Dear Friends,

Our sorrow and prayers for all who have spent the last week recovering from the lost trees and lost power after the storms that did such shocking damage to our region. Please let us know through the office if you or a neighbor are still affected or need support in any way that we can give.

And after such rich rejoicing and reflection for the 4^th of July weekend we move into next phase of our repair and renew themes. Dr. Drew Hermeling will present our next 250^th brunch lecture which is again at capacity. His presentation on how much Native American and Dutch Colonial government encounters can teach us about what went wrong and how we can learn from the past to repair relationships with peoples, histories and the cultural diversity around us. It will be recorded and available for all who missed the sign-up window.

On Sunday morning in services we mark Fr. Glenn’s 40^th anniversary as a priest (and share our cards and some chocolate cake and coffee between services with Carol and Glenn and their friends) as we consider how much of our deepest work takes decades to unfold, from raising children, to growing churches and businesses to establishing healthy communities, schools and government.

On Sunday the 19^th from 3-4pm is an extraordinary opportunity to encounter remarkable music, musicians and community as we launch a Celebrate Abilities concert Series with recording artist Halley Elwell and musicians from the greater Boston area brought to us through an Urban Well community partnership with Schreiber Pediatric and its band of young musicians known as The UnSinkables!

David+

Sunday, July 12 | 9:30 AM

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
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 in the Narthex between services on Sunday, July 12th that will include cake, coffee and time with Father Glenn

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

Faith, Loyalty and Revolution

American Revolution Podcasts With

Dr. Cordelia Moyse

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.

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.

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

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it is a good time to contemplate our own place in this American story. David Brooks, in his final NYT column in January, looked back over the years since he began writing and how the world has changed most noticeably by American’s loss of faith in many forms. We will focus on his Reinhold Niebuhr quote near the end of his piece and reflect on what it means for us.

"If America could once again restore its secure emotional, material and spiritual base, maybe we could recover a smidgen of our earlier audacity. Oscar Wilde joked that youth is America’s oldest tradition. Maybe it’s time the country matured, and combined youthful energy with the kind of humility and wisdom that Reinhold Niebuhr packed into one of his most famous passages:

Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we are saved by love. No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint. Therefore we must be saved by the final form of love, which is forgiveness.”

We are a welcoming group of men of all ages and walks of life. Come for a hearty breakfast and bring a friend!

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.

Children and youth ages 3 and above begin the morning in the sanctuary where they can experience the processional and the opening congregational prayers.

After the opening Collect, children are invited to the front of the sanctuary to make their way to the chapel and participate in songs, prayers, brief meditation and storytelling of the day’s Gospel and/or New and Old Testament readings.

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. Halley Elwell is a singer-songwriter whose evocative music blends elements of jazz, folk, pop, and rock. 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.

Also joining Halley will be The Unsinkables, Schreiber’s modern band and beautiful artwork from the artists of ASPIE.

Saturday, July 25 | 5:00 PM

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

Join us for a night of inspiration and community on Saturday, July 25th at 5:00 PM as we come together to support the School District of Lancaster. We are thrilled to welcome the incredible April Hartman of Apes of the State as our special guest!

This event promises to be a vibrant fusion of music and purpose, uniting us in our commitment to education and hope for a brighter future.

Whether you join us in person or tune in virtually, your presence will make a difference! Available in person; click here to view via livestream.

Sunday, July 26, 9:00 AM

Saint James Voices

Calling all Singers for July 26th!

Led by Kate Umble Smucker, the ensemble is open to anyone ages nine and above, with no experience required. The group will rehearse at 9:00 AM and then sing at the 10:30 AM service. If you'd like your music in advance, click here to email Kate.

Sunday, July 26 | 5:00 PM

Evening Vespers at the Urban Well

In the Chapel

Join us for Vespers, a welcoming weekly gathering at Saint James, this reflective service embraces Christian prayer traditions and nurtures our spiritual lives.

Enjoy uplifting singing, moments of silence; choose your preferred posture with available cushions, yoga mats or chairs. We will also celebrate Holy Communion and the patronal Feast of Saint James.

Everyone is welcome—come as you are! In-person only at the Chapel.

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.

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