"We share God's inclusive and eternal love with everyone!"
“Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.” -Isaiah 41:10
Welcome!
From Pastor David:
WELCOME TO ST. JAMES!
This website serves as our “front door” to ministry in downtown Portland. We offer an array of options. As the impact of this pandemic subsides, we invite you to consider — what fits you?
- Join us for Sunday in-person Eucharist worship (at 9:30am in our sanctuary), or participate via recorded video worship posted to our website each Sunday afternoon (Communications > Worship & Sermons).
- Feed those who live on our Portland streets five times a week by preparing food boxes, or donate to purchase food and needed supplies.
- Deepen your spiritual life with Saturday Contemplative Prayer via Zoom, in-person Wednesday morning Centering Prayer, or join our recorded Bible Study (3 series a year) or virtual Healing Prayer events.
- Help guide our St. James low-income Apartment ministry (122 units), or enroll your child at our St. James Child Development Center (infant through kindergarten-aged children). Presently over 80 children are enrolled.
- Share your creative imagination with our St. James Art Group, or offer your musical skills as our choir prepares to return this fall.
- Meditate on classical music and meaningful Sunday liturgy, or enjoy our monthly Jazz Vespers services on YouTube now and in-person beginning August 15th at 5:00pm.
- Jump onboard to live out your faith with acts of JUSTICE by exploring our embedded attitudes concerning race, gender and LGBTQ+ rights, or be hands-on with our Caring For Creation efforts.
- Partner with us to reach beyond our doors by supporting Lutheran World Relief’s efforts to bring the vaccine to all countries, or pack boxes of school/health kits to meet worldwide needs.
- Join us for the life-changing moments of baptism, fall Sunday School, weddings, celebrations, and memorials; stay connected through Book Club, WELCA, or our Card Ministry; or sit down for a cup of coffee with Pastor David.
There are lots of options at St. James. What fits you as we follow the Risen-Christ?
–Pastor David Knapp
Worship Services
WELCOME TO WORSHIP AT ST. JAMES!NOTE: Since October 23rd, 2022, we have returned to our St. James building. Multnomah County recommends wearing masks indoors. Please do so.
Sunday Morning Worship
- Every Sunday at 9:30am at:
St. James Lutheran Church
1315 SW Park Ave., Portland, OR 97201 - We have posted recordings of our 9:30am worship service to the St. James YouTube channel. They are available to view here on our website by Sunday afternoon: Click here to link to our "Worship & Sermons" page ...
Whether you physically attend in-person with us at our St. James building -- or you watch our video recording on your computer at home -- we invite you to join us for worship!
Jazz Vespers
This month, be sure to join us in-person on Sunday, December 18th, 2022 at 5:00pm when our 2022-2023 Jazz Vespers series continues in our St. James sanctuary -- our special guest for this live performance is Kevin Deitz on bass.Musical accompaniment by Mike Horsfall on piano and vibes, Laurent Nickel on cello, and Brent Follis on drums. Valarie Griffiths Brown is the vocalist, and Pastor David Knapp is our liturgist. We invite you to attend as we return to our newly renovated St. James Lutheran Church building and we ask you to make a freewill donation (offering) to help support our musicians as we continue our 2022-2023 season. Although we have resumed our St. James Jazz Vespers series in-person -- please remember that you may still enjoy our prior Jazz Vespers on video.
You can find links to all of our previous Jazz Vespers recordings by navigating to "Communications > Music" on the main navigation menu at the top of the page. Or you can click here to be linked directly to the "Music" page.
NOTE: We are delighted that the new CD "St. James Jazz Vespers - We'll Be Together Again" has been released and is available for $20 at the St. James office. It is a collection of tunes recorded during the pandemic by The Mike Horsfall Trio and guests of the St. James Vespers. Enjoy! Please join us once again in-person on Sunday, January 15th, 2023 at 5:00pm when our 2022-2023 Jazz Vespers season continues back at St. James with guest musician John Stowell on guitar.
Advent & Christmas at St. James 2022
“Fling Wide the Door”
Sunday, December 4th
2nd Candle of Advent
Member Directory available for pick up
Sunday, December 11th
3rd Candle of Advent
Thanking Sixth Church
Our ministry to PSU Students
Sunday, December 18th
4th Candle of Advent
Scandinavian Coffee Hour
Children’s Sunday School:
Cookie Decorating
5:00pm Jazz Vespers
Saturday, December 24th
Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship
4:30pm and 10:30pm
Sunday, December 25th
9:30am Christmas Day Eucharist
From the Pastor’s Desk …
December brings newness and light, so “fling wide the door!”
Our Advent theme of “openness” prepares us for the new-year season of Advent and for a Christmas baby promised to be the “Light of the World.” Newness and light is evident also in our newly renovated building, our concert piano, and our new membership directory. New winter coats were placed in the hands of neighborhood houseless folks, and we begin to purchase Christmas gifts for Afghan and Burmese refugee families in Portland. A December 17th Solstice/Labyrinth service will claim hope at the darkest time of the year. Thank you for flinging wide the door and following the Light. Reflect on hymn #259:
Fling wide the door, unbar the gate;
The King of glory comes in state;
The Lord of lords and King of kings
The Savior of the world who brings
His great salvation to the earth.
So raise a shout of holy mirth
And praise our God and Lord,
Creator, Spirit, Word.
–Pastor David
St. James Giving Tree:
An Afghan family and a family from Burma have recently settled in Portland via Lutheran Community Services NW. Our Goal is to provide 70 gifts so each family can tangibly know the joy of Christmas. All gifts should be delivered to the church no later than the morning of Sunday, December 18th. You can sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/2022stjamesgiving or by calling Elsa at the front desk (503) 227-2439. To sign up online, select the item you wish to purchase, click “submit and sign up,” enter your information, then click “sign up now.” Please wrap your gift and clearly label it with the family member’s name, age, and family number on an outside tag.
New Members to be Received on January 15th:
We look forward to receiving new members on Sunday, January 15th. If you too would like to make St. James your spiritual home, talk to Pastor David.