Great ways to make new connections.
We seek opportunities within and beyond the Sunday worship service for collaboration and community. If you would like to join, or find out more about, any of the activities described below, please fill out the Contact Form on the Home page or reach out to a member of the Vestry. All are invited to find meaningful ways to participate fully in the life of the church through the following:
Examples of ways to be involved:
Volunteer as an Usher
Become a Worship Leader
Join us as a Eucharistic Visitor
Sign Up for our Prayer Chain
Offer a ride to someone in need
Prepare a meal for someone recovering
Altar Guild
This group of dedicated individuals prepares the sanctuary for service and supports the clergy. You will find them preparing for Sunday worship on Saturdays as well as on Sundays before, between, and after the services. They need, welcome, and mentor new members to their work.
Choir
Under the direction of the St. James' music director, Elena Panchenko, the choir leads the congregation in hymns and sung liturgy, and offers anthems on most Sundays from September to the Day of Pentecost. The choir rehearses on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m., and occasionally holds additional mid-week rehearsals in preparation for special services. All adults who enjoy singing are invited to join the choir.
Youth Group (Grades 7-12)
Our youth group is for those in 7th through 12th grades. It generally meets the third Sunday of each month at 6 p.m. at the church. The teens have dinner together, pray, read from the Bible, take some time for journaling and reflection, and play board games. Each month is slightly different—come check us out!
Children’s Sunday School
Preschool through grade 6 children meet at 10:30 a.m. to learn Bible stories, learn about the Episcopal church and do activities and crafts. Twice a month, children participate in "childrens' chapel," a simplified version of the adult service. Older children have the option of processing in as acolytes in training, and then re-joining the church school class and leading them in when they all return. They may also explore opportunities to read, assist the altar guild, serve as ushers and greeters – and plan other events outside of church.
Adult Education
From September through May, adults gather at 9:00 am to study and discuss a book or film series, chosen by the group. Adults may also participate in weekly lectionary study or in diocesan-wide online study groups, such as the Zoom Episcopal 101 series offered by the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane.
Coffee Hour
Members of the congregation gather together in the Parish Hall after the 10:30 service (after 9:00 am service in summer) for conversation and refreshments. Our long-standing tradition of Coffee Hour celebrations is fundamental to the St. James' community. This time enables us to get to know newcomers and visitors and to check in and catch up with each other informally over coffee, tea, and treats. Our Coffee Hours are hosted by volunteers from the congregation.
Men’s Breakfast
St James' Men's Breakfast meets on Wednesday, 7:30 am, at Zoe's (located at the intersection of Stadium Way and the Moscow-Pullman Highway). All are invited to join this midweek opportunity for food and fellowship.
Sinner’s Dinners
These shared meals bring light to the winter months. Occurring on or around the 4th Saturdays of January, February, and March, parishioners sign up to host and/or participate in shared meals and convivial conversation. Most who sign up will host one of the meals, but those who cannot host are also welcome to participate.
Creation Care
St. James', in concert with diocesan efforts to practice environmental stewardship of and care for creation, is actively engaged in a multi-year process of designing, planting, and caring for landscaping that is drought-tolerant, showcases the beauty of native plants, and welcomes all who see and use our property. Parishioners have opportunities to help plant and care for our gardens, as well as to enjoy them as places for rest, reflection, prayer, and conversation.
Annual Parish Picnic
We gather towards the end of July at a local park to worship outdoors and picnic together to celebrate the liturgical feast day of St. James, our patron saint. James and his brother John were nicknamed the "Sons of Thunder." Ironically, we've avoided thunder during our outdoor celebrations, but we've sometimes been called upon to remember our baptisms when the sprinklers go off.
Justice and Compassion Committee (JCC):
This committee provides a forum for exploration and implementation of outreach activities that enable us to provide assistance to, and advocate for, people in need, locally and globally. The committee serves as a point of contact for members when they have ideas or concerns; we provide support to each other for the work that we are doing; and we coordinate fundraising efforts to provide much needed resources for these outreach activities.
Backpack Food Program
We provide weekend food bags on a biweekly basis to children enrolled in the Community Child Care Center who may be at risk for food insecurity.
Family Promise on the Palouse
At least 4 times a year, volunteers from St. James provide support to homeless families enrolled in this program in the form of meals and other hosting responsibilities.
Little Food Pantry
The pantry is located near the edge of the lower parking lot. St. James' parishioners and community members donate food to the pantry, available to any in need at any time.
L’Eìcole de l’Eìpiphanie, in Loranette, Haiti (Epiphany School):
St. James’ partners with St. Bartholomew’s, in Poway, CA to provide support to this Episcopal Diocese of Haiti school. Funds help purchase books and other supplies, food, and/or teacher and staff salaries.
Community Action Center Food Bank
St. James' parishioners can conveniently donate to this foodbank by placing food items (especially those advertised in the weekly bulletin as especially needed) and/or funds in the grocery cart in the church narthex.
Camp Cross
Located on Lake Coeur d'Alene, is a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane. Generations of St. James' members have been blessed by time at Camp (including youth sessions, adult and family sessions, or serving on staff), where we "play, learn, and pray with one another in this holy, transformational space." St. James provides camperships so that our youth can attend summer camp.
Lo Que Haya
Spanish for "bring what you have" is a monthly evening potluck attended by St. James' parishioners interested in sharing food and fellowship and saying Compline together on a monthly basis. Each potluck is very loosely organized around a theme (i.e."Mediterranean food" or "Family Favorites") and is either hosted in a participant's home or is hosted by a participant in the church parish hall. Lo Que Haya has been in existence at St. James for decades and new participants are always welcome.