Dear Friends,

This weekend we celebrate the light of liberty and hold higher the torch of freedom we have been given. We will REJOICE on Saturday morning in church with Morning Prayer and a profound public reading of the Declaration of Independence; and we will REPAIR through our study of the life of leading abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, in Forum Hour on Sunday led by Dr. Cordelia Moyse; and we will RENEW our commitment of freedom’s call to all at Bethel AME Church in the afternoon when we gather to read, “What to a Slave is the Fourth of July?”

In our Sunday services, the scriptures, my preaching and all our prayers and singing with the choir will weave these themes together as a community that has been blessed to share Revolutionary Light & Common Prayer in Lancaster since 1744.

Click here to listen to the wonderful American Revolution & Saint James podcast series. Happy 250^th America and a blessed 4^th of July Weekend for all!  

David+

Celebrating 40 Years of Ordained Ministry

On July 12th, 2026, Father Glenn is celebrating 40 years of ordained ministry! In preparation for this celebratory occasion, you are invited to participate in a few ways:

• Bring a completed card/note to the parish house to put in a box that will be presented to Father Glenn on Sunday, July 12th

• Complete a card/note during summer hospitality between or after services on July 5th

• Make a donation toward a gift from the congregation for Father Glenn. This can be done in Realm; click here and select "Father Glenn Gift" from the dropdown menu. Or, write a check with “Father Glenn gift” in the memo line.

• Join a special coffee hour between services on Sunday, July 12th that will include cake, coffee and time with Father Glenn

Friday, July 3 | 9:00 PM

First Friday Compline at the Urban Well & on the

Eve of Independence Day

Saturday, July 4 | 10:00 AM

Reading of the
Declaration of Independence

In the Sanctuary

Join us for brief morning prayers, a reading of the Declaration of Independence and the singing of our National Anthem.

Sunday, July 5 | 9:30 AM

Forum Hour with Dr. Cordelia Moyse

Frederick Douglass and “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”

On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass (c. 1818–1895), who had escaped slavery and became the most important leader of the movement for African-American civil rights in the 19th century, delivered a scorching critique of American hypocrisy. In What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?, he masterfully contrasts the nation's soaring rhetoric of liberty with the brutal realities of slavery, arguing that the holiday is a painful mockery to enslaved Black Americans.

Dr Cordelia Moyse will discuss this document, and Douglass’ life, in preparation for its public reading at 2:00 PM at Bethel AME Church, Strawberry Street, Lancaster. 

Click here to download an abridged version.

Available in person and via Zoom.

Click here for the Zoom link.

Sunday, July 5 | 2:00 PM

Reading Frederick Douglass Together at Bethel AME 450 E Strawberry Street 

American Revolution Podcasts

Faith, Loyalty and Revolution

The first and second of a three-part Contemplative Citizenship series is now available on Podbean, Amazon and Spotify. If you'd like to hear it from our website, click here!

In this series, we explore with intellectual rigor and a contemplative spirit how our history as American citizens and as a faith community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has shaped us and others. In 1776, Lancaster was a thriving frontier town, and Saint James was at the heart of it. When revolution came, it tore the congregation apart. One member signed the Declaration of Independence. While many others enthusiastically embraced the patriot cause, the rector remained true to the King. And for a time, the church doors were nailed shut.

Parish historian Dr. Cordelia Moyse takes us back to meet the community that lived through it and asks what their choices might say about ours today.



Sunday, July 12 | 11:45 AM -1:30 PM

Revolutionary Texts Lecture Series No. 2 

In the Parish House Forum Room

With a Catered Brunch

Join parishioner and vestry member Dr. Drew Hermeling to explore the Two Row Wampum Treaty of 1613 between the Five Nations of the Haudenosaunee (or Iroquois) and the colonial Dutch government, which is spiritually and culturally important to indigenous social history and American socio-political understanding.

Registration is required for catering, with a suggested $25 donation for adults. Click here for more information and registration.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: MONDAY, JULY 6TH.

Summer Office Hours

and Doorbell

For the remainder of the summer, through September 4th, the Parish House office hours are as follows:

• Mon - Thurs: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
• Fri: Closed
• Open for scheduled yoga classes/by appointment only on Fridays

Please note that the Parish House doorbell is currently out of order. Visitors are welcome to enter during office hours (Mon-Thurs 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM) and should check in at the front office.

Summer Fellowship Before and

After the 10:30 AM Service

Stop by the narthex for coffee, lemonade and treats between services and after the 10:30 AM service. Enjoy this casual time to greet friends, catch up with long-time parishioners and introduce yourself to someone new!

Want to take part in this hospitality ministry? All you need to do is simply be present at the cookies/lemonade/coffee table to greet parishioners and visitors. Saint James will provide the coffee, lemonade and treats. Click here to sign up for this ministry. Have questions? Click here to email Andrew Flinchbaugh

Vestry Meeting Minutes Now

Available on our website!

