WELCOME TO ST. JAMES!
Our worship times on Sundays are 8:00 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. (Children's Church available),
and Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. Our Thursday service is held in the Chapel.
We invite you attend one of our Sunday Services in person or watch our live stream
service by clicking on the picture below.
The Messenger Our Monthly Newsletter
Click here to read the current Messenger:
April 2026
Click here to read past issues:
Past Messengers
Newcommers Dinner April 9th at 6:00pm in the Parish Hall
Father Tom, the Vestry and Staff are hosting a special dinner for “Newcomers”
who began attending our congregation at St. James this past church year. If you
received an invitation, and are planning to attend, please return the RSVP postcard
by mail or hand deliver it to the church office by April 2nd.
We’re looking forward to meeting all our “Newcomers” and sharing spiritual
fellowship.
Join the Mission Team on Sunday, April 12th, at 9:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall, as
they share their testimonies of their mission trip in February. There were 50
members on the team this year. Information will be given on the number of
patients served in the areas of dentistry, optometry, gynecology, pediatrics, and
internal medicine.
Annual Parish-Wide Picnic
WHEN: Sunday May 3rd WHERE: The Leesburg Boat Club
31 Dozier Circle
(Behind the Venetian Center,
facing beautiful Lake Harris.) TIME: 12:00 p.m - 2:00 p.m.
Our annual Parish Picnic is a valued and longstanding tradition within our
church community. BBQ, sides, and beverages will be provided, and we kindly
ask that each quest to bring a favorite dessert to share.
Please mark your calendar and join us for an enjoyable time and fellowship.
Hope to see you there!
Sebastiana Springmann Ordination
Congratulations to our very own Deacon Sebastiana on fulfilling
her requirements for priesthood!
Sebastiana will be ordained on Saturday, May 16 , at the
All Saints Episcopal Church in Winter Park. We have arranged
for a 56-passenger motor coach from Workman
Transportation, the same company we used for her ordination
as a Deacon. Once the Diocese confirms the time, we will
share additional details, including the cost per
seat, etc., and initiate the sign-up process.
We feel truly blessed to have her at St. James and eagerly anticipate celebrating this
significant milestone with her.
If you have any questions regarding this event, contact Susan Cyrus or call/email the church office at (352) 787-1981
or office @stjames-leesburg.org
Pastoral Care Update
St. James has some exciting news to share regarding Pastoral Care. The Rev'd Dr. Sebastiana
Springmann will now be the "Coordinator of Pastoral Care" for St. James. After her ordination to
the priesthood, her title will be "Priest Associate for Pastoral Care.
" This means that Rev'd
Sebastiana will be the central person for coordinating all Pastoral Care issues that might arise.
Here is how it will work. All Pastoral Care input/requests will be sent to Rev'd Sebastiana, regardless
of their source. She will then triage the information and pass the need along to the Pastoral Care
Ministry that can best meet the need. For instance, if someone cannot make it to church, and
would like communion brought to them, Rev'd Sebastiana will send that information to the person
who coordinates Eucharistic Visitors. If there is a loss, and the person would benefit from receiving
the Grief Booklets, that information will be passed along to the person who coordinates that
ministry.
We are thrilled to now have a "Clearing House" for all Pastoral Care needs. This will certainly
enhance the delivery of Pastoral Care services to the members of St. James.
If you have any questions about all of this, please contact:
Rev'd Sebastiana: evsebastiana@stjames-leesburg.org
Leesburg Bike Fest April 24 - 26
This year, two of our ministries will be hosting fundraisers during this event:
The Youth Ministry ~ Friday, April 24th & Saturday, April 25th
Every year the Youth ministry sells parking during Bikefest in the St. James Parking
area. Not only is this a great way to financially support our parish young people, but
it also provides an opportunity to show the community who we are! We always have a
great time together as we welcome the thunder! Come join us for a fun, rewarding
experience!
If interested, please see Beth Williams or call the church office at 352-787-1981 ECW ~ Saturday, April 25, 2026
ECW will be selling hot dogs, popcorn, cookies, soda and water, primarily targeting
guests parking their cars/bikes at St., James. We are looking for volunteers who would
like to help by working one of the three available shifts below:
9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
If you are interested, please contact Catherine Holt - 912-230-7845.
