Education hour at 11:00am — following the 9:30am service and coffee
Sundays Year-Round, 11:00am-12:00pm
Open Space takes place most Sunday mornings in the Main Sanctuary 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 are as a community of believers in our world today. Topics range from biblical study to current events, social issues, and information session about local organizations. Open Space is a safe environment where all questions and viewpoints have the right to be heard respectfully.
Open Space Schedule:
Much of the fall will be devoted to exploring Pastor Mark Brocker’s published book on faith and ecology entitled Coming Home to Earth. We will kick off the adult class with one session on September 17th titled “Same and Different.” The Eco Social Justice Committee will help facilitate. The time will be spent exploring our similarities and differences as St. James members. The goal is to discover the richness of our congregation and how what we have in common is just as important as what makes us different.
Calendar is as follows:
September 17th: Same and Different — What do we have in common at St. James and where do we find differences?
September 24th: Begin the Coming Home to Earth series with Pastor Mark Brocker
October 1st: Coming Home to Earth: Loss of Love for Earth
October 8th: Coming Home to Earth: Grieving with Earth
October 15th: Coming Home to Earth: The Things that Make for Peace
October 22nd: Endowment Luncheon
October 29th: Reformation Themes
November 5th: Coming Home to Earth: Conversion to Earth
November 12th: Coming Home to Earth: Taking Up Our Ecological Cross
November 19th: Guided Imagery of Oregon History
November 26th: No Open Space
December 3rd: All Creation Sings with Colin Stave.
December 10th: The Christmas Story told by the Old Masters with Paula Carlson
December 17th: Scandinavian Coffee Hour
December 24th: No Open Space
December 31st: Cookies and Carols
January 7th: Pastor David’s Sabbatical Trip
January 14th: Archery Summit Wine Tasting
January 21st: St. James Annual Congregational Meeting and Meal
January 28th: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Faith Under Fire
February 4th: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Faith Under Fire with Pastor Mark Brocker
February 11th: No Open Space
February 18th: The Creative Spirit with Monica Setziol-Phillips
February 25th: Wine Tasting with Pastor Barry Rogge
March 3rd: ELCA World Hunger Relief Drive Presentation
March 10th: Wealth Redistribution for Housing Justice in Portland
March 17th: ELCA Statement on Civic Engagement and Faith
March 24th: Scott Baby Shower
March 31st: Easter Festival Coffee Hour
April 7th: Join Esther Portnoy to hear about the Crop Walk – another facet of fighting hunger in our community and world
April 14th: Historian Friedrich Schuler will share some of his expertise on South America in his presentation entitled “Miracles in Amazon: New Discoveries of Ancient Civilizations”
April 21st: Colin Stave previews Bach Cantata Vespers
April 28th: Harris Zafar of Rizwan Mosque and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will be our guest. He will bring a greeting in worship and present “Hamas/Israeli War – A Muslim Perspective” at our 11:00am Open Space class.
Join us for an exciting series of Open Spaces Sundays this May at 11:00am!
May 5: Cancelling the Classics: Join Mandy Ellertson for an engaging and challenging discussion on issues associated with some classic literature. Come contrast the racially charged language of Mark Twain’s Huck Finn with the book James: A Novel by Percival Everett.
May 12: Gaza and Israel: Our Voices for Peace series continues with Zmira Lovejoy, a spiritual leader from Portland’s P’nai Or Jewish Community.
May 19: Follow-Up to PDX Housing Solidarity: Join the Eco Social Justice committee help set a path forward for how we, as a congregation, might join forces to help a BIPOC family find a way to purchase a home.
May 26: Memorial Weekend – Day Off!
Sunday School Returns:
Sunday School and Open Space returned on Sunday, September 18th, 2022. We moved back to our newly renovated St. James historic building on October 23rd, 2022.
Children’s Sunday School Events at St. James:
From October–December, the St. James Sunday School will be hosting three special events for children. Mark your calendars!
October 30th: Exploring The Season of the Soul with crafts and stories related to Dios de los Muertos and All Saints Days.
