The Episcopal Church was establishing a presence in the Northwest at about the same time that Pullman was growing into a community of note — and there was community interest in seeing an Episcopal church established in Pullman.

On October 29th, 1891, the first Bishop of the Washington Territory, The Rt. Rev. John Paddock, was invited to Pullman. A well attended service was held on October 30th and Bishop Paddock gave his consent the next day to the formation of a mission at Pullman. St. Katherine’s Mission was built shortly thereafter, the first Baptism at the church taking place on March 19, 1892. The original St. Katherine’s Mission building, if it existed today, would be about 20 feet in the air above the westbound lanes of Davis Way about in line with State Street.

St. Katherine’s endured a rocky few years. Staffing problems, indebtedness, and fluctuating membership plagued the young church until, in 1901, it was announced at the annual Convocation that the Trustees of the Jurisdiction had turned the deed to the church over to the commission which held the mortgage. The historical record is a bit sketchy for a few years, but it seems that in 1902 things were on an upswing for the Episcopal Church in Pullman. It appears this was due mostly to the arrival in the Pullman/Moscow area of Rev. Frederick C. Williams, then a deacon (he was ordained to the priesthood on May 10, 1903). Again, the record is hazy, but at some time in 1903 (June is the best estimate) the name of the church in Pullman was changed from St. Katherine’s to St. James.

The "new" St. James Church did pretty well for the next several years: energetic leadership, increasing membership and the natural growth of the community all playing a part in the success. In 1912, the Rev. John Robinson (priest at St. James since 1910), announced to the twentieth annual Convocation that “… the Church has become too small for the congregation…” and that a new, larger church was to be built on a site at Ruby and Oak Streets. The first services were held at the new church on December 8, 1912. The community and college continued to grow. A world war, a great depression, and another world war came and went. St. James Church grew apace and helped when and where it could during those years.

By 1952 it was becoming evident that new facilities would be needed if the Church were to continue to meet the needs of the growing community. Construction of the new, Stadium Way building commenced in 1955 and the first service was held in 1956. The “new” St. James Episcopal church was consecrated by Bishop Russell S. Hubbard on May 22, 1957.

As in the larger society, the 1960s brought upheaval to St. James, particularly in relationship between the rector/parish and college chaplain/ministry, between tradition and activism. Even so, the present rectory was built, and St. James moved from mission to parish status. In 1975, Rev. Armand Larive began his quarter-century tenure as priest at St. James, bringing forth gifts of creativity and inclusiveness. The church facility was enhanced with construction of the Nave and east-office wing in the late 1990s. The St. James Arts & Crafts Fair was a big part of these years, raising more than $100,000 for community outreach projects over forty years.

Rev. Mary Beth Rivetti was called to serve as rector of St. James in 2003, and she retired at the end of February 2016 after 13 years of faithful service. Her leadership, partnered with the active involvement of many gifted lay persons, nurtured new energy in the parish.

In September 2016, Rev. Linda Young became rector of St. James. During her time as rector, St. James celebrated its 125th anniversary, adjusted to the COVID pandemic and staged the Icons in Transformation exhibit—an “all hands on deck” event.

St. James now seeks a rector to walk with us as we approach 135 years in Pullman.