Community: Here

 

ACW at St. James

The ACW, Anglican Church Women, is a dedicated and busy group who accomplish a tremendous amount of work in support of our church, meeting every third Wednesday of the month. 

Catering is a significant part of our work and includes being responsible — along with other churches in Fergus and Elora — for Community Care dinners held monthly in our Butterfly Hall.

The ACW also has a strong focus on Outreach and offers donations to a variety of local services, including our local youth drop-in center (The Door), the Rural Women’s Shelter, and The Centre Wellington Food Bank. We also contribute to St. Matthew’s House in Hamilton; and our national church fund, PWRDF.

Our ministry extends to the congregation as well, where we stay in touch with parishioners for special occasions (like birthdays!) and stay connected with those who might not be making it out to church anymore from their homes or Nursing/Retirement Homes.

Our ACW committee meet every third Wednesday of the month at 10:30 am in the Witcher Room.  New members welcome!

Please speak with Joan Rutherford, president of the committee, with any inquiries.

 

Altar Guild

The Altar Guild is a group of dedicated women responsible for keeping our church beautiful and in good running order. They labour over such tasks as cleaning the brass and silver, making sure the correct liturgical season colours adorn the altar, arranging and placing flowers, and taking care of linens and laundry. For the special services of years — Easter, Harvest, Thanksgiving, and Christmas — all members help with festive decorating.

The Altar Guild has established a collection of paraments for all seasons of the year, and maintains a growing collection of liturgical banners and hangings.  Please speak with Carol Witcher, president of the committee, with any inquiries and for the committee meeting schedule.

 

Outreach Committee

The Mission Statement of the Outreach Committee is:

St James outreach extends God’s love and compassion by creating and strengthening relationships that respond to the needs of others.

The Committee functions based on Outreach initiatives locally, to surrounding communities and beyond in Canada. Worldwide outreach includes financial response to natural disasters, sponsoring of a child through World Vision and an active relationship with PWRDF. Examples of outreach recipients include: The Door Youth Drop In Centre, Rural Women’s Shelter, Food Bank, Mission for Seafarers, and PWRDF. The outstanding generosity of St James through financial contributions and hard work allow for many worthwhile outreach activities.

A Quarterly Update

It is because of the outstanding generosity of our St. James’ family that the Outreach Committee has, in the first quarter of this year, been able to provide funding to Centre Wellington Mental Health (YouthTalk) from our annual budget. 
Our budget consists of both designated and undesignated funds, allowing us to respond to both local and international emergencies. In this first quarter, we have responded to appeals by St. Matthew’s House, Hamilton, for broad-based services; to Canterbury Hills to support their excellent camp program; and PWRDF in their emergency response to Mozambique and Zimbabwe (we have since learned that this money will be doubled by our government!).

Each year, the ACW donates designated funds to Outreach as well. This year, so far, we have distributed $1400 to local concerns: Groves Memorial Community Hospital, The Door, Centre Wellington Mental Health teen suicide program, Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis, Centre Wellington Food Bank, the University of Guelph Ecumenical Chaplaincy, and the Mission to Seafarers (Southern Ontario).
The Outreach Committee works diligently to identify, review, and donate to concerns in keeping with our parish concerns. You will recall that we identified our outreach focus to be youth, women and children, and food services/insecurity. We also respond to crises as they are identified, often times referencing Doctors without Borders, Canadian Red Cross, and PWRDF for counsel and direction of funds. It is exciting and interesting work!

New members are welcome to assist in carrying out this important calling to be aware of and to respond where need presents! Time commitment is a monthly meeting plus the occasional Outreach fundraising event (BBQ, Pasta Lunch, Community Lunch Service).

Please speak with Barbara Clunes with any Outreach Committee inquiries -- new members welcome! Come, join this fulfilling and fun ministry!

August 2022

Prayer Shawl Ministry

The Prayer Shawl Ministry at St James is an outreach ministry within our parish and the community. The group meets on the first Thursday of each month to create shawls that are blessed before being delivered to recipients along with a special card. A Prayer Shawl can be given in many different situations: illness, bereavement, friendship, birth of a child, birthdays, anniversaries, loneliness, students leaving for school, or baptisms…there are endless possibilities! To read more about the origins of this ministry, click here.

Anne Warner would be pleased to answer any inquiries pertaining to our Prayer Shawl meetings and ministry.

 

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.  Please speak with Elsie Pickett or Diane Irving with any inquiries.  

 

Servers and Greeters

Both Servers and Greeters are important volunteers in our community.

The Greeters faithfully welcome everyone to worship services, providing friendly direction to both newcomers and parishioners. They distribute the Order of Service, the Prayer Book (if needed), and bring the gifts to the altar at Communion.

The Servers participate in the procession and assist the priest throughout the service, whether it be at the altar, carrying the Gospel, leading with candles, or as a crucifer.

Janice Sheppard would be pleased to answer any inquiries.

 

Social Justice

The Social Justice Group of Centre Wellington was formed in the summer of 2011 around the core of the Social Justice Committee of St. James Church. The Social Justice Group is composed of concerned citizens of Fergus and Elora from various walks of life. There are several non-profit and governmental organizations working in our communities – supported by generous volunteers – to alleviate the difficulties that stem from poverty. As a Social Justice Group, we feel it is time for a broader public discussion on poverty. Click here to learn more about The Social Justice Group

 

Bible Study Group

The Bible Study group meets Mondays at 11:00 am in the Witcher Room.  All are welcome to join.  Readings can be provided in advance.

Barbara Clunes and Phil Chester invite you to join and would be pleased to answer any inquiries.  

 

Book Club

The Book Club is open to any and all who wish to join. Our reading list is composed primarily of works of fiction that are more than just a story; or, a story with deeper life meaning or teaching that helps us to learn more about ourselves, about others, and about our world. We typically meet once a month, beginning in September and taking a break over the summer months.