This Sunday at St. James, we will celebrate the anniversary of our founding over 190 years ago and bring to a close the year of celebrations marking 150 years since the rebuilding and dedication of our church building following the Great Chicago Fire. Through the efforts of dozens of dedicated staff and lay leaders, we have “read, marked, and inwardly digested” the stories of our parish’s founding mothers and fathers whose combination of entrepreneurial spirit, social conscience, and civic leadership helped lay the foundations not only for our church, but also for the city of Chicago. 

The year’s celebrations kicked off with our choir’s impactful “Out of the Ashes” concert, followed days later by a group of St. James parishioners departing on a pilgrimage across northern Spain, following the Camino de Santiago. There we joined our footsteps to those of countless others who through the centuries have walked the ancient pilgrim’s path toward the nearly one thousand year old shrine in Compostela where we honored the life and impact of the Apostle James.

Bookending the year, on the Feast of St.James in late July, our whole congregation was invited to undertake a different kind of camino here in Chicago which retraced the paths of mission that have gone forth from this congregation since its founding. Over 100 people walked or biked five different routes that helped us learn of St. James members’ impact on the cultural, civic and spiritual life of our wider community. In between our two pilgrimages, we hosted a magnificent gala at the Driehaus Museum, our Arts Council researched and documented the historic art of St James, and a museum quality timeline display was mounted that both ushered in our Sesquicentennial year, and will in be a featured installation in the Chicago History Museum the first quarter of 2027.

In the midst of these milestone moments our cathedral congregation has continued, week by week, to grow in strength, mission and vision. We have continued our capital fundraising, strengthened our annual giving, and have undergone critical infrastructure improvements in the historic cathedral in preparation for the installation of our new organ. And so it seems particularly fitting that as we bring this yearlong celebration of our history to its close, we will begin our 9:00 & 11:00 am services by blessing the newly expanded doorway between our cathedral and our modern building. Strengthened by a year of reclaiming and restoring what has been foundational, we now turn and face into what our future holds. There could be no more perfect symbol of that future than the widened entryway that now lies between our historic church and the modern space which enables so much of St. James Cathedral’s impact in our wider community. I hope that you will join me this weekend in giving thanks for all that God has already done in this place, and praying in joyful expectation for all that God will accomplish in it and through us for the generations to come.

Faithfully,

Lisa+

Latimer, Ridley & Cranmer,

The Oxford Martyrs

In today's feast we recall the witness of three leading figures of the English (Protestant) Reformation: Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer - all of whom were passionate advocates for Protestant reforms within Henry XIII's Church of England. When the throne changed hands from Henry to his Roman Catholic daughter Mary and their theological positions were suddenly outside of royal favor, the reformers held to their convictions, even when it led to their burning at the stake. 


Bible Reading: John 15:18-20

Feast of Dedication - October 18, 2026

8:00 a.m. - Spoken Eucharist in St. Andrew’s Chapel

9:00 a.m. - Family Eucharist in the cathedral

10:00 a.m. - The Forum in Kyle’s Place 

10:00 a.m. - Sunday School and Youth Group

11:00 a.m. - Choral Eucharist in the cathedral and Live-Streamed

12:15 p.m. - Coffee Hour in Kyle’s Place

12:15 p.m. - Meals Among Us Food Prep on the Second Floor of St. James Commons

For those who are unable to be present, the 11 a.m. Eucharist will be live-streamed on our streaming webpage or YouTube.

Don't miss our Sunday services and forum this week as we welcome Stewardship Committee Chair Brandon Blazo to launch St James' 2027 Annual Pledge Drive! Here's a note from our new Chair:

Hello Friends,

In case you don't know me, I'm Brandon Blazo, the Stewardship Committee Chair for the 2027 Pledge Campaign. I've been a member of St James since 2023. I am so pleased to be leading this year's campaign - our St James community can achieve so much, working and supporting each other.

This Sunday, October 18, I will speak at each of our services to launch our annual pledge drive. This year’s theme, Rooted in Faith, Growing in Ministry, reflects who we are as the community of St. James Cathedral: grounded in faith and continually growing in our witness to God's love through worship, service, outreach, and fellowship.

