About Us
Who We Are
St. James’s is a community drawn together by our love of God and our desire to serve Christ in the world. We pray together, work together, learn, laugh, and sing together. We try every day to share a little bit of God’s love with our hurting world.
We are a church committed to being Doers of the Word—both for the larger world and those in need in our own city. We’re active, inclusive, curious, faithful, compassionate, and welcoming. If all of that sounds like a place you’d like to be, we’d love to meet you.
As Episcopalians
St. James’s Episcopal Church is part of the Diocese of Virginia, one of the oldest and largest dioceses in the Episcopal Church. Our diocese includes 68,000 baptized members in 173 congregations in central, northern, and northwestern Virginia. It is one of three Episcopal dioceses in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the others being the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia (based in Roanoke) and the Diocese of Southern Virginia (based in Norfolk).
The Episcopal Church, including St. James’s, is welcoming, curious, and open to the future, which can feel to some people like our beliefs are fluid. A more accurate description is that we have a very clear and firm set of foundational beliefs, but we also respect new ideas that are extensions of those long-held beliefs.
The Catechism found in the back of the Book of Common Prayer (pp. 845-862) helps teach the foundational truths of the Christian faith.
“The Creeds are statements of our basic beliefs about God” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 851).
The Book of Common Prayer is a treasure chest full of devotional and teaching resources for individuals and congregations, but it is also the primary symbol of our unity. We, who are many and diverse, come together in Christ through our worship, our common prayer.
Our Community
We are an urban parish in the heart of the Fan of Richmond, Virginia.
We are curious about what God is up to in our midst, at St. James’s, and in Richmond.
With Children and Youth Ministries that are bursting at the seams.
We are dedicated to being Doers of the Word, and Not Just Hearers.
We are a place for those raising a young family, navigating a career change, or enjoying their retirement years.
While we are a large congregation, there is a niche for everyone to find peers and friends.
We are a nearly 200-year-old historic parish, but one where the Spirit is alive and well.
With soaring hymns, an inspiring sanctuary, and children gathered around the altar—what we do on Sunday mornings, feeds our souls.