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 Christian Scripture
● Confession of Faith
● Prayers of the Community
● Sharing of Christ’s Peace
● The Holy Meal (Communion)
● Sending into the World
The two great “peaks” of the worship experience are Word and Sacrament. The Sunday preaching texts are part of a three-year cycle of readings. Sermon, hymnody, choral and instrumental music reflect the thematic of these texts; Music Ministry is a vital part of worship and life at St. James.
Familiarity with worship forms comes from regular participation in the Sunday Assembly – it is, we are NOT ashamed to say, acquired behavior!!! Worship bulletins with texts, hymn and psalm notes, the “new” red hymnal (Evangelical Lutheran Worship) — and friendly help from your neighbor in the pew and the ushers will help you if you are a newcomer. Be patient – you may help us to discover elements of music and text we hadn’t noticed!
The Sunday liturgy is an opportunity not only to gather together as a community of faith, but to open our doors to everyone, sharing God’s love with all. We hope you will join us for worship, sing with us in the choir, or join our handbell choir!
Contact the Church Office at 503-227-2439, for more information.
Find Driving and Parking Directions here.
Worship Service Schedule
Sunday Morning Worship with Holy Communion
Join us in-person for worship and fellowship on Sundays at 9:30am.
Every Sunday at 9:30am at:
St. James Lutheran Church
1315 SW Park Ave., Portland, OR 97201
Holy Communion is celebrated at each Sunday liturgy. Refreshments and community time follow the worship service. Childcare available from 9:00am-12:00pm.
We have posted livestream 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 recordings on your computer at home — we invite you to join us for worship!
Midweek Eucharist
NOTE: Midweek Eucharist begins again on Wednesday, February 19th, 2025 — and continues every following Wednesday at 12:00 Noon through May. Pastor David will lead and Colin will be at the piano. In March, Pastor David will guide us in a Bible Study on the themes of the book of Exodus titled “Unlikely Moses and the Nine Commandments.” It will take place immediately following the Wednesday service. Invite a friend to join you.
This spring, Pastor David will lead a mid-week study on Moses. Join him each Wednesday from March 12th – May 21st immediately after our 30 minute Noon Eucharist Service in Pioneer Chapel. Who was Moses? Is there archeological evidence that he lived? How many people crossed the Red Sea? Do non-biblical writings mention him? How many commandments did God give Moses? Are those commandments relevant today? Pastor David will draw course material from the scholarship of Richard Nysse (Luther Seminary), Carol Meyers (Duke University), Bart Ehrman (UNC at Chapel Hill), and William Dever (U Arizona – Tucson). Read the book of Exodus. Here’s a look at some of our first class topics:
Wed. March 12th “Why Moses Matters”
Wed. March 19th “Moses: Murderer or Mentor”
Wed. March 26th “Moses: What Archeologists Found”
Wed. April 2nd “The Exodus: Crossing the Red Sea”
Wed. April 9th “Moses and Bonhoeffer”
Wednesday Eucharist
30-minute 12:00 Noon service Every Wednesday in Pioneer Chapel.
A thirty-minute liturgy of Holy Communion takes place in the intimate setting of the Pioneer Chapel. This service provides an opportunity for communal prayer, a brief sermon and reflection. Scriptures may be used from the Daily Lectionary or may reflect the Calendar of Saints and Commemorations available to the wider Christian community.
Jazz Vespers
On August 15th, 2021 at 5:00pm — we began to resume live performances of our Jazz Vespers series here at St. James (NOTE: Since the completion of construction — we will be holding our services back in our newly renovated St. James Lutheran Church building). Please join us in-person for our next Jazz Vespers performance — in our St. James sanctuary — scheduled for Sunday, April 20th, 2025 at 4:50pm.
You may choose to listen below to the most recent recording of our Jazz Vespers Service from Sunday, March 16th, 2025. You may also check out some other earlier recordings from our Jazz Vespers series — which are archived under “Communications > Music” here on our St. James website.
This 45 minute jazz musical setting of the Evening Prayer liturgy is held on the third Sunday of each month at 4:50pm. 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.
Click below to listen to the latest recording of Jazz Vespers.
Bach Cantata Vespers
Fall 2022 Vespers at St. James …
We reinvigorated the St. James Vespers tradition with a service in our newly renovated St. James Lutheran Church building on Sunday, November 13th, 2022 at 5:00pm. This Vespers service highlighted and celebrated the Reformation with instrumental, vocal, and organ music.
Bach Vespers Service on Sunday, November 13th, 2022 at 5:00pm.
“We are excited to return to our Vespers Ministry on the second Sunday of November. As we prepare to resume this beautiful tradition, we are looking at refreshing and reimagining it as well. For me, this means we must start with the foundation: the Vespers liturgy itself. This service will focus on highlighting the structural components of the liturgy, where and when they come from, and how they came to be a part of this centuries-old tradition. The ancient roots of this service will be evident in the 3rd Century Hymn ‘Joyous Light of Glory’, and a choral realization of a chant setting of the canticle, ‘Magnificat’ by Charles Wood. Tying into our fall Stewardship theme, the service will feature Paul Bouman’s beautiful anthem, ‘It Is a Good Thing to Give Thanks’. Please join us!”