St James Mens Group Ministry
The Men’s Ministry holds a prayer breakfast
on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at
8:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall. Their next
meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 15th
If you are interested in joining the Men’s
Ministry, please contact: Ted Kermode
Operation Homebound
Operation Home Bound provides hot meals to those who are homebound, five days a week, year
round,including all holidays. Meals are prepared at the Operation Home Bound Center at
North Lake Presbyterian Church in Lady Lake. A team of dedicated members of
St. James delivers the meals to Church members and other shut-ins in the Leesburg area.
Participate at our Services
If you have an interest in becoming a Lay Eucharistic Minister, Lector, Usher
or Greeter, please sign up in the church office.
Young Adult Group Begins New Study
Continues to meet on Sunday evenings at 6:00 p.m. to participate in the St.
James Spiritual Formation Course. The course is free and dinner is included.
Last week, discussed what “church” means to us and how we can best serve God
in His church. As part of the lesson, we created a banner that represents
the church we aspire to be. Please join us this Sunday as we explore
ministry and stewardship further in our session on Collaborating With God.
If you have any questions, please contact: Lara Lahey at 407-461-7014 or
Dorry Curran at 949-633-8471.
Our Mission
Saint James seeks to be a community that grows more Christ like, expressing
the love of Jesus Christ in our worship, our outreach, and our commitment to discipleship. Giving to Saint James and Stewardship.
MESSENGER MAILING LIST
We are in the process of updating our mailing list for the Messenger.
Currently, the Messenger is sent out by both postal mail and parish-wide email.
Copies are available in the church that may be picked up.
We are aiming to streamline our mailing list for those who wish to continue
receive the Messenger by postal mail.
If you would like to be kept on our list, please send us an email letting us know.
Click here to send us and email
office@stjames-leesburg.org
Temporary Medical Epuipment Loan
If you have medical equipment at home that you no longer need, and is in
good working condition, and that you would be willing to loan to a fellow
parishioner for a short-term, we need your help.
St. James would like to set up a Medical Equipment Directory for our
parishioners. This directory will be filled with names and numbers of
individuals they can call for an equipment loan after an accident or befoe
a planned surgical procedure.
If you are interested, please contact Janice Tindall.
Caregivers Support Group
The Alzheimers-Dementia Care Givers Group welcomes all who have a loved one or are
caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia. We meet on the first Wednesday of the
month to discuss the ways and means of expressing compassion and how to care for our
loved ones in the midst of a difficult challenge.
All discussions are kept in strict confidentiality. Please note that our meetings are for
caregivers only (and not the one with A/D) to allow the freedom to share as needed.
Saint James Grief Support
Our next Grief Support Gathering is Thursday, April 02, 2026 at
St. James Episcopal Chapel located behind the church (204 N. Lee Street
in Leesburg). Meet and Greet will start at 3:00 on the Veranda In front
of the Parish Hall. Bottled water and a small snack (usually chocolate) are provided.
Our conversation topic for April is “Grief and Coping with the Holiday Blues”.
Anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays, including Easter, can manifest persistent sadness, loneliness,
stress and even irritability when you have lost your spouse or someone special in your life. Holidays
remind us of memories of past celebrations, and the absence of our loved ones can create a sense of emptiness,
longing and take us on an “emotional roller coaster” ride. Join us as we discuss possible ways to help each other cope and “Move Forward”.
Hope to see you Thursday, April 2nd at St. James Episcopal Church’s Chapel . Our grief support group meets once a month and is open to anyone who has lost a loved one and needs support from others who know firsthand what they are going through.
Susan Cyrus,
Grief Support Facilitator
Have a Questiion? Need Help? Click to email
Susan Cyrus
Invite - Welcome - Connect Update
Greeters and the “Welcome” Ministry of IWC at St. James
Our greeters provide the hospitality component of our Invite Weclome Connect ministry.
They arrive early and are stationed at the welcome table in the Narthex. With a smile on their face,
they greet our guests, provide our “Red Bag” and offer the Welcome card to be filled out by the guest.
