A Warm Welcome to St. James Church
At each hour of the day, the bells of St. James ring out across the city of Birmingham, with a reminder not only of the time but God’s eternal love. We are grateful that our church is located downtown, and strive to bring the heart of Christ into the heart of the city and surrounding communities by faithful proclamation of the Gospel, the life of prayer and service to the poor, and the joy of Christian fellowship.
This website has been constructed to give a quick snapshot into our life, and we hope it serves as an introduction to who we are, what we believe and ways to connect with our parish family. As you read through its pages, you’ll find material about prayer, worship, fellowship and service, all of which are meant to help you explore developing a deeper spiritual life. We are a community of believers and seekers that cares for one another, and welcomes newcomers with grace.
If something here inspires further exploration, we hope you will take the next step and contact me at the church or visit us next Sunday for worship.
Ken+
Rector of St. James
Upcoming Special Events
WED
Early Morning Worship 7:00- 8:00 a.m., Chapel; followed by coffee and fellowship
Weekly Wednesday Bible Study Bring a bag lunch and join Ken+ as we study the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
Weekly Wednesday Fellowship Dinner Please join us for Wednesday Fellowship Dinners. $7.00 per person. Volunteers needed. Sign-up in Centennial Hall to help and/ or to attend. Questions? Contact the Church Office. Our last dinner will be Wednesday, May 29th. (We will start back up in September). Have a great summer!
MAY
Memorial Day Recognition:
Friday, May 17 through Sunday, June 2, in the Columbarium
A Memorial Wreath will be on display in the Columbarium to honor our veterans. At that time, we request you take one of the small American flags located in the Narthex and place it adjacent to the niche of the veteran you wish to honor.
St. James Music Programs: Final Rehearsal Schedule
The St. James Ringers: No more rehearsals this season.
Senior Choir: Wednesday, May 22, 7:15-9:15 p.m.
Children’s Choirs: Sunday, June 2, 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Extra rehearsals: Saturdays: June 1 and 8, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
MAY 31
EPIC: The movie
Time TBD
Join us on our next movie adventure to see “Epic” which is a 3D adventure comedy that reveals a fantastical world unlike any other. It tells the story of an ongoing battle between the forces of good, who keep the natural world alive, and the forces of evil, who wish to destroy it. When a teenage girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she teams up with an elite band of warriors and a crew of comical, larger-than-life figures, to save their world...and ours.
JUNE
Summer Sunday School
June 16- September 8
Starting on June 16th we move from our regular Church School classes to a “one-room” classroom model for the summer. Pastor Chris will lead our youth in the day’s scripture; we’ll share prayers, sing our favorite songs, and get creative! But we need your help! Would you consider signing up for one of the Sundays to assist? Contact Pastor Chris (chris@stjamesbirmingham.org or call 248.644.0820; ext. 7203) to tell her that you are on board!
JUNE 2
Education for Ministry (EfM) at St. James: MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Sundays: May 19 & June 2, 9:10 & 11:10 a.m., in the Lounge
As Christians, we are all called to serve God, to be his ministers in the world. In Education for Ministry (EfM), a program of theological education originated by the University of the South School of Theology, participants meet in a seminar group to dig deeper into their Christian faith, study the Bible, church history and theology, and reflect on connecting their faith with their lives. To find out more about an EfM group starting at St. James, please join us in information sessions in the lounge, following both services, on May 19 and June 2. Questions? Contact Pam Landgraf at palandgr@umich.edu or during coffee hour.St. James Music Programs: Final Rehearsal Schedule
The St. James Ringers: No more rehearsals this season.
Senior Choir: No more rehearsals this season.
Children’s Choirs: Sunday, June 2, 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Extra rehearsals: Saturdays: June 1 and 8, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
JUNE 9
Mass-on-the-Grass
9:00 a.m., at Beverly Park Pavilion
Plan to attend this fun event for the whole parish family. As a part of the Holy Eucharist, the children’s choir will present a special musical, followed by a festive brunch hosted by the Parish Life Committee. There will also be a scavenger hunt for the children. Please R.S.V.P. in Centennial Hall or contact the Church Office today, so that we can prepare a place for you at the brunch. Plenty of opportunities for volunteers! Questions? Want to help? Contact Patti Bostwick at patricia.bostwick7@gmail.com.Bach’s Coffee Cantata
3:00 p.m., at Great Lakes Roasting Company on Woodward Avenue
Glenn Burdette will be playing harpsichord in a performance to benefit the String Project @ Wayne, a “laboratory school for string playing [to help] undergraduate string majors [at Wayne State become] teachers and Detroit-area children, whose school arts programs are disappearing, receive instruction.”
JUNE 24-28
Vacation Bible School (VBS)
9:00 a.m. - Noon; at Christ Church Cranbrook
The summer is almost here and a favorite part for many of our young people is Vacation Bible School. Here at St. James we have not had enough volunteers in the past few years to host our own VBS. However, we are looking at other possibilities for offering this summer fun to our families! As our newly formed Youth and Young Adult Christian Education Committee looks towards the future, one of the choices is to partner with another congregation. In the meantime we have surveyed some other churches in the area to find out what they are offering. Pastor Chris will be helping lead the VBS at Christ Church Cranbrook where Angie Righter and Matt Horn will join with them for a few days. The theme is Bread of Life.
Who can come? Children 4-years-old to Grade 4; Children under 4-years can come with their parents; Grades 5 & 6 as Jr. Crew leaders; Grades 7 and up as volunteers. The cost is free, donations are accepted. Register at www.christchurchcranbrook.org
The Heart of Birmingham
The Heart of Birmingham is both where we are and who we are. St. James
is truly at the center of the action, surrounded by shops, parks and restaurants.
Ours is a church bordered by walkways, not freeways. We are Birmingham’s
in-town church. We have been on the corner of Maple and Chester since 1921.
We are proud to be one of our area’s most recognized and revered spiritual
landmarks.For many, St. James is the heart of Birmingham in other ways, as well. We offer a
spiritual home for our neighbors, young and old, and for residents and newcomers
from all economic backgrounds. We welcome with open arms people of every
denomination, race and persuasion. We offer the sacrament of Holy Communion
to all who have been baptized in the Christian faith, Episcopalians and
non-Episcopalians alike.St. James is a community of active, aware, involved and inspired people of faith
who can simultaneously embrace the traditional and the contemporary.The best way to really understand what we mean by the heart of Birmingham is to
experience St. James yourself. Come pray with us, sing with us, laugh with us,
learn with us, care with us.There is a steady pulse beating in the center of Birmingham…and it is St. James.
