retelling of a Sacred Story, a Parable and a Liturgical Lesson. We’ll also discuss how Saint James’ has adapted the “ideal” Godly Play experience into the time constraints we face, how to manage interruptions, and the wonderful experience of asking “wondering” questions of the children. If time permits, Norma will demonstrate how she created her own Godly Play lessons for the Prodigal Son parable and the Palm Sunday lesson that takes the children from that day to Good Friday. You may want to create your own favorite Bible story into a Godly Play one!
No prior teaching experience is required. This is open to everyone, including older teenagers. If you don’t want to be the primary teacher (the storyteller), you can be what Godly Play calls “the door person,” who has the primary responsibility to manage the classroom so the storyteller can keep on with the lesson.
Some previous attendees have described the training day as a deeply spiritual experience. We are not looking for perfect speakers or teachers. Indeed, some of the most meaningful moments the class has experienced are when we’ve gotten off track a bit or added some new piece at the last moment.
You can see an example of Godly Play in action by watching a recording of Norma’s June 22 lesson at the 10:15 service.
RSVP by emailing Jen Taylor at jennifer.taylor@saintjameswarrenton.org The church will provide a light lunch. Please make any dietary restrictions known at time of registration.
Firewood Initiative Split-and-Stack
The Fauquier Community Coalition’s Firewood Initiative provides firewood to local residents identified by the Department of Social Services who need firewood to keep their homes warm during the winter. Volunteers from several churches gather each week at the Warrenton Baptist Church property behind Brumfield Elementary School to split and stack wood for delivery to almost 60 individuals and families.
This is where you come in. We’ve committed to providing volunteers from Saint James’ on the second Saturday of each month. The time commitment is about two hours, and all adults and teenagers are welcome to volunteer.
Email Judy Williams at jwilliams0721@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Slow Pitch Softball vs. Saint James’ Episcopal School
This is our end-of-season game against our cross-building rivals, so we'll play a single nine-inning game to decide whether Father Ben or Stacey gets to keep the trophy in their office this year. Please arrive by 5:45 p.m. so we can get you in the lineup.
We'll gather at Glory Days in Warrenton after the game for food, fellowship and Icy Hot.
Email saintjamessoftball@gmail.com to be added to the distribution list for updates.
Babysitting Class: CPR, AED and Extensive First Aid for Infants and Children
This class is especially geared toward teaching the skills required to respond to emergencies involving infants and children.
Slow Pitch Softball vs. High School Youth Group
Everyone 14 and older is invited to play! The first game of the doubleheader starts at 6 p.m. — please arrive by 5:45 p.m. so we can get you in the lineup. If you're unable to make it by then, arrive by 6:45 p.m. to play in the second game.
We'll gather at Glory Days in Warrenton after the doubleheader for food, fellowship and Icy Hot.
Email saintjamessoftball@gmail.com to be added to the distribution list for updates.
Slow Pitch Softball vs. PATH Interns
Everyone 14 and older is invited to play!
The first game of the doubleheader starts at 6 p.m. — please arrive by 5:45 p.m. so we can get you in the lineup. If you're unable to make it by then, arrive by 6:45 p.m. to play in the second game.
We'll gather at Glory Days in Warrenton after the doubleheader for food, fellowship and Icy Hot.
Email saintjamessoftball@gmail.com to be added to the distribution list for updates.