November 20th: Join in some guided activities for children about the importance of thanks and gratitude. Activities include the children creating “Gratitude Trees” to share with their loved ones.
December 18th: All we need is love and Christmas cookies right? On this day we will have a special event decorating cookies that represent the holiday season we enjoy from Thanksgiving to New Years.
St. James Jazz Vespers 2023-2024 Season …
Join us on the third Sunday of each month for our Jazz Vespers series. You won’t want to miss it!
**** The new 2023-2024 Jazz Vespers guest artist roster:
Sep. 17th, 2023 – Noah Simpson, trumpet
Oct. 15th, 2023 – Paul Mazzio, trumpet, flugelhorn
Nov. 19th, 2023 – Michelle Medler, woodwinds
Dec. 17th, 2023 – Marilyn Keller, vocal
Jan. 21st, 2024 – Adriana Wagner, trombone
Feb. 18th, 2024 – John Moak, trombone
Mar. 17th, 2024 – John Stowell, guitar
Apr. 21st, 2024 – David Evans, tenor sax, bass clarinet
May 19th, 2024 – Allan Mair, flute, alto flute
June 16th, 2024 – Haley Horsfall, vocal, percussion
July 21st, 2024 – Pete Petersen, tenor sax
Aug. 18th, 2024 – Ben Graves, guitar and Mike Horsfall, vibes
Pre-Vespers music begins at 4:50pm. Freewill offering.
This 45 minute jazz musical setting of the Evening Prayer liturgy is held on the third Sunday of each month at 5:00pm. Professional jazz musicians and vocalists lead this reflective service with scriptural reading, psalms, hymns, and prayer. Preludes and postludes from the broad jazz repertoire precede and follow the service. Families and children are welcome!
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 at our website: https://www.stjamescdc.com/ …
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Age Range of Children: Six weeks – Six years
For more than a year now, St. James members have partnered with Pastor Bruce Arnold in distributing a meal to those in need. As we do what we can to help our unsheltered neighbors — we have conversation, build relationships and learn about particular needs.
Five days a week — every weekday (Monday through Friday) at 11:30am in the Park Blocks in front of our building — we bring boxes of food and needed items to those who gather steps from our door. We offer protein drinks and protein bars, fruit, cup-a-soup, bottled water, new socks, and hygiene items. In addition, we pick up donated food items from a local Fred Meyer and distribute those too.
You have read about city sanctioned “sweeps” that remove the houseless and tents from our sidewalks. New shelters are also opening, offering a safe environment. In the midst of these changes we continue to provide food and needed items to those in our neighborhood.
Due to your generous financial gifts to the “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” we purchased two dozen warm coats for our houseless neighbors. We distributed these coats on the South Park blocks and to our houseless neighbors who attended the spaghetti dinner in the Pioneer Chapel on Friday, December 16th.
Our St. James Social Ministry continues to purchase items thanks to your faithful offerings to St. James.
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 at our website: https://www.stjamescdc.com/ …
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Age Range of Children: Six weeks – Six years
St. James Food Box Ministry:
Helping the Unsheltered with Food Boxes and Winter Coats …
Five days a week — every weekday (Monday through Friday) at 11:30am in the Park Blocks in front of our building — we bring boxes of food and needed items to those who gather steps from our door. We offer protein drinks and protein bars, fruit, cup-a-soup, bottled water, new socks, and hygiene items. Due to your generous financial gifts to the “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” we purchased two dozen warm coats for our houseless neighbors. We distributed these coats on the South Park blocks and to our houseless neighbors who attended the spaghetti dinner in the Pioneer Chapel on Friday, December 16th.
Volunteers Needed …
We are in need of volunteers to pick up food donations from Fred Meyer on Tuesday mornings. These donations support our 5-day a week food box ministry to the houseless. If you have a vehicle and would like to get involved in this work, please contact the front desk.
NOTE: Schedule Change …
Our weekday distribution of needed items and food to those near our church continues. Our group will now meet only on Tuesdays, not on Tuesdays and Thursdays as we have in the past. This month we will gather to prepare food boxes on Tuesdays, May 7th and 21st at 10:00am in Pioneer Chapel.
We hope you can join us!