They escort the guests to a seat in the sanctuary and introduce them to the members around them.
We have greeters at both services.
Contact/Text Chris Leware to offer your help (352-255-2535)
Ministries at Saint James
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
Saint James seeks to be a community that grows more Christ like, expressing the
love of Jesus Christ in our worship, our outreach, and our commitment to discipleship.
If you feel the need to help us in our outreach, discipleship or any of our ministries click on this link
Ministry Catalog
to view and/or download the catalog, find the ministry that fills your
need to help and contact the parishioner that leads that ministry.
Crescendo Choral Festival
Our Jubilate Singers had the opportunity to participate in the Crescendo Choral Festival on Feb. 1st,
and they did an INCREDIBLE job representing St James, as well as shining God's light through their music. Way to go, young singers!
Our young singers are back to weekly rehearsals, in the St Nicholas House!
All young singers are encouraged to stay after church for lunch, a few
games. If you know any young people who may be interested in singing with us, this is a great
opportunity for new members to give it a try and see what we're all about.
Pick-up is at 2:30 pm. Any parents who would like to stay as helpers, please
contact Beth Williams.
As l write this article, LENT is drawing to a close, and the most Christian of our
church seasons, EASTER is about to begin, on APRIL 5th, to be exact. Eastertide’s
both a joyous and sad season, a time to celebrate and strengthen the depth of our
faith.
On the parish hall book truck, I hope you have found a special Easter message and a
new book relating to our own church community, titled FIRST FAMILIES OF ST
JAMES, by Nancy Boyer & Margaret Branham, just published and containing 24
brief, intriguing biographies written by longtime members of St. James. The book also
includes historical accounts of our parish, its founding, furnishings and development,
highlighted with, family photos and stories of beloved artifacts. There will be a few
copies in the parish library for checking out, but if you would like to obtain a personal
copy, you may order by computer: Go to Barnes & Noble website, enter FIRST
FAMILIES OF ST. JAMES to place your order.
HAPPY EASTER from your Parish Librarian, Margaret
P.S. Seeking a misplaced book from our library collection, written by Bishop Budde of
Washington, D.C ..
"How we Learn to be Brave", please return if you have this book.Thank you,
Margaret Branham, St. James Librarian
Saint James Tee & Polo Shirts
We have been asked to have an option for women's 3/4 sleeve polo shirts.
These are now available for $30. If any woman who has submitted a new order
in the last few weeks wants to switch to 3/4 sleeves, please contact me
directly via email, call, or text. Snowbirds. If you would like to order
shirts to have when you return (and pay for then too), please contact Marc
Crouch via email
crouch.marc@yahoo.com
to order the shirts or download the order form and give it to Marc.
Click here to
download the order form.
As a reminder, payment is due when you pick up the shirts
St James Episcopal Church Women Events
Welcome Ladies! ECW would like to remind the women of St. James, our new parishioners and
guests, that all women are invited to visit and potentially join the Saint James Episcopal Women’s
organization, known as ECW. This group is a sisterhood of the church women who enhance their
Christian experience through service, study and sisterhood. We are also the main charitable arm of
the church helping to provide for our local community using monies that are raised throughout the
year. We always mange to combine service with fellowship.
Please consider visiting one of our meetings. General meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each
month in the Parish Hall. This is a coming together of all ECW members. We also meet in smaller
individual chapter groups to support each other in Christian enrichment/study and fellowship. There
are three main chapters who meet on the third Tuesday of the month. Most members visit each of thechapters before deciding which chapter they are most drawn to. Members are also always open to
visiting the other chapters as well. Below please find the meeting details for our March meetings
ECW April News Thank You, Thank You, Thank You
ECW wants to take this opportunity to say thank you to the dedicated people who
put countless hours into collecting and organizing auction items for ECW’s largest
fundraising event of the year, The Grand Auction. Many thanks to Dr. Bob Tindall
who volunteers just under a year’s worth of preparation and planning time, each year,
to make this fabulous event possible.
