Sunday Mornings: St. James Downtown- 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m. & 11:15 a.m.; More

  25 S. 3rd Street, Wilmington, NC 28401  ·   910.763.1628  ·       Give & Realm

St. James Parish
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St. James Parish History

St. James ParishSt. James Parish was established in 1729 when the North Carolina General Assembly passed an act establishing “New Hanover Precinct”, which included a “separate and district parish by the name of St. James.” As such, the parish was an official establishment of the Church of England within the New Hanover Precinct in those pre-revolutionary days. Church services were originally held in the courthouse located at the intersection of Front and Market Streets.

Erection of the first building was authorized in 1751 on land already set aside for the church. The modest church structure, eventually completed in 1770, was located along Market Street (actually partially extending into Market Street) between 3rd and 4th Streets (near the present Parish House). The building was used until March 1839 when it was demolished.

During the Revolutionary War in 1781, Wilmington was occupied by British soldiers under the command of General Charles Cornwallis. The St. James church building was turned into a stable, perhaps on the assumption that the property was owned by the Crown of England and therefore available as a resource for war needs.

Bricks from the first building (which had probably been manufactured at the site of the original construction) were used for the construction of the present church building which was completed and consecrated on March 29, 1840. The new building was designed in “a simple, academic Gothic Revival style” by Thomas U. Walter, a Philadelphia architect who is best known for his design of the Capitol expansion in Washington DC in the 1850s which included the House and Senate wings as well as the Capitol dome. Because the church had no central heating, the pews were enclosed by doors and hinges which were later removed in 1884.

In February 1865, Union forces entered Wilmington near the end of the Civil War. The church building of St. James was seized and church services were halted; pews were removed from the church and it was used as a hospital. In the summer of 1865, the church was returned to the congregation and repairs were completed in time to allow the resumption of services on December 8, 1865. It was not until 1905 that the parish received compensation from the Federal government, in the amount of about $3,000, for the damages that had been done to the church in 1865.

img-4696_468In 1871, the ceiling of the nave and the roof of the church required major repairs; the repairs included replacing the arched plaster ceiling with a gabled ceiling featuring oak hammer beams. In 1885, the chancel (altar) area of the church was expanded and the south transept was added; the architect was Henry Dudley of New York City. In 1889, the galleries along the sides of the nave were removed, but the rear gallery was maintained and now serves as the choir loft.

In 1891, the lower walls of the nave were wainscoted to match the transept; and in 1892, Silas McBee of Sewanee Tennessee completed carvings for the main altar and reredos of the church.

In 1966 the organ and organ pipes were moved from the chancel area to the balcony. This required alterations to the cancel and allowed the Murchison-Curtis Chapel to be built where the organ pipes had been housed. The Church Tower was determined to be unstable and in 2010 and it was completely restored. The entire interior of the Church was renovated and restored in 2012.

In 1892, the Bridgers Memorial Building was completed, honoring Robert R. Bridgers, a prominent citizen of Wilmington who had been a member of the North Carolina General Assembly. The Bridgers Building is located behind and to the south side of the church building, containing classrooms. This building replaced a much older building, known as Society Hall of the Women’s Working Association, built in 1834. In 1912, a cloister was added linking the Bridgers Building and the church.

In 1923-24, the Parish House was built behind the church, providing a spacious parish hall (the “Great Hall”) and classrooms for St. James and featuring a beautiful tower similar in design to the church tower. The Parish House was designed by Hobart Upjohn, a noted New York church architect who designed a number of buildings in North Carolina, including First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington (1927-28). Hobart Upjohn was the grandson of Richard Upjohn, the architect of the Trinity Church on Wall Street in New York City (1847) as well as Christ Church on Capitol Square in Raleigh (1848).

In May 1941, months before Pearl Harbor Day, preparations were made in Wilmington to welcome soldiers to local churches. St. James provided space in the Parish House basement so that soldiers could spend Saturday nights in town. The U.S. Army provided cots and blankets. On Sunday mornings, the service men “packed the pews”; and after the service, parishioners hosted them for Sunday dinner.

The Parish House welcomed the first Head Start program for children in the 1960's and housed the Elderhaus Day Program in the 1980's.

For a period of approximately 10 years, beginning in the 1980s, St. James provided a shelter for homeless people in the basement of the Parish House. The shelter and related ministries were maintained at the parish until they became part of the Good Shepherd Center in Wilmington. St. James has continued to support the ministry of the Good Shepherd Center since that transition, most recently providing major support for the construction of affordable, permanent housing for previously homeless persons, located at Greenfield Lake in Wilmington.

