St. James United Presbyterian Church
Circa: 1929
This church was included in the 2003 Annual Fall House Tour and the 2008 Annual House Tour.
After a canvass made during the winter of 1925 and the spring of 1926 by members of the German Evangelical Synod of North America, it was determined that the Western and Devon area was home to a large number of persons with a heritage in the German Evangelical denomination who did not have a convenient church home.
In 1926, that denomination's Home Mission Board purchased a lot at the corner of Rockwell and Albion and contracted with the Rev. Alfred F. Schemmer (1887-1947) as an organizing Model T Touring Car Minister, a service was held in the display room of the Ford Sales Company at the south-west corner of Arthur and Western on Sunday September 26, 1926 at 2:30 in the afternoon. About 125 persons attended from the city's other German Evangelical Churches. At the service, an offering of $40.00 was collected and given to the Rev. Schemmer to rent a space for a temporary place of worship.
The following week Rev. Schemmer rented a store at 2644 W. Pratt Avenue and on Sunday October 3, 1926, the first worship service of what would become St. James was held with 8 or 10 adults present and 13 children in the Sunday school.
St. James Evangelical Church The meetings of the unnamed mission continued into the next year until St. James Evangelical Church was officially organized on April 22, 1927. Also in that year the denomination dropped the word German from its name to become the Evangelical Synod of North America (sometimes called the Evangelical Lutheran Church).
The owner of the store at 2644 Pratt Avenue was eventually able to rent his store for more money and in the early part of 1928 the congregation moved to 6433 N. California Avenue a larger rented space.
St. James United Church in 1934. Members marched from 6433 N. California on September 15, 1929, to the corner of Rockwell and Albion for the groundbreaking service of the building now known as the "Sanctuary Wing." As they marched they sang hymns among them "Jesus Loves Me," "Onward, Christian Soldiers," and "[[wikipedia:The Church's One Foundation|The Church's One Foundation is Jesus Christ Her Lord."
Ninety-eight days later on December 22, 1929, dedication services for the not quite completed building were held and the congregation's first sermon in the new space was entitled "A Church for Christmas."
In 1934 the Evangelical Synod of North America merged with the Reformed Church in the United States becoming the Evangelical and Reformed Church.
St. James United Church
During the Great Depression, the congregation at Rockwell and Albion merged with North Town Presbyterian Church. The Presbyterian congregation had been organized for only a few years and had not built a church nor did it own any property. This new congregation was a member of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. On January 8, 1935, at the congregation's annual meeting the congregation voted to change its name to St. James United Church.
On Sunday May 27, 1956 after several years of rapid growth and a Sunday School enrollment of 285 students, The congregation dedicated its "New Parish Building" now called the "Education Wing."
In 1957, the Evangelical and Reformed Church merged with the Congregational Christian Churches becoming the United Church of Christ (UCC).
In 1958, the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America merged with the United Presbyterian Church of North America becoming the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA).
St. James United Presbyterian Church
The pastors serving St. James until 1959 were from the Evangelical Synod of North America or its successors. In that year, the church began to be served by Presbyterian pastors. At a congregational meeting on November 30, 1964, the church determined to change its name again this time to St. James United Presbyterian Church. For official purposes this is still the name of the church although members usually shorten it just to St. James Presbyterian Church.
In recent years, St. James has been recognized by the denomination as a Peacemaking Church. In the 1990s, they joined with other Presbyterian congregations in the Covenant Network committing themselves to building "a church as generous and just as God's Grace." And, in December 2001, they declared themselves a More Light Church by affirming that “Following the risen Christ, and seeking to make the Church a true community of hospitality, the mission of More Light Presbyterians is the full participation of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people of faith in the life, ministry, and witness of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)."
The S094 series of photos were donated to the Society by St. James United Presbyterian Church.
Photos
RPWRHS photo S094-0101 shows an aerial view of St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, parish, circa 1930.
RPWRHS photo S094-0102 is of the St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, congregation circa 1930.
RPWRHS photo S094-0103 is of the St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, choir, circa 1930.
RPWRHS photo S094-0104 is the St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, congregation leaving, circa 1930.
RPWRHS photo S094-0105 is of a St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, collection of donated shoes, circa 1930.
RPWRHS photo S094-0106 is of the St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, choir and congregation.
RPWRHS photo S094-0107 shows two unidentified women leaving St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue.
RPWRHS photo S094-0108 shows the St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, Roll of Honor.
RPWRHS photo S094-0109 shows an exterior view of St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue,.
RPWRHS photo S094-0110 shows the St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue,, circa 1940.
RPWRHS photo S094-0111 shows an external view of St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue,, circa 1940.
RPWRHS photo S094-0112 shows a side view of the St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, altar, circa 1940.
RPWRHS photo S094-0113 shows a side view of the St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, altar, circa 1940.
RPWRHS photo S094-0114 shows the interior of St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue.
RPWRHS photo S094-0115 shows the Opening service of the Evangelical Mission at St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, in 1940.
RPWRHS photo S094-0116 shows the interior of St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, at Christmas 1940.
RPWRHS photo S094-0117 shows a newspaper clipping about the St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, 20th Anniversary in 1940.
RPWRHS photo S094-0118 shows St. James United Presbyterian Church, 6554 N. Rockwell Avenue, - choir, children & master in 1930.
