St. James not what it used to be

Friends, it is with great sorrow that I read the reports of the

members’ disloyalty to St. James Episcopal Church, Newport Beach, and

Bishop J. Jon Bruno.

In 1961, soon after moving to this area, I was confirmed at St.

James (along with several other people whom you would recognize if I

mentioned their names) by Bishop Eric Bloy of Los Angeles.

It is incomprehensible to me that these new people are trying to

“take over” the church. The Rev. Praveen Bunyan was called to St.

James only a little over a year ago, and now he thinks he owns that

very valuable piece of property on Lido Island. He does not.

In those early days, St. James sponsored and began the mission in

Corona del Mar (now St. Michaels and All Angels Episcopal Church),

and also St. Wilfred’s Episcopal Church in Huntington Beach. St.

Michaels, and Harbor Day School (Episcopal) was started on the

property now housing the Oasis Senior Center. The Rev. Ed Allen was

leader of both, along with the rector of St. James Episcopal Church.

I am sure Frank Trane remembers those times. When we called a new

rector, The Rev. John Ashey, he brought us, also, the Rev. David

Crump, and this is when our church began to change. The 11 o’clock

service became the “Charismatic” one with “speaking in tongues,” and

far-out practices more associated with bible-thumping Baptists than

Episcopalians.

Many of the “Old Guard” left St. James and moved on to St.

Matthews, Santa Ana, or St. Michaels in Corona del Mar, where we

recognized our church, and the services we were used to. I am sorry

that we did that. If we had stayed and fought for the church as we

knew it, St. James perhaps would not be in this mess today.

We all loved the processional, and the incense, and the Common

Book of Prayer -- first the 1928 version and then the newer Rite One

and, I think, then Rite Two (I am not as familiar with those, but I

can still recite a lot of the 1928 book from memory). We were active

in guilds, Sunday school and Episcopal summer school.

We held art shows, and even had an Episcopal bookstore in the

Parish Hall, operatedby volunteers after services. We had a wonderful

“Couples Club,” which sponsored trips for the Episcopal Children’s

Home, and brought them to the beach every summer for a lovely day and

picnic. Then, we collected what we called “A Book and a Buck for a

Bus,” in order to buy a bus for those kids. We never made enough for

a real bus, but we bought a station wagon, which helped. At one time

we even painted the Parish Hall kitchen ourselves. All the friends I

ever made in Newport Beach I met at St. James Episcopal Church, and

they are still my friends, and many are leaders of the community.

I could continue for many pages, but those of you who were of that

time will remember, and weep for St. James today, I’m sure, as I do.

I don’t really understand how there could be a member list of 1,200.

The vote to “break away” was 280 to 12. Where is the rest of the

congregation? Did only the 11 o’clock service get to vote? Who are

you guys, and how dare you challenge your bishop?

PATRICIA CREAMER LILLEGRAVEN

Balboa Island