For more than a year now, St. James members have partnered with Pastor Bruce Arnold in distributing a meal to those in need. As we do what we can to help our unsheltered neighbors — we have conversation, build relationships and learn about particular needs.
Five days a week — every weekday (Monday through Friday) at 11:30am in the Park Blocks in front of our building — we bring boxes of food and needed items to those who gather steps from our door. We offer protein drinks and protein bars, fruit, cup-a-soup, bottled water, new socks, and hygiene items. In addition, we pick up donated food items from a local Fred Meyer and distribute those too.
You have read about city sanctioned “sweeps” that remove the houseless and tents from our sidewalks. New shelters are also opening, offering a safe environment. In the midst of these changes we continue to provide food and needed items to those in our neighborhood.
Due to your generous financial gifts to the “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” we purchased two dozen warm coats for our houseless neighbors. We distributed these coats on the South Park blocks and to our houseless neighbors who attended the spaghetti dinner in the Pioneer Chapel on Friday, December 16th.
Our St. James Social Ministry continues to purchase items thanks to your faithful offerings to St. James.
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 at our website: https://www.stjamescdc.com/ …
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Age Range of Children: Six weeks – Six years
For more than a year now, St. James members have partnered with Pastor Bruce Arnold in distributing a meal to those in need. As we do what we can to help our unsheltered neighbors — we have conversation, build relationships and learn about particular needs.
Five days a week — every weekday (Monday through Friday) at 11:30am in the Park Blocks in front of our building — we bring boxes of food and needed items to those who gather steps from our door. We offer protein drinks and protein bars, fruit, cup-a-soup, bottled water, new socks, and hygiene items. In addition, we pick up donated food items from a local Fred Meyer and distribute those too.
You have read about city sanctioned “sweeps” that remove the houseless and tents from our sidewalks. New shelters are also opening, offering a safe environment. In the midst of these changes we continue to provide food and needed items to those in our neighborhood.
Due to your generous financial gifts to the “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” we purchased two dozen warm coats for our houseless neighbors. We distributed these coats on the South Park blocks and to our houseless neighbors who attended the spaghetti dinner in the Pioneer Chapel on Friday, December 16th.
Our St. James Social Ministry continues to purchase items thanks to your faithful offerings to St. James.
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 at our website: https://www.stjamescdc.com/ …
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Age Range of Children: Six weeks – Six years
For more than a year now, St. James members have partnered with Pastor Bruce Arnold in distributing a meal to those in need. As we do what we can to help our unsheltered neighbors — we have conversation, build relationships and learn about particular needs.
Five days a week — every weekday (Monday through Friday) at 11:30am in the Park Blocks in front of our building — we bring boxes of food and needed items to those who gather steps from our door. We offer protein drinks and protein bars, fruit, cup-a-soup, bottled water, new socks, and hygiene items. In addition, we pick up donated food items from a local Fred Meyer and distribute those too.
You have read about city sanctioned “sweeps” that remove the houseless and tents from our sidewalks. New shelters are also opening, offering a safe environment. In the midst of these changes we continue to provide food and needed items to those in our neighborhood.
Due to your generous financial gifts to the “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” we purchased two dozen warm coats for our houseless neighbors. We distributed these coats on the South Park blocks and to our houseless neighbors who attended the spaghetti dinner in the Pioneer Chapel on Friday, December 16th.
Our St. James Social Ministry continues to purchase items thanks to your faithful offerings to St. James.
WELCOME BACK, CHOIR!
Our St. James Sanctuary Choir has returned after a summer break. They will enhance our worship each Sunday under the direction of our Director of Music Ministry Colin Stave.
NOTE: The St. James Choir began rehearsing on Thursday, September 7th, 2023 and returned to worship on Sunday, September 10th, 2023. Contact Colin Stave, Director of Music Ministry if you would like to join the choir. Rehearsals are every Thursday at 7:15pm.
