Jesus in Art & Music

Sundays, October 15 and 22
Join the Rev. Alan Murchie for a two-part coffee hour series as we take a look at works of music and art featuring Jesus. Visual artists such as Rembrandt famously shows us a very human Jesus with warm, classically Semitic features. His Jesus comes beautifully to life and reminds us that the human Jesus was a rabbi, a friend, companion, brother and son. This portrait of Jesus contrasts considerably with those offered by da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, El Greco and Bernini, among others. Join us on October 15 and 22 as we reflect on images created by visual and musical artists that show us something of who Jesus was and is. What is our own portrait of Jesus and how might it be enriched and informed by these images?

How Can Faith Communities Prevent Gun Violence?

Sundays, November 12 and 19

Join Kerri Raissian, Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Connecticut and St. James’s parishioner, for a two-part forum after the service today on how we can work to end our nation’s gun violence epidemic as followers of Jesus. Raissian is one of the nation’s preeminent researchers of gun-related death and injury. She will share her research and lead a discussion in ways that people of faith can help reduce gun violence beyond “thoughts and prayers.” Kerri will present part 2 of her forum on Sunday, November 19.

Mary in Art & Music

Sundays, December 3 and 10
Led by the Rev. Alan Murchie, this two-part Advent series will feature "Mary in Art & Music." Advent is in a sense Mary’s season: through Isaiah’s prophecies, it points in each of its weeks toward her own prophetic utterance in her Magnificat and toward her fearless acceptance of her own prophetic commission. We will spend two Sundays in Advent this year reflecting on Mary in visual and musical image, in settings of the Ave Maria, in the enormous wealth of paintings that have sought to offer a glimpse of just who she was. Scripture provides a portrait of her that artists have supplemented and that composers from monks in the Middle Ages to Mendelssohn, Puccini and more have evoked in motet, carol, cantata, and solo song. Join us!

Coffee Hour Forums are held on Sundays at 11am in the parish hall. Coffee and refreshments served and all are encouraged to attend.