Dear Beloved in Christ,

This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, bringing the Great 50 Days of Easter to a close. We give thanks for the Holy Spirit coming to the Church with both awe‑inspiring power and with gentle, intimate presence. As we rejoice in the Feast day, we see visible signs that the Spirit is still gathering, sending and growing this community in faith and service through baptisms of four children and the admission of new members into our Daughters of the King chapter.

This work of rejoicing in the growth of the Church and in our common life at Saint James will continue next week on Sunday, May 31 with the 250th Parish Potluck Celebration that happens after church (Trinity Sunday), when we will celebrate how members of this parish have shaped our city, our nation and the Episcopal church. Sign up, bring a dish and join the all-age party with delicious historic dessert recipes from a remarkable historic parish cookbook from 18th & 19th-century parishioner kitchens, made by our new parish bakers club! Costumed actors will tell of our history, and a churchyard scavenger hunt will delight the children.

We look forward to worshiping and fellowshipping with you over these next two weeks as we begin the season of Pentecost. Let us rejoice as we explore the Feast and season of Pentecost as both fire and breath: God’s Spirit moving publicly in the life of the Church and personally in the depths of our hearts.

God's peace,

Stacey+

Churchyard Renewal Project Begins

The Memorial Day tradition began with tending the graves of Civil War family and community members. As we give thanks this weekend for those whose service in the cause of others' freedom is buried in our churchyard, we see the first elements of the churchyard renewal project taking shape.

Using native plants, we are replanting an area of the children’s garden and “meadowing” one of the areas where we regularly inter ashes to create a more ecologically diverse and environmentally engaging historic churchyard. It will take three growing seasons for the planting to complete the "sleep, creep and then leap” plant growth cycles needed to provide the fullness of ground cover, which is the design.

Sunday, May 24, 9:00 AM

Saint James Voices

Calling all Singers for May 24th!

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.

Forum Hour This Sunday

There will be no Forum hour on May 24th and 31st. Forum hour will resume on June 7th, when Randall will share his thoughts on John Witherspoon's contribution to Religious and Civil Freedom in the Revolutionary Era.

Sunday, May 24 | 5:00 PM

Evening Vespers at the Urban Well

In the Chapel

Join us for Vespers at Saint James, a warm gathering that embraces Christian prayer traditions. Enjoy uplifting singing and moments of silence in your preferred posture with cushions, yoga mats, or chairs. We celebrate Holy Communion on the third Sunday of each month. Everyone is welcome—come as you are!

Vespers Summer Schedule

During the summer months, Vespers will meet on the following Sunday evenings:

June 21
July 26
August 23

Celebrating America's 250th Anniversary

~ Upcoming Events ~

Tuesday, May 26 | 7:00 PM

Contemplative Tuesdays

with Mission and Justice

In the Chapel and via Zoom

Through June 16th

In this series, we continue to explore what Walter Isaacson calls "The Greatest Sentence Ever Written"—the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal...”

We'll read alongside three men who carefully crafted this revolutionary document and reflect on how we can apply similar attention to drafting our own lives by examining the gaps between ideals and reality—not as failures, but as opportunities for growth in our relationships with God, ourselves, and the world.

Copies of the book are now available ($16) in the Parish House Office. Click here to register.

Sunday, May 31 | 11:30 AM

Parish Potluck Celebration

Parish House Forum Room

Join us for a grand celebration of our parish's life and history with fun for all ages as we begin a summer of marking our country's 250th Anniversary!

There will be fun activities for all ages, including a scavenger hunt and appearances by historic Saint James parishioners. We will also have several baked goods available for sampling from the cookbook of Mary Ross, the great-granddaughter of George Ross, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Mary must have enjoyed potluck dinners, as last year, one of her descendants gifted Mary's recipe book to Saint James. It includes not only her family recipes from the colonial era but also those she collected from other parishioners.

Click here to let us know you'll be attending.

Click here to let us know what dish you'll be bringing.

Sunday, June 14 | 11:30 AM

Sunday Brunch Revolutionary

Texts Lecture Series

Parish House Forum Room

Catered by the Hamilton Club

Many texts containing “revolutionary ideas” have shaped American history and identity, not just one. Our Christian calling as citizens of this great country is to help Rejoice, Repair and Renew our national life. In a special Sunday Brunch Lectures series in honor of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, thought-leading social historians and theologians will reflect on a range of radical texts that challenge, expand or declare unfulfilled the rights and aspirations set forth in the Declaration of Independence.

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

Celebrating Our

2026 Graduates

Do you have a high school or college graduate in your family this year? Are you graduating in 2026? We would love to honor all graduates during both the 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM masses on June 7th. Please let us know if you or a loved one is graduating in 2026.

To share your graduate's name and details, click here to email StephJo Wise, Director of Children, Youth & Families. We ask that you submit your graduate information by June 2nd. Thank you!

Now Accepting Applications through

Friday, May 29th

Saint James Scholarship

We are happy to announce that scholarship applications for the 2026 –2027 academic year are now open.

Thanks to the generosity of our endowment fund, Saint James Episcopal Church is honored to support parishioners pursuing post-secondary education, whether full-time or part-time. Eligibility also includes immediate family members of Saint James staff, including children and grandchildren.

Deadline to Apply: Friday, May 29, 2026, by 12:00 PM (noon)

Decisions Announced: July 3, 2025. Click here to get started in the application process.

Sunday Morning Children's

Chapel and Nursery to Pause June 7 - July 12

Children's Chapel, offered during the 10:30 AM service during the school year, will pause from June 7th through July 12th.

Parents are welcome to visit our kids' cache of coloring books,

crayons and fidget toys located in the bell tower!

Children's Chapel and nursery will resume on July 19th.

July 13 – 17, 2026

Intergenerational Service Trip & Retreat at Brookland Retreat Center

Saint James youth, adults, and families are invited to join us for an intergenerational service and retreat experience at the Brookland Retreat Center in Pennsylvania’s beautiful Northern Tier. This trip is open to rising 7th graders and older.

Now in its fifth year, Saint James folks and friends will return to Potter County to partner in meaningful service projects focused on conservancy and restoration, alongside learning on indigenous sacred grounds and engaging in contemplative practices. Together, we will live, work, pray, and play in a place known for its forests, streams, state parks, and wide-open skies.

In addition to service, the week will include time for hiking, swimming, stargazing, and community building. Service and retreat experiences like this can be deeply transformative, strengthening our connections with one another while working to assist the lives of others.

Interested in joining? Please Click Here to email StephJo ASAP to express your interest and to learn more!

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