The St. James Choir continues a long and distinguished congregational tradition of liturgical and concert singing. Their repertoire includes a wide range of music from composers of the Renaissance and Reformation periods to contemporary works by local and nationally-known composers, such as Timothy Nickel, Frank Ferko, and others. Members rehearse every Thursday evening from 7:15-8:45pm during the program year (September through early June). Most choir members also participate in the Bach Cantata Vespers Services. People of all ages are invited to sing with us!
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 at our website: https://www.stjamescdc.com/ …
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Age Range of Children: Six weeks – Six years
For more than a year now, St. James members have partnered with Pastor Bruce Arnold in distributing a meal to those in need. As we do what we can to help our unsheltered neighbors — we have conversation, build relationships and learn about particular needs.
Five days a week — every weekday (Monday through Friday) at 11:30am in the Park Blocks in front of our building — we bring boxes of food and needed items to those who gather steps from our door. We offer protein drinks and protein bars, fruit, cup-a-soup, bottled water, new socks, and hygiene items. In addition, we pick up donated food items from a local Fred Meyer and distribute those too.
You have read about city sanctioned “sweeps” that remove the houseless and tents from our sidewalks. New shelters are also opening, offering a safe environment. In the midst of these changes we continue to provide food and needed items to those in our neighborhood.
Due to your generous financial gifts to the “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” we purchased two dozen warm coats for our houseless neighbors. We distributed these coats on the South Park blocks and to our houseless neighbors who attended the spaghetti dinner in the Pioneer Chapel on Friday, December 16th.
Our St. James Social Ministry continues to purchase items thanks to your faithful offerings to St. James.
Education hour at 11:00am — following the 9:30am service and coffee
Sundays Year-Round, 11:00am-12:00pm
Open Space takes place most Sunday mornings in the Main Sanctuary 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 are as a community of believers in our world today. Topics range from biblical study to current events, social issues, and information session about local organizations. Open Space is a safe environment where all questions and viewpoints have the right to be heard respectfully.
Open Space Schedule:
Much of the fall will be devoted to exploring Pastor Mark Brocker’s published book on faith and ecology entitled Coming Home to Earth. We will kick off the adult class with one session on September 17th titled “Same and Different.” The Eco Social Justice Committee will help facilitate. The time will be spent exploring our similarities and differences as St. James members. The goal is to discover the richness of our congregation and how what we have in common is just as important as what makes us different.
Calendar is as follows:
September 17th: Same and Different — What do we have in common at St. James and where do we find differences?
September 24th: Begin the Coming Home to Earth series with Pastor Mark Brocker
October 1st: Coming Home to Earth: Loss of Love for Earth
October 8th: Coming Home to Earth: Grieving with Earth
October 15th: Coming Home to Earth: The Things that Make for Peace
October 22nd: Endowment Luncheon
October 29th: Reformation Themes
November 5th: Coming Home to Earth: Conversion to Earth
November 12th: Coming Home to Earth: Taking Up Our Ecological Cross
November 19th: Guided Imagery of Oregon History
November 26th: No Open Space
December 3rd: All Creation Sings with Colin Stave.
December 10th: The Christmas Story told by the Old Masters with Paula Carlson
December 17th: Scandinavian Coffee Hour
December 24th: No Open Space
December 31st: Cookies and Carols
January 7th: Pastor David’s Sabbatical Trip
January 14th: Archery Summit Wine Tasting
January 21st: St. James Annual Congregational Meeting and Meal
January 28th: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Faith Under Fire
February 4th: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Faith Under Fire with Pastor Mark Brocker
February 11th: No Open Space
February 18th: The Creative Spirit with Monica Setziol-Phillips
February 25th: Wine Tasting with Pastor Barry Rogge
March 3rd: ELCA World Hunger Relief Drive Presentation
March 10th: Wealth Redistribution for Housing Justice in Portland
March 17th: ELCA Statement on Civic Engagement and Faith
March 24th: Scott Baby Shower
March 31st: Easter Festival Coffee Hour
April 7th: Join Esther Portnoy to hear about the Crop Walk – another facet of fighting hunger in our community and world
April 14th: Historian Friedrich Schuler will share some of his expertise on South America in his presentation entitled “Miracles in Amazon: New Discoveries of Ancient Civilizations”
April 21st: Colin Stave previews Bach Cantata Vespers
April 28th: Harris Zafar of Rizwan Mosque and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will be our guest. He will bring a greeting in worship and present “Hamas/Israeli War – A Muslim Perspective” at our 11:00am Open Space class.
