The church as a hierarchical institution
was not founded by God or Jesus; what Jesus initiated
was a community of faith and service and that's what
the church should be.
The Right Reverend John Shelby Spong
St. James is among the oldest established
parishes in the Diocese of Newark, serving the Body
of Christ since 1859. The life of this parish has
been characterized by an abiding adherence to the
tenets of the Episcopal faith while being a very inclusive,
loving and nurturing parish. St. James is indeed an
old parish . . . by age only. We are active and growing.
In recent years, this parish has redefined itself
and has grown inwardly as well as outwardly. The spirit
of St. James is alive and well!
Located in northwest New Jersey, St.
James has grown in the midst of a rich agricultural
and light manufacturing economy. The population growth
of northern New Jersey now reaches well into the parish
area of St. James.
St. James is a Eucharist-centered church
offering a variety of liturgies throughout the year
. . . from traditional to alternative. If you look
forward to "sharing the peace" at a service, St. James
is where a warm, welcoming hug may accompany the traditional
friendly handshake and "hello."
Our Mission Statement:
St. James is an open, inclusive,
and caring faith community that embraces diversity
and celebrates the joy of Christ.
St. James is a diverse, Oasis-member
parish made up of families, retirees, and single people
of varied age groups. There is a considerable percentage
of elderly parishioners many of whom live in two local
retirement communities with Episcopal connections
-- Heath Village and House of the Good Shepherd.
Our parish boasts nearly 400 baptized
members with Sunday services averaging over 125 attendees
a week. Typically, St. James will have between 10-15
baptisms a year and Church School can vary between
50-100 children a church year.
St. James has evolved over the years
to what it is today: an active, caring and sharing
parish, growing in the spirit of Christ. It is a place
where new ideas abound and there is never a shortage
of people to make those ideas happen!
