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May the joy of the season and blessing of the Christ Child be

with you throughout the coming year.

In Christ,

Pastor & Mary Knowles

From the Pastor:

Inside January 2021 Newsletter

Communion for St. James Pg. 3

Bible Study Pg. 4

January Calendar Pg. 5

Endowment Fund Gift Application Information Pg. 6

Council Minutes Highlights Pg. 8

Council/Team Meeting Schedule Pg. 9

Annual Congregational Meeting Announcement Pg. 11

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Since we were not able to have the Ecumenical Thanksgiving

service this year, St. James initiated the

St. James Special Gifts for Local Hunger Appeal

The response to our appeal was outstanding!! Because of your

generosity, as of December 15th, the following donations were

collected:

St. Pius Food Pantry, $950

Christian Care, $890

Second Baptist Food Pantry, $1,350

Thank you to everyone for your continued support of our

mission to local hunger charities.

Thank You, Missions Team

3

Worship News

Sunday January 3rd

First Reading Jeremiah 31:7-14 Psalm Psalm 147:12-20 Second Reading Ephesians 1:3-14 Gospel John 1:[1-9] 10-18

Sunday January 10th

First Reading Genesis 1:1-5 Psalm Psalm 29 Second Reading Acts 19:1-7 Gospel Mark 1:4-11

Sunday January 17th

First Reading 1 Samuel 3:1-10 [11-20] Psalm Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 Second Reading 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Gospel John 1:43-51

Sunday January 24th

First Reading Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Psalm Psalm 62:5-12 Second Reading 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Gospel Mark 1:14-20

Sunday January 31st

First Reading Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Psalm Psalm 111 Second Reading 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Gospel Mark 1:21-28

Communion for St. James

On Monday January 4th from 2:00pm to 3:00 pm, and 18th from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. Pastor Knowles will be available in the Sanctuary of St. James to offer communion to anyone who would like to receive it. This is not a regular service, but a time for people to come in, spend a few minutes in prayer and reflection, and receive the sacrament. It is important that those who come follow the guidelines for safety including wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing. A brief devotional liturgy will be available.

Vacation

Pastor Knowles will be on vacation

from December 28th till January 3rd.

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We are holding an internet Bible Study (via Zoom) on

Tuesday evenings (January 5th, 19th, 26th) at 6:30 pm.

There will be no Bible Study on the 12th. If you would like

to join the study, let Pastor know and he will

send an invitation to you with the link to join

the study. If you need more information,

please ask.

Birthdays: Tanner Johnson 01/05

Etienne Ntiriniga 01/05

Vaughn Stroud 01/09

Darryl Johnson 01/10

Douglas Johnson 01/10

Keith Petersen 01/13

Ward Sundquist 01/13

Donald Knowles 01/14

Rebecca Resch 01/14

Larry Coronell Jr. 01/15

Jason Schroeder 01/15

Jadon Johnson 01/16

Jaimie Schroeder 01/22

Tom Fox 01/25

Alicia Grindle 01/29

Tyler Peterson 01/31

Anniversaries:

Larry & Peg Simmer 01/15

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January 2021 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

Office Closed

2

3

4

2:00pm

Communion (SJ)

5

6:15pm Vestry

6:30pm Bible

Study Via Zoom (SJ)

6

6:30pm Bible

Study (AS)

Epiphany

7

6:30pm Cub

Scouts (C)

8

Office Closed

9

10

11

6:30pm

Jr. Board ©

12

13

9:00am FOOF

(C)

6:30pm Bible

Study (AS)

14

6:30pm Cub

Scouts (C)

15

Office Closed

16

17

18

4:00pm

Stewardship/

Finance Via

Zoom (SJ)

6:30pm

Communion (SJ)

Office Closed

Martin Luther

King Day

19

4:00pm

Executive

Committee Via

Zoom (SJ)

6:30pm Bible

Study Via Zoom (SJ)

20

6:30pm Council

Via Zoom

6:30pm Bible

Study (AS)

21

6:30pm Cub

Scouts (C)

22

Office Closed

23

24

10:00am An-

nual Meeting

(SJ)

25

26

6:30pm Bible

Study Via Zoom (SJ)

27

6:30pm Bible

Study (AS)

28

6:30pm Cub

Scouts (C)

29

Office Closed

30

31

A warm smile is the universal language of kindness

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November 2020 Dear Members of St. James: The Endowment Fund Team is once again pleased to announce that gifts can be distributed from the Endowment Fund. In accordance with the Endowment Fund By-Laws and by previous motions made by the Endowment Fund Team and approved by the Congregation Council, it was deemed that five percent (5%) of the total Endowment Fund shall constitute the income of the fund. Distribution from the fund is determined by the value of the fund on December 31st of each year. We are not able to determine the exact value as of this date, but it appears the amount that can be distributed will be approximately $6000. The Endowment Fund Team is ready to receive applications from individuals or groups who wish to participate in the distribution. Please use an Endowment Fund Application for Gift form. If you as an individual or group have a need for additional funds that would meet one of the six categories of the approved Endowment Fund Ministries as stated in the Endowment Fund By-Laws (listed for your convenience in item nine on the application form), please feel free to complete an Endowment Fund Application for Gift Form. The completed form must be received in the Church office no later than January 15, 2021. Forms received after this date may be considered if funds are available after the initial distribution. Your application will be reviewed by the Endowment Fund Team in late January and may be accepted or rejected in part or in full. A gift to the Endowment Fund keeps giving over and over again as the principal of the fund cannot be distributed. We hope the amount available for distribution from the Fund will increase in future years as the fund continues to grow with your generous gifts. Please keep the Endowment Fund in mind for your future giving and your estate planning. This giving is an excellent way to remember or honor a friend or loved one. Please indicate that your offering is designated for the St. James Endowment Fund when you annotate your gift amount. Yours in Christ, The Endowment Fund Team St. James Lutheran Church

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ST. JAMES LUTHERAN CHURCH

ENDOWMENT FUND

APPLICATION FOR GIFT FORM

ALL questions must be answered. One page only may be attached to this application to provide more details of your request.