Join us for an exciting series of Open Spaces Sundays this May at 11:00am!
May 5: Cancelling the Classics: Join Mandy Ellertson for an engaging and challenging discussion on issues associated with some classic literature. Come contrast the racially charged language of Mark Twain’s Huck Finn with the book James: A Novel by Percival Everett.
May 12: Gaza and Israel: Our Voices for Peace series continues with Zmira Lovejoy, a spiritual leader from Portland’s P’nai Or Jewish Community.
May 19: Follow-Up to PDX Housing Solidarity: Join the Eco Social Justice committee help set a path forward for how we, as a congregation, might join forces to help a BIPOC family find a way to purchase a home.
May 26: Memorial Weekend – Day Off!
Sunday School Returns:
Sunday School and Open Space returned on Sunday, September 18th, 2022. We moved back to our newly renovated St. James historic building on October 23rd, 2022.
Children’s Sunday School Events at St. James:
From October–December, the St. James Sunday School will be hosting three special events for children. Mark your calendars!
October 30th: Exploring The Season of the Soul with crafts and stories related to Dios de los Muertos and All Saints Days.
November 20th: Join in some guided activities for children about the importance of thanks and gratitude. Activities include the children creating “Gratitude Trees” to share with their loved ones.
December 18th: All we need is love and Christmas cookies right? On this day we will have a special event decorating cookies that represent the holiday season we enjoy from Thanksgiving to New Years.
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 at our website: https://www.stjamescdc.com/ …
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Age Range of Children: Six weeks – Six years
For more than a year now, St. James members have partnered with Pastor Bruce Arnold in distributing a meal to those in need. As we do what we can to help our unsheltered neighbors — we have conversation, build relationships and learn about particular needs.
Five days a week — every weekday (Monday through Friday) at 11:30am in the Park Blocks in front of our building — we bring boxes of food and needed items to those who gather steps from our door. We offer protein drinks and protein bars, fruit, cup-a-soup, bottled water, new socks, and hygiene items. In addition, we pick up donated food items from a local Fred Meyer and distribute those too.
You have read about city sanctioned “sweeps” that remove the houseless and tents from our sidewalks. New shelters are also opening, offering a safe environment. In the midst of these changes we continue to provide food and needed items to those in our neighborhood.
Due to your generous financial gifts to the “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” we purchased two dozen warm coats for our houseless neighbors. We distributed these coats on the South Park blocks and to our houseless neighbors who attended the spaghetti dinner in the Pioneer Chapel on Friday, December 16th.
Our St. James Social Ministry continues to purchase items thanks to your faithful offerings to St. James.
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 at our website: https://www.stjamescdc.com/ …
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Age Range of Children: Six weeks – Six years
For more than a year now, St. James members have partnered with Pastor Bruce Arnold in distributing a meal to those in need. As we do what we can to help our unsheltered neighbors — we have conversation, build relationships and learn about particular needs.
Five days a week — every weekday (Monday through Friday) at 11:30am in the Park Blocks in front of our building — we bring boxes of food and needed items to those who gather steps from our door. We offer protein drinks and protein bars, fruit, cup-a-soup, bottled water, new socks, and hygiene items. In addition, we pick up donated food items from a local Fred Meyer and distribute those too.
You have read about city sanctioned “sweeps” that remove the houseless and tents from our sidewalks. New shelters are also opening, offering a safe environment. In the midst of these changes we continue to provide food and needed items to those in our neighborhood.
Due to your generous financial gifts to the “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” we purchased two dozen warm coats for our houseless neighbors. We distributed these coats on the South Park blocks and to our houseless neighbors who attended the spaghetti dinner in the Pioneer Chapel on Friday, December 16th.
Our St. James Social Ministry continues to purchase items thanks to your faithful offerings to St. James.
