The Altar Guild prepares the church (particularly the altar) and chapel for all worship services, including weddings, funerals, baptisms, and special feast days. The Guild ensures that each occasion is celebrated visually and in a way that is sacramentally appropriate to the church season. There are five teams, each team serving every fifth week.

This ministry is for those who love to create beautiful flower arrangements. Members prepare the church with flowers for worship services including weddings, funerals, and special feast days, such as Christmas, Advent, Holy Week and Easter. The flowers and greens reflect the occasions and church seasons.

Ushers welcome worshippers with bulletins, introduce newcomers, answer questions and guide people during our worship services, take up the offering, and deliver altar flowers to shut-ins and parish members.

Newcomers and long-time parishioners alike love to be greeted by a smiling face on Sunday mornings. If you have a gift for making people welcomed, consider joining the happiest ministry at St. James’s, our Greeters. You’ll be a resource for visitors and the first warm “Hello!” of the day to everyone else.

The Acolyte Ministry is made up of youth in 5th through 12th grades. Youth serve as Crucifers (the lead crucifer assists the priest with the elements at the altar), Banner Bearers and Torch Bearers during the worship services.

Lay Eucharistic Ministers serve as chalice bearers during Eucharist services. They also serve as a lector and an acolyte to the priest at the 7:45 a.m. worship service. In some cases, LEMs provide in-home communion to those parishioners who are unable to attend church

Lectors read the scripture passages at both the 9:00 and 11:15 a.m. services, once or twice every four to five months.

You don’t need any special skills to be part of this ministry, just enthusiasm and a desire to serve. Volunteers assist our trained videographers in the live-streaming of our services – two on Sundays, September through May, and one on Sundays in the summer – as well as special services (like funerals and weddings). This ministry allows people who cannot attend services because of poor health or other reasons to still join us in worship.

Volunteers provide transportation each Sunday morning for Westminster Canterbury residents who attend the 11:15 a.m. worship service.

Training for driving the Westminster Canterbury Richmond van is provided.

By joining the Sunday Flower Delivery Ministry you can deliver flowers used in the Sunday services to various parishioners. Some are sick or homebound; others are celebrating special life events. You select which Sundays you want to deliver flowers. Four flower arrangements go out each Sunday, so we are hoping for two deliverers per Sunday.

The mission of Service Ministries at St. James’s is to inspire and equip all of St. James’s to be “Doers of the Word” through partnering with God and our neighbors, both near and far. We pursue this mission through three distinct efforts: 1) Doers Doing in the Community, 2) International and Domestic Missions (led by our Missions Committee), and 3) the Outreach Funding Committee. If you’re interested in Service Ministries broadly, or serving on one of these committees, contact the Rev. Blake Singer ([email protected]).

Doers Doing in the Community is the name of the committee that facilitates our local hands on service opportunities with community partners. The Service Ministries Committee selected three community partners that have robust service opportunities to go into deeper relationship with. These community partners are Peter Paul, CARITAS, and REAL LIFE. Doers Doing in the Community facilitates parish-wide service opportunities most months during the program year, so keep an eye on your eChimes as opportunities arise. Each community partner also has ongoing service opportunities for both individuals and small groups. If you’re interested in learning more about our three community partners or serving as a community partner liaison, contact the Rev. Blake Singer ([email protected]).

Peter Paul’s mission is “to support the neighbors of the East End and educate its students, equipping them to serve as positive contributors to their families, community, and society” (peterpaulrva.org). In addition to parish-wide events with Peter Paul, there are opportunities to serve as a classroom assistant, a homework helper/tutor, to sponsor a class with a small group, and to help with their food distribution.

If you’re interested in learning more about Peter Paul or volunteering with Peter Paul, contact one of the community partner liaisons, Paulette Pullen ([email protected]) or John Raigins ([email protected]).

CARITAS “provide(s) effective, permanent solutions to individuals and families dealing with the crisis of homelessness and/or addiction in the Metro Richmond area” (caritasva.org). In addition to parish-wide events with CARITAS, there are ongoing opportunities to volunteer at one of their shelters, provide lunch/weekend meals, and organize inventory in their furniture bank.

If you’re interested in learning more about CARITAS, contact one of the community partner liaisons, Carrie Acey ([email protected]).

REAL LIFE “serves individuals who have been impacted by incarceration, homelessness, or substance use disorder by giving them an opportunity to overcome their personal and community barriers that hinder their pathway to a Thriving Life” (reallifeprogram.org). In addition to parish-wide events with REAL LIFE, there are ongoing opportunities to mentor REAL LIFE program participants and adopt one of the 11 REAL LIFE houses.

If you’re interested in learning more about REAL LIFE, contact one of the community partner liaisons, Yvonne Gibney ([email protected]) or Judy Philpott ([email protected])

St. James’s has a rich history of both domestic and international mission trips. Following the pandemic, the Missions Committee at St. James’s began a discernment process asking the question, “How is God calling St. James’s to engage in missions in 2023 and beyond?” As the committee continues to discern our relationship with previous and future partners, this process has resulted in several Guiding Principles and a new Mission Statement that will inform the direction of the committee going forward. The committee’s new mission statement is, “Following the example of Jesus Christ, the Missions Ministry of St. James’s seeks to cultivate and sustain relationships with God, our mission partners, and each other.”