Over the coming weeks, we will share stories of how your pledges make that ministry possible. Watch for your pledge letter and card, and please begin considering your commitment for the coming year. Every pledge matters, and every gift helps us faithfully to carry forward the ministries God has entrusted to St. James Cathedral.

--Brandon Blazo

Stewardship Committee Chair

Member Since 2023

October 18 - Stewardship 2027 Kick-off

Join the Rev. Canon Steven Balke, Director of Development Robert Grisbrook, and Chair of the Stewardship Committee, Brandon Blazo to explore our efforts to sustain the mission of St. James in 2027.

October 25 - Sharing a Common Mission with the Rev. Craig Mueller

Welcome the Rev. Craig Mueller at the Forum as he shares his ministry and thoughts on the Episcopal-Lutheran agreement, Called to Common Mission.

All Souls’ Day, November 1 at 4 p.m.

Each year at All Souls’ Day, we gather to remember our departed loved ones through prayer, Holy Communion, and Herbert Howells’s moving Requiem performed by the Cathedral Choir. If you would like a loved one’s name included in the bulletin, please submit their name (with a phonetic pronunciation guide) by Wednesday, October 29 at 5:00 p.m. Names submitted after that deadline will be read aloud during the service and can be submitted up until Sunday, November 1 at 1:00 p.m. Sign-up sheets will also be available at the Welcome Center desk and in the narthex. Thank you!

The Advisory Committee met October 6th to review its charge from Dean Lisa Hackney-James to develop and conduct the search process for the next Director of Music at St. James Cathedral. To that end, the committee will be holding virtual and in-person listening sessions to provide parishioners an opportunity to share what the music ministries at St. James have meant to them.



The listening sessions will be:

• Virtual, Sunday, October 18, 2026, 4:00 PM, via Zoom
• In-person, Sunday, October 25, 2026, 12:45 PM, in the Great Hall

The link for the virtual session on Sunday, October 18, 2026 is located here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82897046957

Separate listening sessions will be conducted for the adult choir and chorister program participants as follows:

• Chorister program participants and their families, Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM during the choristers’ dinner
• Adult Choir, Thursday, October 22, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM

All parishioners are invited to participate in both a listening session and the online survey. If it is not possible for someone to participate in a listening session, please consider participating in the online survey. The online survey will open on Sunday, October 18, 2026, beginning at 5:00 PM and close on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM. The link to the survey is linked below. A laptop or desktop computer are the preferred modes for taking the survey however, it is also possible to complete it on a mobile device.

Should anyone encounter a technical problem completing the survey, please contact Kevin Hampton or Liz Wakefield.


The results of the parish-wide survey and the listening sessions will be compiled and shared with the Advisory Committee and our Dean to assist in crafting a position description.

The committee is working with an ambitious timeline that takes into account the worship needs of St. James Cathedral, its liturgical seasons, and its programming. To that end, the committee anticipates posting the position publicly for applications on December 1, 2026. It will then review applications beginning in mid-January 2027 and in consultation with our Dean, select semi-finalists for Zoom interviews in February. Because the Lenten and Eastertide seasons fall early on the calendar, the committee anticipates that the Dean will invite three finalists for in-person interviews, beginning in mid-April 2027. The parish will be given regular updates throughout the search process via the electronic newsletter.

It was a bustling, joy-filled weekend for our community! On Saturday, a group of parishioners attended Gays & Gospel, touring the International Servant Leaders Museum and enjoying a concert exploring how queer identity and faith intersect through music. Meanwhile, 10 of our choristers had a fantastic time spending the night in the nave for their annual chorister lock-in!

Social Justice Committee

The Social Justice Committee will meet on Sunday, October 18 at 12:30pm in room 211.

St. James Arts Council

Arts Council will meet Sunday, October 18 at 12:30p.m. in room 307. Please join us as we continue to discuss the importance of the Arts in our worship experiences and outreach ministries.

2027 Parish Retreat at DeKoven Center

Save the date for the 2027 Parish Retreat at the DeKoven Center from January 15–17! Gather with fellow parishioners from St. James to explore "Why Pray? Life as Prayer," deepening your understanding of prayer and discovering creative ways to live prayerfully through spiritual renewal, social connection, and personal reflection. More details and registration will be forthcoming.

St. James Pride


Spread Holiday Cheer with the Pinta Pride Project!