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 at our website: https://www.stjamescdc.com/ …
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Age Range of Children: Six weeks – Six years
For more than a year now, St. James members have partnered with Pastor Bruce Arnold in distributing a meal to those in need. As we do what we can to help our unsheltered neighbors — we have conversation, build relationships and learn about particular needs.
Five days a week — every weekday (Monday through Friday) at 11:30am in the Park Blocks in front of our building — we bring boxes of food and needed items to those who gather steps from our door. We offer protein drinks and protein bars, fruit, cup-a-soup, bottled water, new socks, and hygiene items. In addition, we pick up donated food items from a local Fred Meyer and distribute those too.
You have read about city sanctioned “sweeps” that remove the houseless and tents from our sidewalks. New shelters are also opening, offering a safe environment. In the midst of these changes we continue to provide food and needed items to those in our neighborhood.
Due to your generous financial gifts to the “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” we purchased two dozen warm coats for our houseless neighbors. We distributed these coats on the South Park blocks and to our houseless neighbors who attended the spaghetti dinner in the Pioneer Chapel on Friday, December 16th.
Our St. James Social Ministry continues to purchase items thanks to your faithful offerings to St. James.
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 at our website: https://www.stjamescdc.com/ …
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Age Range of Children: Six weeks – Six years
For more than a year now, St. James members have partnered with Pastor Bruce Arnold in distributing a meal to those in need. As we do what we can to help our unsheltered neighbors — we have conversation, build relationships and learn about particular needs.
Five days a week — every weekday (Monday through Friday) at 11:30am in the Park Blocks in front of our building — we bring boxes of food and needed items to those who gather steps from our door. We offer protein drinks and protein bars, fruit, cup-a-soup, bottled water, new socks, and hygiene items. In addition, we pick up donated food items from a local Fred Meyer and distribute those too.
You have read about city sanctioned “sweeps” that remove the houseless and tents from our sidewalks. New shelters are also opening, offering a safe environment. In the midst of these changes we continue to provide food and needed items to those in our neighborhood.
Due to your generous financial gifts to the “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” we purchased two dozen warm coats for our houseless neighbors. We distributed these coats on the South Park blocks and to our houseless neighbors who attended the spaghetti dinner in the Pioneer Chapel on Friday, December 16th.
Our St. James Social Ministry continues to purchase items thanks to your faithful offerings to St. James.
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 at our website: https://www.stjamescdc.com/ …
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Age Range of Children: Six weeks – Six years
For more than a year now, St. James members have partnered with Pastor Bruce Arnold in distributing a meal to those in need. As we do what we can to help our unsheltered neighbors — we have conversation, build relationships and learn about particular needs.
Five days a week — every weekday (Monday through Friday) at 11:30am in the Park Blocks in front of our building — we bring boxes of food and needed items to those who gather steps from our door. We offer protein drinks and protein bars, fruit, cup-a-soup, bottled water, new socks, and hygiene items. In addition, we pick up donated food items from a local Fred Meyer and distribute those too.
You have read about city sanctioned “sweeps” that remove the houseless and tents from our sidewalks. New shelters are also opening, offering a safe environment. In the midst of these changes we continue to provide food and needed items to those in our neighborhood.
Due to your generous financial gifts to the “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” we purchased two dozen warm coats for our houseless neighbors. We distributed these coats on the South Park blocks and to our houseless neighbors who attended the spaghetti dinner in the Pioneer Chapel on Friday, December 16th.
Our St. James Social Ministry continues to purchase items thanks to your faithful offerings to St. James.
Fair Trade Sale:
May Fair Trade Sale
Plan to stop by the Fair Trade Products table on Sunday, May 5th after service, to stock up on your favorite chocolate and coffee products. See you in the Pioneer Chapel!
–Ann Tohlen – Coffee/Chocolate Lady
Each month St. James Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (WELCA) sell fair trade goods in the Pioneer Chapel after worship. Your purchase of fairly traded coffee, tea, and chocolate help support farmers all over the world!
Education hour at 11:00am — following the 9:30am service and coffee
Sundays Year-Round, 11:00am-12:00pm
Open Space takes place most Sunday mornings in the Main Sanctuary 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 are as a community of believers in our world today. Topics range from biblical study to current events, social issues, and information session about local organizations. Open Space is a safe environment where all questions and viewpoints have the right to be heard respectfully.