If you’re interested in joining the committee in this continued work of discernment and guiding the future of St. James’s or leading a future mission experience, contact the Missions Committee Chair, Julie Wade ([email protected]) or the Rev. Blake Singer ([email protected]).

Each year, St. James’s disperses a number of grants to additional community partners that are doing amazing work throughout the Richmond area. We also maintain ongoing relationships with each of these organizations, many of whom have individual volunteer opportunities, and several St. James’s parishioners volunteer with them on a regular basis. The organizations that we funded in 2022 are listed below. If you’re interested in learning more or serving on the committee that makes these funding decisions, contact the Rev. Blake Singer ([email protected]).

Organizations we currently fund

• Area Congregations Together in Service (ACTS)
• CARITAS
• Circle Center Adult Day Services
• Peter Paul
• ReWork Richmond
• Safe Harbor
• James’s Children’s Center
• Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN)
• REAL LIFE
• Virginia Supportive Housing

Parish House Volunteers answer the phone, greet visitors, and may help staff with administrative tasks like stuffing envelopes, folding letters, and other light office work. Volunteers can serve morning or afternoon hours and/or be on call.

On most 2^nd and 4^th Thursdays from 9:00-10:30 throughout the program year (weather permitting), a small group of staff and/or parishioners gives out free coffee to our surrounding neighbors and passersby. Some parishioners have also contributed baked goods to be given out with the coffee. This has been a great way to get to know our neighbors surrounding St. James’s.

If you’re interested in learning more about this ministry, contact the Rev. Blake Singer ([email protected]).

Stephen ministers are lay people who have undergone extensive and ongoing training to provide one-on-one Christ-centered care to individuals going through a difficult time. This could include things like a child moving out of the house, job loss, divorce, a medical diagnosis, or the death of a loved one. Stephen Ministers meet with their Care Receivers for roughly one hour once a week for as long or as short as the Care Receiver desires. Stephen Ministers are all trained to observe strict confidentiality. Stephen Ministers are led by a member of the clergy and a team of Stephen Leaders who facilitate the initial training, continuing education, promotion, and recruitment of both Stephen Ministers and Care Receivers.

If you’re interested in learning more about becoming either a Stephen Leader or a Stephen Minister, or if you or someone you know are in need of care, contact Jane Dowrick ([email protected]) or the Rev. Blake Singer ([email protected]).

Mardi Gras, The Celebration, The Picnic, The Taste of St. James’s and other events need volunteers to be successful. 

This team of volunteers loves music and gathering together after performances for fellowship and good eats! Volunteers serve on-call to provide easy appetizers, sweets and savories for receptions following about six music events throughout the year.

Volunteers serve by sharing talents like art and dance, providing board and committee leadership, mentoring young learners, reading to children, accompanying students on field trips, and assisting administrative staff. 

The role of Navigators is to connect potential, new, and exploring parishioners to the resources best suited to fulfill their expectations of a church community. Navigators use their knowledge of the faith-based, volunteer, and social opportunities at St. James’s to build an engagement plan for the newcomer to help integrate them into parish life. This may include meeting newcomers outside of church, inviting them to church events, or connecting them to others at the church.

A team of four storytellers and doorkeepers serve in each of the three Godly Play classes for three- year-olds through 1st graders. Volunteers alternate between telling the story and welcoming the children into the sacred space of the Godly Play classroom. Volunteers are encouraged to be present twice each month during the Sunday school program year.

Parent volunteers engage with infants, toddlers, preschool children and nursery staff each Sunday during the 9:00 a.m. service during the program year and at the 10:00 a.m. service in the summer. Parents whose children use the nursery are highly encouraged to be a part of this ministry. It’s a great way to get to know other families with young children.

Parishioners create personalized banners for each child baptized at St. James’s. No artistic talent required. Banners are created with only simple tracing, cutting, and gluing. Service in this ministry can be performed at home or at church.

Volunteers assist with costuming and chaperoning pageant participants during both the dress rehearsal and the pageant. Volunteers may also assist with costumes, props, and lighting.

There are a variety of opportunities to share your time and talents while serving in this ministry to our elementary school children. Workshop leaders, shepherds, and materials volunteers engage with the second through fifth graders in this Sunday school program. Shepherds are encouraged to be present in the classroom twice per month during the program year in a ministry of presence. Workshop leaders teach one lesson to several classes over the course of several Sundays. Workshop leaders can lead one lesson or a few throughout the year. Materials volunteers work behind the scenes approximately once each month during the year.

The Children’s Chapel program is offered during the 9:00 a.m. Eucharist service throughout the program year. Adult volunteers welcome the children into the chapel and support the clergy as they lead the children in worship.

Volunteers can serve in this ministry by preparing materials in advance or they can volunteer to assist families during the Advent Fair, which will be held Sunday, December 1, 2019.

VBS volunteers serve in a variety of roles both leading up to and during the program. Volunteers serve in planning, decorating, and materials procurement prior to VBS. The week of VBS, volunteers serve as shepherds and activities leaders. Youth volunteers are welcome and encouraged to serve at VBS.