–Colin Stave, Director of Music Ministry
You may choose to listen below to the most recent recording of our Evening Prayer Vespers Service from Sunday, November 13th, 2022. Click below to listen to this latest recording of our Bach Cantata Vespers.
Summer 2023 Bach Cantata Vespers …
We hope that you enjoyed our Bach Cantata Vespers service on Sunday, June 11th, 2023 at 5:00pm. The service featured Bach’s charming Cantata 112 “Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt” (The Lord is my faithful Shepherd). The St. James Bach Choir was joined by soloists and instrumentalists. Our thanks to our Director of Music Ministry Colin Stave for his guidance and direction. Please join us for our next beautiful service with a reception to follow in Pioneer Chapel.
Spring 2024 Bach Cantata Vespers …
Thanks to all who attended our Bach Cantata Vespers service on Sunday, April 28th, 2024 at 5:00pm. The St. James Choir, guest singers, soloists, organ, and orchestra presented Bach’s “Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats” BWV 42. The service was followed by a reception in Pioneer Chapel.
Fall 2024 Bach Cantata Vespers …
We hope that you enjoyed our Choral Vespers service from this past first Sunday of Advent on Sunday, December 1st, 2024 at 5:00pm. The performance — with the St. James Choir, soloists, and orchestra — was centered on Bach’s Cantata 62, “Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland” (Savior of the nations, come). That occasion marked 300 years since the work was premiered on December 3rd, 1724. The central hymn and text came from Martin Luther, himself, and proclaimed the arrival of Jesus as savior in a number of contexts.
Please join us again in 2025 …
We look forward to seeing you at our next Cantata!
Spring 2025 Bach Cantata Vespers …
Please join us again at 5:00pm on Sunday, May 25th, 2025 when we will present our next Bach Choral Vespers Cantata with the St. James Choir, soloists, and orchestra. More details will follow over the coming months.
The Bach Cantata Vespers Services at St. James are unique to Portland as they present Bach’s cantatas in the historical context for which they were created. Presented with the same readings and spiritual milieu that inspired Bach to compose his cantatas, listeners are enriched in hearing Bach’s works in their sacred context. Portland’s finest instrumentalists, vocal soloists, and organists join with the St. James Bach Choir in the Vespers now being reinvigorated under the direction of our Director of Music Ministry, Colin Stave, after a hiatus. Newly commissioned motets by contemporary American composers are another feature of the event, bridging the old and the new.
Parkside Piano Series
Wrapping up the Summer Parkside Piano Series …
Thank you to all who came to enjoy the music, everyone who supported the series with your offerings, especially to our Piano donors.
This summer we heard three incredible concerts celebrating our sanctuary’s new Mason & Hamlin grand piano.
- On Sunday, June 23rd, 2024, we welcomed The Trillium Piano Quartet who presented two very different takes on classic chamber music: Robert Schumann’s “Piano Quartet in E-flat Major”, and film composer Danny Elfman’s “Piano Quartet”.
- On Sunday, July 28th, 2024, Hammer & Peg – featuring cellist Dylan Rieck and pianist Reece Marshburn – brought us a fun, fascinating mix of classical works, original pieces, and new arrangements of non-traditional repertoire including a Bossa Nova, Ragtime, and even a beautiful ballad by Billy Joel.
- Tim and Nancy LeRoi Nickel returned on Sunday, August 11th, 2024, presenting a concert that featured not only our beautiful piano, but also our two organs in just about every combination imaginable — featuring piano duets by Clara and Robert Schumann and their friends Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn — as well as Gaetano Piazza’s “Sonata” for two organs and Leo Sowerby’s “Dialog” for piano and organ.
All of the concerts were at 4:00pm — with a suggested donation of $15 — followed by a champagne reception.
Music Ministry
St. James Choir
Choir Returns …
Choir resumed rehearsals on Thursday, September 5th, 2024 at 7:15pm in the Pioneer Chapel and they have returned to the loft since Sunday, September 8th, 2024.
–Colin Stave, Director of Music Ministry
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!
St. James Handbell Choir
NOTE: The St. James Handbell Choir is currently on hiatus. Please contact our Director of Music Ministry, Colin Stave, if you are interested in participating in the future.
The St. James Handbell Choir contributes to Sunday morning and occasional liturgies throughout the year. Music will be selected based on the number of ringers who volunteer! No prior experience with bells is required; just a willingness to learn and make music in a team setting!
St. James Pipe Organ
The three manual Pipe Organ incorporates some of the ranks from the original 1908 Estey tracker pipe organ. Originally only 9 ranks, this instrument was electrified and reconditioned in 1949, then re-built and expanded in 1989 by Portland organ builder Richard Bond to include 32 ranks with three manuals and pedal. Five original Estey ranks were retained in the Antiphonal division in its former chamber on the main floor. The new Great and Swell were installed in the rear balcony gallery. Read about the Architectural History of St. James.