Initial application deadline is January 15th. Applications received after this date may be considered if funds are

available.

1.Name of Organization/Person:__________________________________________________________________________

2.What is the purpose of this request?______________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.Project Title:________________________________________________________________________________________

4.Please provide a complete description of the project:________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.Date(s) of project:____________________________________________________________________________________

6.Can your project be completed with a grant that is less than what you requested above? If yes, please explain.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

7.What Team(s) of St. James Church or the Community (if any) will this grant serve?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

8.Does your Team have any other source of income for the project described in paragraph 4? If yes, please explain.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

9.Which Category (listed below) of the approved Endowment Fund Ministries authorizes this gift?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Encourage new developments in the ongoing work of St. James.

The Mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America-Designated Advanced Gifts Program.

St. James Lutheran Staff development

College and seminary scholarship grants and loans

Community outreach in ministry

Capital improvements and special causes of St. James Lutheran Church, including the acquisition of fixed assets.

10.If this gift request is approved, who is the check to be made payable to? Please include complete address where the check is

to be mailed.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

11.Printed name, address and telephone number of person submitting this form:

Name ______________________________________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number ______________________________________________________________________________

Signature:______________________________________ Date:_________________________________

Please return completed form by January 15th to St. James Lutheran Church

Attention: Endowment Fund Team

3145 – 31st Avenue

Rock Island, IL 61201

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ST. JAMES COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS

DECEMBER 2020

The in-person and virtual December 2020 Council meeting was called to

order at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16th, with eleven members

present. Pastor Knowles opened with a prayer. The minutes of the

November meeting were approved. The Treasurer’s report for November

was accepted, subject to audit. We will end the year in great financial shape.

Pastor Knowles announced that Calvary Lutheran Church will have

Communion at 2:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve, followed by a parking lot

service at 4:30 p.m. On Christmas Day, he will do Communion at St. James

at 10:30 a.m. He will do a Sunday worship service video on December 27th,

but not on January 3rd, when he will be on vacation. For the Stewardship

drive, about two-thirds of the pledge cards have been received thus far.

Statements of 2020 giving will be mailed to members during the second

week in January. Nominations for Committee and Council members have

been completed. Response to the appeal for donations to Local Hunger was

outstanding. For the St. Pius Food Pantry, $950 was collected; for Christian

Care, $890; and for the Second Baptist Food Pantry, $1,350. Tom Fox, Bill

Hartman, and Bill and Jo Kempf have spent many hours repairing the old

Youth Room, which was flooded from a water leak of an outside tap. The

remodeled room will have LED lighting, a drop ceiling, and Cable TV. Upon

Pastor Knowles’ request, we decided to have the January 24th Annual

Congregational Meeting at 10:00 instead of 10:30. It will give us more time

before Calvary has theirs at 11:30. (Calvary will not have a parking lot

service on that day.) We voted that the agenda include not only adopting

the budget and electing Council members, but also discussing Committee

reports. That said, we decided on a deadline of December 31st for reports to

be submitted to the Secretary so that they can be published at least two

weeks prior to the meeting. Finally, we voted that our proposed version of

the Constitution be sent to the Synod for review. The congregation will vote

on our proposed amendments when our Annual Congregational Meeting

continues at a later date. The meeting was adjourned at 7:17 p.m.

Respectfully,

Luanne Beinke,

Council Secretary

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Stewardship/Finance

Team Meeting will be held

January 18th @4:00pm via

Zoom.

St. James Council will meet

via Zoom January 20th @

6:30pm via Zoom.

St. James Weekly Giving

Envelopes are now available

and may be picked up at the

church on Thursdays between

9:00am—2:00pm.

Just a Reminder: There are

copies of the “Living Lutheran”

and “Christ in Our Home”

magazines on the table in the

Narthex. If you are unable to

personally pick up a copy,

please let us know and a copy

could be sent to you.

(309) 786-0503

New 2021 Calendars are available on the table in the

Church Narthex

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Support small-scale farmers with Equal Exchange

½ Price Sale

We have decided to close out our Equal Exchange items for now. Use

the provided envelope for your half-price donation.

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Official Notice of Annual

Congregational Meeting

The Annual Meeting will be at 10:00 am on

Sunday, January 24, 2021 via Zoom. All

committee reports and other items wishing to be

added to the agenda must be submitted to the

church office no later than December 31st.

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PLEASE PLACE STAMP HERE

St. James Lutheran Church A RIC Congregation

3145 31st Ave Rock Island, IL 61201

Phone: 309-786-0503

E-mail: saintjamesri@gmail.com

Did you know St. James has a Facebook

page?

Check us out and give us a like!

Facebook.com/saintjamesri/

If you are not on Facebook you can find photos

on our flickr page!

www.stjamesri.org//photo-gallery

St. James a Reconciling In Christ

Congregation

In our awareness that we are all broken people, we re-

joice in God’s abundant grace. Therefore, we welcome all

who are seeking God’s love and forgiveness regardless of

national origin or ancestry, gender identity, sexual orien-

tation, age, abilities, beliefs, political views, financial re-

sources or family status.

There will always be a place for you at St. James.

*Adopted on June 11, 2017*

For more information check out Reconciling Works at

www.reconcilingworks.org