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, including: Book Club, Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, Visual Artists, and WELCA. We are also committed to serving those in need by providing many ministries to the community, often through partnerships with other organizations such as: Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran Community Services, Loaves and Fishes, and Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, we have been feeding those who live on our streets every weekday at 12:00 Noon.
Contact the Church Office (503-227-2439) for more information.
Groups
St. James Book Club
Fourth Tuesday of Every Month, 7:00pm
St. James Book Club meets on a monthly basis to discuss all kinds of books! In the past, we have read such titles as The Last Chinese Chef by Nicole Mones, The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman and Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. All are welcome to attend, nominate book selections, and participate in discussion!
St. James Visual Artist’s Group
Last Saturday of Every Month, 10:00am-12:00pm
St. James Visual Artist’s Group is a collection of visual artists who gather once a month to show our art to each other and receive feedback and suggestions! All practicing artists are welcome to attend!
St. James Women of the ELCA (WELCA)
Meeting: Third Tuesday Sept.-June, 10:00am
Fair Trade Sales: First Sunday of Every Month, 10:30am
St. James WELCA Group meets regularly for prayer, conversation, and bible study. We work diligently to provide both funds and services to those in our community and elsewhere who are in need. We also sell fair trade coffee, chocolate, and other products once a month after worship through a partnership with Lutheran World Relief. These monthly sales help various people throughout the world generate income through fair trade practices.
Contemplative Prayer at St. James
First and Third Saturday mornings, 9:30am
NOTE: As we enter the season of shorter, darker days you are invited to join the Contemplative Prayer group. This December Contemplative Prayer will meet on Zoom on Saturday, December 3rd at 9:30am. We will also meet in person on Saturday, December 17th at 5:00pm for an in-person Return to Light service.
Welcoming the Return of Light: An Indoor Labyrinth
There is a special Advent and Solstice/Return to Light service at St. James on Saturday, December 17th at 5:00pm. There will be live meditative music in candlelight while walking the labyrinth or sitting quietly in the Pioneer Chapel. This is followed by a time of prayers, the lighting of candles, readings, and silence in the sanctuary. All are invited.
Taking time to remove oneself from the noise of daily life is a gift you can give yourself.
Anyone interested in contemplative listening to God is invited to join us. We spend time in silence, in reading sacred texts, and praying for the world, each other and ourselves.
For information about this group, contact Susan McBerry or the St. James front office.
Centering Prayer Group
Wednesday mornings in Pioneer Chapel, 8:30am
For a number of years, St. James has welcomed a community Centering Prayer Group that met every Wednesday in our Pioneer Chapel. The group was led by the now deceased Pastor Chris Lang.
You are invited to join our community Centering Prayer Group, which gathers every Wednesday at 8:30am in Pioneer Chapel.
Ministries
Feeding the Hungry
Weekdays (Monday through Friday) at 12:00 Noon
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 12:00 Noon 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.
As the colder weather approaches we have also purchased and distributed warm winter coats. Thank you for your special gifts that make this possible.
Our St. James Social Ministry continues to purchase items thanks to your faithful offerings to St. James.
Lutheran Ligaments
Every year, a group of 12 people mostly from St. James participate in the annual Hood to Coast Relay. This group of walkers starts in Portland and makes their way to the Oregon coast along with the many others that participate in this event. Donations received for the event benefit Lutheran Community Services.
Boxcars (School and Health Kits)
Spring, Fall
Twice a year St. James assembles school and health kits that are shipped to developing countries all over the world, through Lutheran World Relief. School kits help children attend school with the needed supplies, and health kits are provided to people who have experienced natural disasters and other trauma.
Shrove Tuesday
St. James comes together the day before Ash Wednesday, which is typically called Fat Tuesday, with a pancake feed. We open our doors to the surrounding neighborhood; all are invited to join in this festive meal.
