"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: The Oregon mask mandate has ended. Although not required, Multnomah County recommends wearing masks indoors. Please do so while you are here at St. James. As always, we encourage you to vaccinate.
Sunday Morning Worship
ATTENTION: Walk 20 more steps! We will now be holding our Sunday 9:30am worship service at Sixth Church (the building next door to St. James.) This is due to the exciting renovation of our historic church building for the next few months. Our ushers will greet you at the sidewalk and direct you. Elevator and accessibility entrance available.
- Every Sunday at 9:30am -- next door during construction -- at:
Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist
1331 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 next door at Sixth Church -- 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, July 17th, 2022 at 5:00pm when our Jazz Vespers series continues next door at Sixth Church -- our special guest for this live performance is David Evans on woodwinds.Musical accompaniment by Mike Horsfall on piano, Laurent Nickel on bass, and Brent Follis on drums. Valarie Griffiths Brown is the vocalist, and Scott Ellertson is our guest speaker. We invite you to attend next door at Sixth Church and we ask you to make a freewill donation (offering) to help support our musicians as we continue our 2021-2022 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, August 21st, 2022 at 5:00pm when our 2021-2022 Jazz Vespers season concludes -- our special guest musician for this live performance will be John Moak on trombone.
Join us in July at Sixth Church
We are worshiping just next door at Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist throughout the construction period at St. James. Join us for worship and fellowship on Sundays at 9:30am.
From Pastor David:
“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayers.”
–Maya Angelou
This month marks four years of serving as your pastor. I look forward to several more.
It is with gratitude that I pause for a moment and offer these observations of our ministry together:
— We are a justice congregation — we balance ministry inside our walls with helping others outside our walls.
— We are Christ-centered — we allow God’s Word to challenge and change us.
— We love music — we are talented and are eager to move forward in an expanded music ministry.
— We trust our elected leaders — we make huge decisions concerning our building and outreach.
— We know how to adjust — worshiping offsite, persevering in a pandemic, welcoming new faces.
— We are generous — we know our personal giving can advance ministry and love.
I am grateful to God and to you for what has been and for what is to come. This November we will pause again to rededicate our newly renovated historic building, feature a concert of gratitude, and set in place future ministry plans.
–Pastor David
Building Renovations at St. James:
Renovation continues at St. James! Scaffolding that stretches to the ceiling fills both our worship area and Pioneer Chapel as seismic and roof work begins. New paint and carpet will soon adorn our education/office space, PGE will hook up new power in early July, and our St. James school returns August 1st. We are scheduled to return to our worship space in October and in the meantime we are fortunate to be worshiping and learning in our neighbor’s space.
Pastor’s Summer Bible Study:
What does the 1803 journey of Lewis & Clark have to do with our St. James Ministry? How about with the war in Ukraine? Join Pastor David by listening to his online Bible Study titled “Seeing Our Neighbors.” It will center on Matthew 25 and draw from real-life stories of how you are helping mothers and children in Ukraine through Lutheran World Relief. It will be available here on on the Bible Study page of our St. James website each Wednesday morning (beginning July 20th) for five sessions. Here’s what to expect:
Wednesday, July 20th
“I Was a Stranger. You Welcomed Me.”
Genesis 18 and Matthew 25
Wednesday, July 27th
“I Was Sick. You Took Care of Me.”
Luke 10 and Matthew 25
Wednesday, August 3rd
“I Was Hungry. You Gave Me Food.”
John 6 and Matthew 25
Wednesday, August 10th
“Our Journey with Lewis & Clark”
Isaiah 25 and Matthew 22
Sunday, August 14th, 10:45am
“Canoeing the Mountains”
In-Person Open Space Discussion
St. James Day:
Pastor David will be away for three Sundays in July. When he returns we will celebrate the Festival Day of St. James the Apostle on Sunday, July 31st. Join us!
Save the Date: Dining Out For Life on August 2-4
“Dining Out For Life” is an annual fundraising event for community-based organizations serving people living with or impacted by HIV. Dine in or take out at participating restaurants in the Portland metro area during August 2-4 and they will donate to the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) HIV Day Center and OHSU’s Partnership Project. Below is a partial list of participating restaurants. You can access the full list by visiting: https://www.diningoutforlife.com/city/portland/.
Participating Restaurants:
3 Doors Down
Albina Press (on Albina and Hawthorne)
Cup of Tea
McMenamins (almost all locations are participating)
The Pie Spot
Portofino
Redwoods
New Member Sunday:
St. James will receive new members again on Sunday, August 14th. The group is eager to join in ministry and we will officially welcome them during worship. If you too would like to make St. James your church home, please see Pastor David.