Open Space Schedule:
Much of the fall will be devoted to exploring Pastor Mark Brocker’s published book on faith and ecology entitled Coming Home to Earth. We will kick off the adult class with one session on September 17th titled “Same and Different.” The Eco Social Justice Committee will help facilitate. The time will be spent exploring our similarities and differences as St. James members. The goal is to discover the richness of our congregation and how what we have in common is just as important as what makes us different.
Calendar is as follows:
September 17th: Same and Different — What do we have in common at St. James and where do we find differences?
September 24th: Begin the Coming Home to Earth series with Pastor Mark Brocker
October 1st: Coming Home to Earth: Loss of Love for Earth
October 8th: Coming Home to Earth: Grieving with Earth
October 15th: Coming Home to Earth: The Things that Make for Peace
October 22nd: Endowment Luncheon
October 29th: Reformation Themes
November 5th: Coming Home to Earth: Conversion to Earth
November 12th: Coming Home to Earth: Taking Up Our Ecological Cross
November 19th: Guided Imagery of Oregon History
November 26th: No Open Space
December 3rd: All Creation Sings with Colin Stave.
December 10th: The Christmas Story told by the Old Masters with Paula Carlson
December 17th: Scandinavian Coffee Hour
December 24th: No Open Space
December 31st: Cookies and Carols
January 7th: Pastor David’s Sabbatical Trip
January 14th: Archery Summit Wine Tasting
January 21st: St. James Annual Congregational Meeting and Meal
January 28th: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Faith Under Fire
February 4th: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Faith Under Fire with Pastor Mark Brocker
February 11th: No Open Space
February 18th: The Creative Spirit with Monica Setziol-Phillips
February 25th: Wine Tasting with Pastor Barry Rogge
March 3rd: ELCA World Hunger Relief Drive Presentation
March 10th: Wealth Redistribution for Housing Justice in Portland
March 17th: ELCA Statement on Civic Engagement and Faith
March 24th: Scott Baby Shower
March 31st: Easter Festival Coffee Hour
April 7th: Join Esther Portnoy to hear about the Crop Walk – another facet of fighting hunger in our community and world
April 14th: Historian Friedrich Schuler will share some of his expertise on South America in his presentation entitled “Miracles in Amazon: New Discoveries of Ancient Civilizations”
April 21st: Colin Stave previews Bach Cantata Vespers
April 28th: Harris Zafar of Rizwan Mosque and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will be our guest. He will bring a greeting in worship and present “Hamas/Israeli War – A Muslim Perspective” at our 11:00am Open Space class.
Join us for an exciting series of Open Spaces Sundays this May at 11:00am!
May 5: Cancelling the Classics: Join Mandy Ellertson for an engaging and challenging discussion on issues associated with some classic literature. Come contrast the racially charged language of Mark Twain’s Huck Finn with the book James: A Novel by Percival Everett.
May 12: Gaza and Israel: Our Voices for Peace series continues with Zmira Lovejoy, a spiritual leader from Portland’s P’nai Or Jewish Community.
May 19: Follow-Up to PDX Housing Solidarity: Join the Eco Social Justice committee help set a path forward for how we, as a congregation, might join forces to help a BIPOC family find a way to purchase a home.
May 26: Memorial Weekend – Day Off!
Sunday School Returns:
Sunday School and Open Space returned on Sunday, September 18th, 2022. We moved back to our newly renovated St. James historic building on October 23rd, 2022.
Children’s Sunday School Events at St. James:
From October–December, the St. James Sunday School will be hosting three special events for children. Mark your calendars!
October 30th: Exploring The Season of the Soul with crafts and stories related to Dios de los Muertos and All Saints Days.
November 20th: Join in some guided activities for children about the importance of thanks and gratitude. Activities include the children creating “Gratitude Trees” to share with their loved ones.
December 18th: All we need is love and Christmas cookies right? On this day we will have a special event decorating cookies that represent the holiday season we enjoy from Thanksgiving to New Years.