This year over $13,000.00 was raised and will be returned to our local community through
our ECW Charitable Giving, to locally vetted organizations that exist to meet the needs of
our local population. Many of those organizations have been highlighted by ECW each
month in the Messenger.
Bob, our leader in this endeavor, was supported by other dedicated church members. Ted
Wolf is our auctioneer extraordinaire who kept everything moving and was assisted by
Mackie McCabe. The wonderful hors d’oeuvres were provided by the ECW ladies. A big
thank you also to the ticket sellers, the bar tenders, the auction donors and purchasers and
all those who bought tickets.
Sincerely,
Barnelia Woodward, ECW President
ECW Chapter Meetings April 7th
ECW Board Meeting ~ 9:00 a.m. (St. Nicholas House)
ECW General Meeting ~ 10:00 a.m. (Parish Hall)
St Francis’ Chapter will be hosting & ourprogram will focus on Early Stages of Dementia. CHAPTER MEETINGS ~APRIL 21ST
10:00 a.m.~ St. Anne’s (Parish Hall)
Study: Walk In Love Episcopal Beliefs
10:00 a.m.~ St. Francis’ (St. Nicholas House)
Study: Walk In Love Episcopal Beliefs
3:30 p.m.~ St. Cecilia’s (St. Nicholas House)
Study: The Parables (Parish Hall)
Ronald McDonald House Outreach
This is one of the times of year we are grateful and count our many blessings.
As you enjoy celebrating with family and friends, pulling flip tops, Ronald McDonald House is also grateful,
and thanks you for pulling the tabs. These tabs make it possible for families of critically ill children that
need hospitalization to have comfortable lodging and meals, gratis. Many blessings and a Happy New Year.
The monetary donations you send will support the “Home away from Home” for these families. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida
To make a gift by mail, send your check made out to RMHC of Central Florida to
P.O. Box 547537 Orlando, FL 32854-7537. To make a gift by phone call 407-206-0957.
P.S. Your donation is tax deductible. Many Blessings to all for the coming year. Meg Bremer
Visit the ECW webpage for additional details: stjames-leesburg.org/ECW.html.
JODY'S GIFT SHOP
JODY’S GIFT SHOP HOURS
WEDNESDAY,THURSDAY,FRIDAY
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
SUNDAY
9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
WHAT IS STEPHEN MINISTRY?
Stephen Ministry offers a proven and effective way to organize, equip, and supervise
a team of congregation members—called Stephen Ministers—to provide high-quality,
one-to-one, Christ-centered care to people in the congregation and the community
experiencing life difficulties. WHO ARE STEPHEN MINISTERS?
Stephen Ministers are lay congregation members trained to provide one-to-one care
to those experiencing a difficult time in life, such as grief, divorce, job loss,
chronic or terminal illness, or relocation. WHAT DO STEPHEN MINISTERS DO?
After being matched with a person experiencing a life crisis, the Stephen Minister
meets with that person on a weekly basis to listen, care, encourage, and provide
emotional and spiritual support, as long as the need for care exists. HOW CAN I BECOME A STEPHEN MINISTER?
Stephen Ministry training is typically offered once a year.
The next session starts in the Fall, starting September 16, 2023.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Stephen Minister, please contact either:
Bob Tindall (717) 575-3092
walruselect@gmail.com
Sherry Lash (706) 614-0290
sblash@protonmail.com
MEMORIAL FLOWERS
Those desiring to offer flowers for any service – either in Memory of Loved Ones or in Thanksgiving,
please contact Bonnie Binneveld @ 352-255-1658. On behalf of ECW, Bonnie will handle
the monthly calendar for Altar and Madonna flowers. Then it is up to the donor to contact
a local florist and make arrangements. They should bill you directly, not St. James.
You can also reserve the Altar candle for $5.00.
Please Stay Tuned
For future updates about Worship times, and for other opportunities to
reach out to those in need, If you have any questions,
call us at 352-787-1981, or email:
office@stjames-leesburg.org
Drive-By Food Drive
St. James ECW is sponsoring an on going “Drive-By” Food Drive,
on behalf of the Leesburg Food Bank
on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon.
Thank you for your generous donations!
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