Members of the vestry invite you to read the minutes of the monthly vestry meeting. They range from matters regarding worship to buildings and grounds, the annual budget, the Urban Well endowment, and children and youth ministries.

Click here to visit the vestry page on our website. You'll see the link to the minutes at the top!

Vestry members represent everyone in our faith community. Please reach out with joys, concerns and questions. Senior Warden Barbara Hough Huesken can be reached at bfroda@comcast.net.

Wednesday, July 15 | 3:00 PM

Holy Eucharist at Willow Valley

Residents of Willow Valley are warmly invited to come together with clergy and staff from Saint James and Holy Trinity Lutheran churches to celebrate Holy Eucharist in Manor North Auditorium on the third floor of the main building in Manor North. All are welcome to partake in this meaningful occasion; feel free to bring a friend!

Saturday, July 18 | 8:30 - 10:30 AM

Upper Room Men's Group

Join the Upper Room Men's Group for breakfast in the parish house forum room on July 18th. Men of all ages are welcome to enjoy a time of food, fellowship, and engaging discussions on some of today's most important topics. Bring a friend and your appetite!

Sunday, July 19 | 10:30 AM Mass

Children's Chapel and Nursery Care Resume

Nursery care resumes on July 19th for the Sunday 10:30 AM Mass for infants through 3 years of age in the lower level seminar room of the church. Parents/guardians are asked to drop off their tots at 10:15 AM in the lower level of the church and pick them up by 11:45 AM. 

Children's Chapel with StephJo Wise also resumes on July 19th for children ages 3-11.

Sunday, July 19 | 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Celebrate Abilities Concert Series with

Halley Elwell and The UnSinkables

Join us for the inaugural performance of the ‘Celebrate Abilities’ Concert Series, in honor of Disability Pride Month.

This FREE all-ages, inclusive musical performance will feature award-winning singer-songwriter Halley Elwell and The Unsinkables, Schreiber’s modern band and beautiful artwork from the artists of ASPIE. 

Halley Elwell is a singer-songwriter whose evocative music blends elements of jazz, folk, pop, and rock. Known for her rich voice and insightful lyrics, Elwell’s music has been featured on radio and television and in apps and has been recognized by ASCAP and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. In 2025, she undertook her biggest project yet, a memoir-style concept album and podcast called Spontaneous Mutation.

Based on her experiences living with neurofibromatosis, the project explores chronic illness, the facial difference movement, disability, and the importance of telling new stories about all of them. Elwell is a member of Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities (RAMPD). Click here to learn more about the concert series.

Summer Camps at Saint James

Creator's Camp:

Making & Growing Together!

This faith-infused creative journey combines art, music, theater, gardening, cooking, mindfulness and more, where kids learn to create and nurture! The week wraps up with a heartwarming final sharing when families and friends can cheer on their young creators and see their beautiful lights shine!

Rising Kindergarten – Rising 6th Grade

Dates: July 27 - 31

Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Ages 3 – 5: Little Sprouts Camp

Dates: August 3–7

Time: 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Click Here to register and learn more!

*Scholarships are available! To apply for a scholarship or with any questions, click here to email the Director of Children, Youth & Families, StephJo Wise.

Saturday, July 25 | 5:00 PM

Schools of Hope: A Saturday Night Mass to Benefit School District of Lancaster

Pastoral Care at

Saint James

Pastoral care ministries at Saint James support parishioners at life’s major turning points, as well as during extended periods of disability and recovery. A team of clergy and lay persons provide timely, professional pastoral care in an intimate and confidential manner. Our team respects parishioners’ rights to privacy and keeps strictly confidential all information about anyone receiving pastoral care. Click here for more information about pastoral care, or click here to email Kristle Evans, Pastoral Care Coordinator



July 3, 9:00 PM | First Friday Compline at the Urban Well

July 4, 10:00 AM | Reading of the Declaration of Independence in the Churchyard  

July 5, 2:00 PM | Reading Frederick Douglas Together at Bethel AME 450 E Strawberry Street 

July 12, 11:45 AM -1:30 PM | Revolutionary Texts Lecture Series No. 2 

July 13 - 17 | Intergenerational Service & Retreat Journey

July 15, 3:00 PM | Holy Eucharist at Willow Valley

July 18, 8:30 - 10:30 AM | Upper Room Men's Group

July 19, 3 - 4:30 PM | Celebrate Abilities Concert Series

July 19, 10:30 AM | Nursery and Children’s Chapel Resume  

July 25, 5:00 PM | Saturday night Mass, Schools of Hope, a fundraiser for the School District of Lancaster

July 26, 8:30 & 10:30 AM | Patronal Feast & Saint

James Voices

July 26, 5:00 PM | Vespers Patronal Feast & Holy Eucharist 

July 27 - 31, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Creator's Camp for rising

K - 6th grade

August 3 - 7, 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM | Little Sprouts Creator's Camp for ages 3 - 5

August 7, 9:00 PM | Compline at the Urban Well

August 16, 5:00 - 7:00 PM | Youth Group pool party

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