In the Spirit

Address: 3209 Via Lido, Newport Beach

Phone: (949) 675-0210

Year established: 1946

Christmas Eve services: 4 p.m.: Children’s service and pageant with

choirs, Holy Communion; 7 p.m.: Christmas concert with the Saint James

Chamber Singers; 7:30 p.m.: Sermon, Holy Communion, choir; 10 p.m.:

Christmas concert with the Saint James Chancel Choir; 11 p.m.: Sermon, Holy Communion, incense, choir.

Christmas Day service: 10 a.m.: Sermon, Holy Communion.

Regular services times: Sunday at 7:30 a.m., traditional service; 9 a.m.,

contemporary service; 10:45 a.m., praise and worship service. All

services have sermon and Holy Communion. Wednesday at noon, contemporary

service with homily and Holy Communion.

Senior pastor: The Rev. Canon David C. Anderson Sr.

Pastoral staff: The Rev. Richard Menees, associate for pastoral care; The

Rev. David P. Comegys, assisting; The Rev. Deacon Tom Larkin; The Rev.

Deacon Kathleen Adams; Cathie P. Young, director of spiritual equipping

and director of renewal worship; Marian M. Michaels, director of finance;

Cynthia A. Drennan, administrator; Karen Bro, director of communications;

Cindy Tupy, director of youth and children’s ministries; Carol Caudill,

assistant of parish ministries; Suzy McKay, receptionist; Sharon

Pressnall, receptionist; Zach Halop, choirmaster; Janice Massatt,

organist; Hunter Foster, sexton.

Size of congregation: 1,200

Makeup of congregation: A mix of ages and of singles and married couples,

couples with young and grown children, and retired couples.

Child care: Sunday school for children meets at 9 a.m. An adult forum,

called Trane Hall Teachings, meets in clusters of 4 to 5 mini-classes at

9 a.m. Nursery care for infants through age 3 at 9 and 10:45 a.m.

Type of worship: Varies among the Sunday morning services. The 7:30 a.m.

service is a traditional service using Rite I from the 1979 Book of

Common Prayer with music provided by the Saint James Chamber Singers,

accompanied by the organist. The 9 a.m. service is a contemporary service

using Rite II from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer with music provided by

the Saint James Chancel Choir, accompanied by the organist. The 10:45

a.m. service is the most contemporary and informal worship service with

musical accompaniment including guitars, dulcimer, bass, conga drums,

flute and other instruments this service lasts about two hours. Personal

prayer ministry is available following each service.

Type of sermon: Based on the Scripture reading for Sunday. The style

varies depending on who is preaching.

Recent sermon: The Lamb Story -- a sermon that drew on scripture readings

in the Gospel of Luke chapter 10 about the role of Jesus as good shepherd

and also as the lamb of God, all as experienced through a story on sheep

ranching in Montana.

Welcome wagon: During the announcement portion of the service, visitors

are welcomed and are given a carnation. Visitors are encouraged to fill

out an information card so that a member of the church’s welcoming

ministry can contact them about their interests and/or needs. Visitors

are mailed a series of church newsletters. A four-week class for new

members is held periodically throughout the year and covers these topics:

1) Saint James history, core beliefs, vision, mission and values; 2)

Episcopal Church history, church polity; 3) Meeting the leadership,

ministry opportunities; 4) Leadership and ministry philosophy; the

traditions that make us unique; how to join the parish family.

Outreach programs: The church is involved in myriad programs that reach

out to minister locally, nationally and globally. Locally the parish

supports FISH-Harbor Area, ESA, the Orange County Rescue Mission and has

a worship service ministry at both Chino prison and Costa Neuporte

convalescent hospital in Costa Mesa.

Church design: Saint James Church completed its new office and parish

hall complex in July 1996. A capital campaign to construct a new church

will commence shortly. The challenge is how to rebuild a larger worship

area but retain the warmth and intimate spiritual feeling present in the

existing worship area.

Mission statement: Saint James is a community devoted to loving Jesus

Christ and serving him as Lord and savior.

Core values: In loving Jesus Christ and serving him, we are committed to:

Live a life of worship and prayer; uphold Holy Scripture through

teaching, preaching and study; honor Christian marriage and godly

singleness; raise our children to love Jesus Christ and serve him; move

in the power of the Holy Spirit, receiving his gifts for ministry love

and care for one another through fellowship, nurture and God’s healing

power; share Jesus Christ through witness, testimony, evangelism and

mission; acknowledge spiritual authority through apostolic order and

apostolic experience; glorify God through faithful stewardship of His

provision.

Vision statement: The vision of Saint James Church is to make disciples

for Jesus Christ, equipping them for ministry. We desire to: Embrace

God’s word as the authority for life; move as a people to a higher level

of spiritual maturity; go forward in the power of the Holy Spirit as

loving and effective ambassadors of reconciliation and transformation to

one another, our community, our denomination and the world.

Interesting note: The people of Saint James truly enjoy worship. The

church’s three distinct services provide three options in worship

settings to be energized by the Holy Spirit for service and mission. Many

of the people of Saint James are involved in mission of some kind.

Final note: The community is invited to attend FMY2K, the first mass

celebration of the year 2000 at Saint James on Dec. 31 at midnight. This

worship service will include organ, sermon and Holy Communion.-- Compiled

by Michele M. Marr