Alcoholics Anonymous – St. James provides meeting space for two different Alcoholics Anonymous groups that meet on two different evenings each week. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, and apolitical. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem.
Contact: Kevin Jeske-Polyak | onrealm.org | 865-523-5687 | kevin@stjamesknox.org

Doorstep Ministry – The Doorstep Ministry assists neighbors in need who reach out to St. James either in person or on the telephone. Doorstep volunteers prepare and distribute bagged lunches on the doorstep of St. James each day Monday through Thursday from 11 am – 1 pm. Lunch typically includes cheese sandwiches, fruit, snack crackers, pudding, and bottled water. We also help neighbors who need assistance with rent or utility bills, clothing, and helpful referrals to other local resources. Doorstep volunteers provide enormous assistance to the staff by answering the telephone, greeting visitors at the door, and providing other important clerical tasks. They usually volunteer one day a week (Mon – Thu) from 9 am – 4 pm.  Contacts: Patty Chase | onrealm.org | 865-523-0551 | phowellchase@yahoo.com, Kevin Jeske-Polyak | onrealm.org | 865-523-5687 | kevin@stjamesknox.org

Helping Hands Feeding Ministry –The Helping Hands Food Pantry regularly feeds and tends God’s sheep in our neighborhood by distributing bags of groceries, (about three days-worth), containing canned and boxed foods, a loaf of bread, a stick of margarine, a snack pack (breakfast, sandwich, or soup.), and a roll of toilet tissue. We also supply a hygiene kit when requested. Prior to March 2020, our distribution days were two hours long, an hour of food and fellowship in the Parish Hall followed by bag distribution from the Helping Hands room. During COVID, we have been operating out of the Helping Hands room from 9 am – 10 am every other Saturday during which we distribute grocery bags, including sack lunches, from 9 am – 10 am. We plan on providing a Terrific Turkey Takeout, a “takeout” Holiday Meal on December 4, and a Christmas Pantry Box, (containing the regular foods we distribute plus ingredients for a Christmas Dinner and other treats), on December 18.  Contact: Ginny Combs | onrealm.org | 865-938-1422 | gcombs1947@outlook.com

Justice Knox Ministry – Justice Knox is an organization made up of ~20 faith communities working with the power of organized people to fulfill God’s commandment so that we act justly and bring a more just community to Knoxville. During the past 6 years, House Meetings have been held each fall to hear the concerns for ourselves, our families, and our neighbors. At the conclusion of dozens of House Meetings, all Justice Knox members gather to decide what are the most pressing needs to be researched and addressed. The research process takes several months, and our work engages with leaders who can make the needed changes in our community. In May, we have our annual Nehemiah Action Assembly where 1200+ Justice Knox Network Members and our friends and neighbors ask respective officials to make those changes. Contact: Fr. John Mark Wiggers | onrealm.org | 865-523-5687 | jwiggers@stjamesknox.org

Narcotics Anonymous – St. James provides meeting space for a Narcotics Anonymous group to meet one evening each week. NA offers recovery from the effects of addiction through working a twelve-step program, including regular attendance at group meetings. The group atmosphere provides help from peers and offers an ongoing support network for addicts who wish to pursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle. NA’s approach makes no distinction between drugs including alcohol. Membership is free, and NA has no affiliation with any organizations outside of NA including governments, religions, law enforcement groups, or medical and psychiatric associations. Through all of their service efforts and their cooperation with others seeking to help addicts, NA strives to reach a day when every addict in the world has an opportunity to experience our message of recovery in his or her own language and culture. Contact: Kevin Jeske-Polyak | onrealm.org | 865-523-5687 | kevin@stjamesknox.org

Neighbor Day Celebration – For nearly 100 years, St. James Episcopal Church on N. Broadway in Knoxville has tended to our neighbors in many compassionate ways. We celebrate Neighbor Day to raise funds to continue delivering essential services to our neighbors including food, shelter & utility assistance, transportation, and other important resources. Our celebration includes three parts: Act I is features a 2-week on-line auction , Act II features an outdoor Concert in the Park(ing lot) , Act III features a live 2-hour live finale streamed on our YouTube Channel. Contact: Drew Jeske-Polyak | onrealm.org | 865-659-6742 | drew@kap10associates.com; Kevin Jeske-Polyak | onrealm.org | 865-523-5687 | kevin@stjamesknox.org

Prison Ministry – The St. James Prison Ministry serves male prisoners at the Morgan County Correctional Facility. We provide mentorship, stamps, bereavement gifts, food, & toiletries, support, encouragement, and guidance for returning citizens and their family while in prison and after their release. We also provide support and attention for returning citizens through various halfway houses programming.  Contact: Liz Wiggers | onrealm.org | 678-592-3179 | elizabethwiggers@gmail.com

Room at the Inn Ministry – St. James and other community churches work together through the Knox Area Rescue Ministries’ “Room at the Inn” program to offer shelter and compassion to people experiencing homelessness in the winter months. During the months of January through March, St. James will once again open our doors to welcome guests and serve as overnight hosts once a week to provide shelter and show God’s love. Volunteers are the heart and soul of the Room at the Inn winter shelter program. Some of the essential tasks performed by volunteers include spending the night, assisting with set up and clean up, and preparing and serving meals, to include dinner and breakfast. Our aim by hosting Room at the Inn at St. James is to not only provide a safe and warm venue on a cold night, but with God’s help, to encourage fellowship and show love that could result in positive change in someone’s life.  Contact: Junior Humphrey | 865-236-4473 | srhall54@outlook.com

Sharing Experiences Together (S.E.T) – SET provides weekly discussion groups for, and facilitated by, people living with a mild cognitive disorder due to Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body disease, cerebrovascular disease, posterior cortical atrophy, multiple sclerosis, and similar circumstances. We meet weekly to share our experiences, learn, and support each other. The process for joining our discussion group is simple. It starts with contacting us via email or by telephone. Our S.E.T. – North group would like to thank St. James for providing meeting space! Contact: SuAnne Cobb | onrealm.org | 865-556-7161 | suannecobb@gmail.com

VMC Ministry – The Volunteer Ministry Center (VMC) ministry at St. James purchases and serves lunch at the VMC twice a month. Every second Wednesday, we serve lasagna, salad, bread and dessert. Every fourth Thursday, we serve Bar-b-q sandwiches, potato salad, beans and dessert. It is truly a joy to meet and serve the clients and employees of the VMC. St. James provides four servers each day. Each is there for about an hour to an hour and a half. Another person picks up the food purchased at Sams and delivers it to the VMC the day before we serve. Contacts: Patty Chase | onrealm.org | 865-603-4008 | phowellchase@icloud.com; Nancy Pullen | onrealm.org | 415-722-0139 | nepullen@gmail.com