Life at St. James

St. James is a church community comprised of diverse members who worship and gather regularly in our historic buildings in downtown Portland, OR. But life isn’t just happening around St. James. In the past 100 years our humble corner of downtown Portland has seen much change,...

Feast of St. James

Bach Cantata Vespers

The Bach Cantata Vespers series at St. James presents four Bach cantatas each season as the centerpiece of the Evening Prayer liturgy. Psalms, hymns, homily, and additional choral music all reflect the theme of the cantata. The St. James Bach Choir is joined by professional...

Special Occasions

As people of faith our lives are full of opportunities for celebration! From small intimate gatherings with a few close friends to large festive holidays that our community commemorates with the wider church, St. James is a wonderful place to participate in or plan a special...

Open Space (Adult)

Sundays Year-Round, 11:00am-12:00pm Open Space takes place most Sunday mornings in the Pioneer Chapel of St. James Lutheran Church. All are invited to attend and listen, participate, learn, grow, and share as we develop a stronger sense of our individual faith and also who we...

Groups and Ministries

St. James has a number of opportunities to get involved both inside and outside our building’s walls. There are several groups that meet regularly, such as Book Club and Visual Artists. We are also committed to serving those in need by providing many ministries to the...

Worship and Music

Worship is the central gathering point for life and work at St. James.  As we gather we recall the classic elements of Christian gathering since the earliest times of the Church: ● Confession and Absolution  ● Praise  ● Reading of Sacred Texts from Hebrew and...

St. James Child Development Center

The St. James Child Development Center, located at St. James Lutheran Church, has been certified by the state of Oregon since 1981. To inquire about openings, rates, or for more information please contact the Child Development Center at 503-227-2439 or visit our website...

Neighborhood

St. James is located in Portland’s Cultural District facing the South Park Blocks, an area of rich architectural heritage and the city’s cultural heart. St. James has been an integral part of this community for over 100 years. This area of downtown Portland is filled with...

Architectural History

To see photos of the many architectural details of St. James, click here. Australian-born Portland architect Phillip Chappell Browne designed the first permanent chapel, sanctuary, and parsonage for St. James Lutheran Church on the present site in 1891.  Browne specialized in...

Being Lutheran

Lutherans in the United States had their organizational origins predominantly in the national churches of Northern Europe and Scandinavia. Many congregations retained in liturgy and fellowship the languages and social patterns of their ethnic background well into the twentieth...

Spiritual Growth Events

  Wednesday Evening Events 2019: March 5 (Tuesday) 5:30PM Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner March 6 Noon and 7:00PM, Ash Wednesday Worship March 13 6:00PM Soup Dinner, 7:00PM Devotional March 20 6:00PM Soup Dinner, 7:00PM Devotional March 27 7:00PM California Lutheran Choir...