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St. James' Church
The Parish Church of Saint James
Location	Madison Avenue and 71st Street New York City, New York
Country	U.S.
Denomination	Episcopal Church
Website	www.stjames.org
History
Founded	1810 (1810)
Administration
Diocese	Episcopal Diocese of New York
Clergy
Rector	The Rev. Zachary Thompson

St. James' Church is an Episcopal parish church located at the intersection of Madison Avenue and 71st Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City.

Founded in May 1810 as a summer chapel for New Yorkers with country homes north of the then city, it has grown into one of the largest Episcopal churches in New York City. In addition to worship, it has programs for children and young families, youth and young adults, as well as a music program and a devotion to mission and service in the community.

In 2021, it reported 1,559 members, average attendance of 165, and $2,749,445 in plate and pledge income.

Worship & music

St. James' Church worships in a variety of styles within the Anglican tradition. Four services of Holy Eucharist are celebrated every Sunday.

Music

In 2008–2009, the parish installed the St. James' Bicentennial Organ, built by Schoenstein & Co. Organbuilders (op. 156 & 157) in San Francisco. The organ contains a total of 5,538 pipes, with 4,407 pipes in the chancel organ and 1,131 pipes in the gallery. The new organ was dedicated in October 2010.

Recent history

In 1996 St. James' called as rector the Rev. Brenda G. Husson, the first woman chosen to lead a parish of such size and prominence in the diocese. Under Husson's leadership, St. James' received a large private grant to establish the Partners in Mission program. The PIM grant currently supports ongoing partnerships with the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi in Africa, three Episcopal parishes in Haiti, as well as regular work with the Osborne Association's outreach to children with incarcerated parents in New York.

Husson retired in 2023, after 27 years as rector.

St. James' was invited to participate in the Lilly Endowment's nationwide Transition into Ministry program for the mentoring of new clergy. The position of 'Lilly Fellow' was created in 2003 to train new priests in all aspects of parish life.

St. James' celebrated its bicentennial year in 2010. The parish welcomed Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, for a festive service marking the culmination of the bicentennial year on November 14, 2010.

Rectors

• Samuel Farmer Jarvis (1811–1819)
• William Richmond (1820–1837)
• James Cook Richmond (1837–1842)
• John Dowdney (1842–1847)
• Edwin Harwood (1847–1850)
• Peter Schermerhorn Chauncey (1851–1866)
• Cornelius Bishop Smith (1867–1895)
• E. Walpole Warren (1895–1903)
• Frederick Courtney (1904–1915)
• Frank Warfield Crowder (1916–1932)
• Horace William Baden Donegan (1933–1947)
• Arthur Lee Kinsolving (1947–1969)
• John Bowen Coburn (1969–1975)
• Hays Hamilton Rockwell (1976–1990)
• Mark S. Anschutz (1992–1995)
• Brenda G. Husson (1996–2023)
• Zachary Thompson (2023–present)

In popular culture

• The 5:00PM St. James' Christmas Eve service of Lessons and Carols was broadcast over the local WOR and WQXR radio stations in New York City as early as 1934, and then annually from the early 1950s through 2000.
• St. James' Church was the site of funerals for John Steinbeck, Edward R. Murrow, and Montgomery Clift.
• The exterior and interior of St. James' have been seen in Gossip Girl (CW television series).

See also

• Anglican Communion
• Book of Common Prayer
• Christianity

External links

• Official website

Further reading

James Elliot Lindsley. A History of St. James' Church in the City of New York 1810–1960.
Francis J. Sypher, Jr. St. James' Church in the City of New York, 1810–2010. (New York: St. James' Church, 2010).

Gallery

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• Desmond Tutu preaching a children's sermon, March 2010.

References

1. ^ "St. James Church - New York Church - New York, NY". www.faithstreet.com. August 31, 2011. Archived from the original on August 31, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
2. "Explore Parochial Trends". Episcopal Church. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
3. "St. James Church (Episcopal) - New York City". www.nycago.org. Archived from the original on June 7, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
4. "The Living Church: Search Results". www.episcopalarchives.org. June 15, 1997. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
5. Bell, Charles W. (January 25, 1997). "Making Herstory at St. James". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012.
6. Davies, Matthew (May 11, 2006). "Listening: Southern Malawi bishop acknowledges partnership". Episcopal News Service Archives. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
7. "Programs - Osborneny". www.osborneny.org. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
8. "A Letter from the Rector – St. James' Church". Retrieved May 29, 2023.
9. "New Pastors | Forum for Theological Exploration". www.fteleaders.org. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
10. "Sermon - St. James' Church Bicentennial Service - Part 3 of 10". YouTube. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
11. "Edward R. Murrow, Broadcaster And Ex-Chief of U.S.I.A., Dies". The New York Times. April 28, 1965. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
12. "Funeral for Montgomery Clift Attended by Celebrities Here". The New York Times. July 27, 1966.
13. "Gossip Girl Archives". Wetpaint. Retrieved July 21, 2017.

40°46′16″N 73°57′57″W / 40.77108°N 73.96572°W / 40.77108; -73.96572

• 1810 establishments in New York (state)
• 19th-century Episcopal church buildings
• Anglican organizations established in the 19th century
• Churches completed in 1885
• Churches in Manhattan
• Episcopal church buildings in New York City
• Episcopal Diocese of New York
• Gothic Revival church buildings in New York City
• Ralph Adams Cram church buildings
• Religious organizations established in 1810
• Upper East Side