St. James Pride gathers on Saturday mornings through November 28, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Room 210 to write holiday notes of support to LGBTQ+ community members feeling alienated from family and friends. We provide all cards, addresses, and writing templates—just bring your care and support.

St. James First Tuesday Book Group

The First Tuesday Book Group will gather on Tuesday, November 3, at 6:30 p.m. in the Second Floor Meeting Room at 65 East Huron. Discussion begins promptly at 6:45 p.m., and November’s featured selection is Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner. All are welcome to join; please contact Marcy Backhus with any questions.

Centering Prayer Wednesdays at 6:45 p.m.

Reconnecting with our inner quiet can transform everything, and after our summer recess, we are gathering once again on Wednesday evenings at 6:45 p.m. CT for Centering Prayer. Joining our nationwide circle by phone offers a simple, powerful way to sit in silence, let go of what you do not need, and ground yourself in the presence of your Higher Power. Whether Centering Prayer is a long-standing practice for you or something you are curious to try for the first time, there is a warm space waiting for you.

60s & 70s Group

Looking to deepen your faith and connection at St. James Cathedral? The 60s & 70s Group meets twice a month—on the 2nd Tuesday in the 2nd-floor library (65 E. Huron), 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm for spiritual discussions, and on the 4th Tuesday for fun social outings like museum visits, walking tours, and dinners. We are committed to spiritual growth, lifelong learning, and supportive fellowship.

Scripture Reflection group


Join the Scripture Reflection Group every Monday night from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 212 (library) to read, reflect, and discuss today's lectionary readings. Optional Evening Prayer at 5:30.

For more information or to sign up, please contact Jacob Perkins.

Calling All Lovers of Baked Goods

Express your hospitality to the St. James community by contributing baked goods for Sunday coffee hour at Kyle’s place in the Welcome Center. Whether store-bought or homemade, your delicious contributions are always welcome—simply sign up for a Sunday at the Welcome Center table.

Open House Chicago

Represent St. James as a greeting volunteer during Open House Chicago on Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18, at St. James Cathedral and St. Andrew's Chapel! A shift lasts just a couple of hours, and every volunteer earns a Priority Access Pass to skip lines at OHC sites all weekend long. Bring your friendly nature and help us extend a warm welcome to hundreds of neighborhood guests.

Reach out to Laura Jenkins to claim your spot!

To better support our parish ministries, groups, staff, and lay leaders, we have created a new Cathedral Communications Submission Form. This streamlined process allows you to submit e-news announcements, bulletin blurbs, event promotions, and website updates—and helps our communications team review and publish your items efficiently.

Whether you are promoting an upcoming ministry event, sharing news, updating group information, or sending in photos from a recent gathering, we want to hear from you! Please note that all submissions are due Wednesdays by 4:00 PM for inclusion in that week's communications.

We look forward to making communications simpler and more organized for our entire cathedral community!

In our Prayers at St. James

Commended to the prayers of the cathedral community: Ginger, Loya, Andronica, Ibukun, Ted, Lois, Mary, Yvonne, Lee, Rachael, Jonah, Richard, Cleo, Frank, Joshua, Nicole, Pamela, Sue, Wei Wei, James, Eoin, Bill, Gina, Dominic, Michael, Gary, Carolyn, Donna, Amanda, Ann, Robert, Thomas, Jack, Christopher, Bob, Kaye, Marcy, and Katherine

Those who have died and have been commended to the prayers of the cathedral community:  Arba Karcini, Florence Murphy, Andrea Cassandra Bialen So, Henrietta Olawanle Olopade, Andrew Brokes

All those who have died by gun violence in the city of Chicago: Rashi, Abbygail, Jamari

Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Our bishop, Paula, and our Presiding Bishop, Sean; For all retired clergy in our diocese, and for surviving spouses of clergy. And for ministries in our Companion Dioceses of SE Mexico and Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Renk

St. James Capital Campaign Prayer

Faithful God, you call us to be living stones in a spiritual temple.

Bless the mission and outreach of this cathedral church.

By the power of your Holy Spirit, enable us confidently to restore its fabric, trustfully to reimagine our vocation, and boldly to renew our ministries in your name.

Make this place a house in which your love dwells and in which all your people find welcome.

Grant this, we pray, through the One who leads us ever onwards in your service, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.