New to St. James or the Episcopal Church? Been around long enough that you think you should know this stuff already but actually don’t? This series is for you! Get to know St. James and the Episcopal tradition through these five gatherings. Come to one, come to all, and if you miss one you meant to attend, it’ll come around again. And we hope all the people at St. James will participate in session 5 each time it comes around.

Taking part in the Get To Know St. James series is a great way to prepare to formally become a member of St. James or the first step for being confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church. Questions? Contact Elsa

September and February  - The Structure of the Church

How is the Episcopal church different from other Christian denominations and traditions?  What is the “polity” of our tradition (the way decisions are made and things get done in our church, diocese and the Episcopal Church as a whole)?  How are various Episcopal churches the same or different from each other?  How are we related to the worldwide Anglican communion? What is the role of the vestry?  The Rector?  The Bishop?  Members of the Vestry will be on hand to answer your questions about their ministry at St. James. 

October and March - Worshiping Together

During our worship service on these two Sundays, we will have an “Instructed Eucharist” that shares the background and meaning of the Eucharist and the way we celebrate it each week  Following the service, we’ll offer a tour of the sacristy and meet members of the altar guild to learn about what they do to set and tend the table for Sunday services.  We’ll also learn about the liturgical year and its seasons and colors, the traditional movements some of us use during worship (like kneeling, bowing or genuflecting), and the different ministries people have to make a worship service come together.

November and April - Living our Theology

At St. James we like to put our faith into action.  How do you do that?   Today we’ll talk about what Episcopalians believe and how our theology compares with other Christian traditions. What are the Sacraments of the Episcopal Church? How does the baptismal covenant guide our faith?  What is the oft mentioned “three legged stool” of Anglicanism?  The Anglican Church was born out of a royal decree and grew through the spread of the British empire and therefore, in its power and privilege, has some difficult history.  How is the Episcopal Church in the 21st century working to be a church that looks and acts more like Jesus?  Members of our EFM (Education for Ministry) class will be on hand to share their experience of studying Scripture, Church History and Theology and discerning their call to ministry.

December and May - What’s Going On Here?

While worship is at the center of our lives together, the people of St. James are active in ministry all week long, involved in a number of ministries that support the church and our wider community.  Come hear from active church members about their ministries in the church and the world, and find out how you can join in with an existing ministry or team up with a few others to create a new one.

January and June - Who Are We?

The people are the church, and together we are the body of Christ.  The gifts, passions and skills we have among us are the ligaments that hold this body together and help us grow and mature in faith.  What gifts are in, between and among us?  At this special twice yearly gathering, everyone in the church is invited to take part in exploring our current interests and passions.  What do you love doing so much you lose track of time when you do it?  On the other hand, what is breaking your heart lately or keeping you up at night?  In other words, what do you really, deeply care about right now?  How are we being called to serve God in the next few months in light of our gifts, skills and passions? Using sticky notes and some fun exercises using ABCD (asset based community development), we’ll get to know each other better and work on discerning God’s current call to us at St. James