The Messenger January 2025
St. James on the Lake Episcopal Church
Looking up – Reaching Out – Gathering In
10707 Co Rd 4022, Kemp, TX 75143
www.stjamesonthelake.org
[email protected]
Mother's Musings
I pray that you were blessed by a joyous celebration of our Lord coming among us and saving us from our sins this Christmas. Fr. Tom and I were blessed to join the Diocese of Dallas this past October, as I was to serve as Priest-In-Charge here at St. James on the Lake, and he was called to serve as Priest-In-Charge at St. Matthias in Athens. These first three months of serving in Kemp have flown by. I have also been blessed to get to know so many of you and witness the wonderful ministries of this parish. The journey that we began together on October 1st is called a time of transition in the life cycle of a church community.
Author Williams Bridges, in his book, “Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change,” wrote about this time of transition, identifying three phases of the change process. The first is the ending of something old that has come to its end. The second he calls the neutral zone, and the third, which finds its fulfillment in the completion of the first two, is new beginnings. Bridges explains that an organization, in our case, St. James, cannot have a new beginning without the ending phase. The neutral zone seems to be well underway at St. James. The neutral zone is a time of uncertainty and excitement. It is not unusual for anxiety to be higher during this period as new ideas are explored, and changes are inevitably going to happen. The neutral zone cannot be avoided and can be a very productive phase when done well. Done well, this phase is marked by excitement as new ideas and creativity are explored in seeking to understand God’s will for this parish.
Most of you know that my commitment to St. James is for a minimum of one year with the option, if the vestry, Bishop Sumner, and I concur, to continue for up to three years. The most important thing I can contribute to St. James during this time is to help St. James' leadership navigate successfully through the neutral zone in preparation for a healthy new beginning with the calling of a new priest.
Earlier in 2024, a committee met and developed a strategic plan for St. James. Some of the recommendations in that plan have already been implemented. In the new year, I will work with the vestry to cast a vision for living into more of that strategic plan for St. James.
St. James is a fantastic parish that “walks the walk” of ministry; as our Lord says in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. After lighting a lamp, no one puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Witnessing the groups of people serving those in our wider community has been exciting. This parish is deeply loved by those who benefit from its outreach ministries.
Obviously, the mission of all churches is to bring people into a relationship, or a deeper relationship, with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. How we do that is as unique as each parish. As we move forward, I would ask everyone to offer daily prayers for St. James and its leaders, recipients of the outreach ministries of St. James, and me as I strive to discern God’s will for this parish and lead efforts to cast a vision that will allow St. James to grow into the parish that God desires it to be.
Mtr. Elizabeth
WEDNESDAY STUDY GROUP
Bible Study continues Wednesdays at 11:00 am. We are reading and discussing the book “Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist”. Bible Study is led by Mtr. Elizabeth Papazoglakis. Study group is followed by a Noon Healing Service.)
HUNGRY BUNCH
Hungry Bunch will meet at Hector’s on Friday January 10, at 6:00pm. Please sign up if you plan to attend.
T.E.A.C.H.
John Antonisse is leading us in TEACH. Please join us after coffee time on Sunday mornings.
MISS A SERVICE?
Did you miss a service? Want to remember something from a sermon? Just want to remember the past? All Sunday services are livestreamed on our Facebook page: facebook.com/StJamesOnTheLakeEpiscopalChurch
ANNUAL MEETING & Brunch
Our Annual Parish meeting will be held on January 26 immediately following the service. There will be a sign up sheet for the Brunch.
EVENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY
7th Prayer Group – 3:00 pm
8th Bible Study – 11:00 am, Eucharist – noon
Vestry Meeting 4:30pm – No parish dinner
10th Hungry Bunch- 6:00pm Hector’s
14th Prayer Group – 3:00 pm
15th No Bible Study or Noon Service
21st Prayer Group – 3:00 pm
22nd Bible Study – 11:00 am, Eucharist – noon
26th Annual Meeting & Brunch
DOK Mtg after Annual Meeting
28th Prayer Group – 3:00 pm
29th Bible Study – 11:00 am, Eucharist – noon
St. James on the Lake Episcopal Church
Looking up – Reaching Out – Gathering In
10707 Co Rd 4022, Kemp, TX 75143
www.stjamesonthelake.org
[email protected]
Mother's Musings
I pray that you were blessed by a joyous celebration of our Lord coming among us and saving us from our sins this Christmas. Fr. Tom and I were blessed to join the Diocese of Dallas this past October, as I was to serve as Priest-In-Charge here at St. James on the Lake, and he was called to serve as Priest-In-Charge at St. Matthias in Athens. These first three months of serving in Kemp have flown by. I have also been blessed to get to know so many of you and witness the wonderful ministries of this parish. The journey that we began together on October 1st is called a time of transition in the life cycle of a church community.
Author Williams Bridges, in his book, “Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change,” wrote about this time of transition, identifying three phases of the change process. The first is the ending of something old that has come to its end. The second he calls the neutral zone, and the third, which finds its fulfillment in the completion of the first two, is new beginnings. Bridges explains that an organization, in our case, St. James, cannot have a new beginning without the ending phase. The neutral zone seems to be well underway at St. James. The neutral zone is a time of uncertainty and excitement. It is not unusual for anxiety to be higher during this period as new ideas are explored, and changes are inevitably going to happen. The neutral zone cannot be avoided and can be a very productive phase when done well. Done well, this phase is marked by excitement as new ideas and creativity are explored in seeking to understand God’s will for this parish.
Most of you know that my commitment to St. James is for a minimum of one year with the option, if the vestry, Bishop Sumner, and I concur, to continue for up to three years. The most important thing I can contribute to St. James during this time is to help St. James' leadership navigate successfully through the neutral zone in preparation for a healthy new beginning with the calling of a new priest.
Earlier in 2024, a committee met and developed a strategic plan for St. James. Some of the recommendations in that plan have already been implemented. In the new year, I will work with the vestry to cast a vision for living into more of that strategic plan for St. James.
St. James is a fantastic parish that “walks the walk” of ministry; as our Lord says in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. After lighting a lamp, no one puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Witnessing the groups of people serving those in our wider community has been exciting. This parish is deeply loved by those who benefit from its outreach ministries.
Obviously, the mission of all churches is to bring people into a relationship, or a deeper relationship, with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. How we do that is as unique as each parish. As we move forward, I would ask everyone to offer daily prayers for St. James and its leaders, recipients of the outreach ministries of St. James, and me as I strive to discern God’s will for this parish and lead efforts to cast a vision that will allow St. James to grow into the parish that God desires it to be.
Mtr. Elizabeth
WEDNESDAY STUDY GROUP
Bible Study continues Wednesdays at 11:00 am. We are reading and discussing the book “Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist”. Bible Study is led by Mtr. Elizabeth Papazoglakis. Study group is followed by a Noon Healing Service.)
HUNGRY BUNCH
Hungry Bunch will meet at Hector’s on Friday January 10, at 6:00pm. Please sign up if you plan to attend.
T.E.A.C.H.
John Antonisse is leading us in TEACH. Please join us after coffee time on Sunday mornings.
MISS A SERVICE?
Did you miss a service? Want to remember something from a sermon? Just want to remember the past? All Sunday services are livestreamed on our Facebook page: facebook.com/StJamesOnTheLakeEpiscopalChurch
ANNUAL MEETING & Brunch
Our Annual Parish meeting will be held on January 26 immediately following the service. There will be a sign up sheet for the Brunch.
EVENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY
7th Prayer Group – 3:00 pm
8th Bible Study – 11:00 am, Eucharist – noon
Vestry Meeting 4:30pm – No parish dinner
10th Hungry Bunch- 6:00pm Hector’s
14th Prayer Group – 3:00 pm
15th No Bible Study or Noon Service
21st Prayer Group – 3:00 pm
22nd Bible Study – 11:00 am, Eucharist – noon
26th Annual Meeting & Brunch
DOK Mtg after Annual Meeting
28th Prayer Group – 3:00 pm
29th Bible Study – 11:00 am, Eucharist – noon