In 1955-56, Milton Hall (containing classrooms and an assembly hall) was built, designed by Charles H. Boney of the Leslie N. Boney firm in Wilmington, and located adjacent to and connected to the south side of the Bridgers Memorial Building. Cloisters were also added linking Milton Hall with other structures on the church grounds. The cloister design was inspired by the famous cloisters at Salisbury Cathedral in England. Milton Hall was named for the Rev. Dr. William H. Milton, a much-respected rector of St. James from 1909 to 1936 who also was a prominent member of the National Council of the Episcopal Church.

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In 1955, the former Donald MacRae House at the corner of Dock and 3rd Streets was acquired by the parish. This house, originally built in 1901, was designed by the renowned architect Henry Bacon, best known for designing the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. This house was completely renovated in 2011, renamed and dedicated to the memory of Ann Moore Bacon, whose sons had made a generous gift for the renovation. The Bacon House now houses the parish offices.

In the late 1990s, St. James Parish acquired the property located at the corner of Dock and 4th Streets which had been previously owned and utilized by the Wilmington Fire Department. With this acquisition, the parish then owned an entire city block bounded by 3rd, Market, 4th and Dock Streets. A new, multipurpose hall was built on the site and dedicated on Palm Sunday 2000. The structure was named in memory of Marie and Albert Perry, whose children had made a generous gift for the new building.

The parish grounds also include a graveyard, going back to the earliest days of the parish. In 1964, a cloister garden was donated by Rachel Cameron Camp as a children’s garden, located adjacent to Milton Hall and the entrance to the Parish House. And in 1984, the St. Francis Memorial Garden was dedicated, located between the church and the Parish House, providing a sacred area where parishioners’ ashes are buried. The garden was given by Mrs. William M. Shaw in memory of her husband. The two large trees in the “front yard” of St. James are cedrus deodara (Himalayan cedar) trees which were planted in 1850 by parishioner Elizabeth Cassidey.

Mt. Lebanon Chapel

Another important parish structure, Mt. Lebanon Chapel, is located several miles from the downtown church grounds, off Oleander Drive on Airlie Rd., adjacent to Airlie Gardens and close to Wrightsville Sound. Mt. Lebanon Chapel is a simple, rustic chapel, open to the wooded area surrounding it. It was originally built in 1835 to serve parishioners and others vacationing at the beach who could not otherwise complete the several-hour trip into town and back in order to attend church. The chapel was named by the original owner of the land on which it is situated.

Judge Joshua G. Wright, for whom Wrightsville Beach is named, chose the name “Mt. Lebanon” because of the many cedar trees which reminded the Wright family of the fabled cedars of Lebanon from Old Testament history.

The property on which Mt. Lebanon Chapel is situated was later donated to the parish in 1875. Over the many years since then, the chapel has been maintained by St. James Parish, with several major renovations; and today the chapel offers a welcome location for summer chapel services, weddings, and other special events.

Throughout the years since its founding in 1729, St. James has been blessed with loyal parishioners and dedicated clergy who have led the parish through difficult as well as prosperous times, always remembering that the church must serve not only its members, but those within the community of Wilmington and beyond.

The history of St. James Parish is well documented in a fine book by noted local historian, Susan Taylor Block, who is a member of our parish. Copies of Temple of Our Fathers (published by ARTSPEAKS in 2004), may be purchased at our parish gift shop.

A dedicated archivist at St. James Parish, the late Leora Hiatt McEachern, has also written a History of St. James Parish, 1729 – 1979, completed in 1985 with the assistance of Bill Reaves, containing many interesting details of the history of the parish and its rectors.

Extensive historical information about St. James is also contained in Wilmington, North Carolina: An Architectural and Historical Portrait, Tony P. Wrenn and William Edmund Barrett (Univ. of Virginia Press, 1984; see pp. 78 - 82).

We would also like to acknowledge the work of the late Edward F. Turberg (1939 – 2018), a beloved parishioner and noted architectural historian, who reviewed and edited this brief history and who generously gave of his time to conduct tours of St. James for parishioners, visitors, and newcomers.


Historic St. James Graveyard

Introduction to Colonial Wilmington


1757


The Market Street gate into the graveyard today is very close to where the west door of the first St. James Church opened directly into the nave. One entered under the gallery, where the choir sat, just as one enters the present church, looking east up the aisle to the reading desk and pulpit.

The curb here is the best place to l…

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St. James Parish Foundation

Give a gift to The St. James Parish Foundation to leave a lasting legacy.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE


Our Mission
The St. James Parish Foundation was established in 2003 with the mission of supporting the needs of St. James Parish’s historic church campus in perpetuity. The Foundation supports its mission by providing financial contributions, generously donated to the Parish, throu…
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Mt. Lebanon Chapel

Mt. Lebanon Chapel welcomes all who would worship here. We urge all who enter to spend a moment of quiet surrounded by the peace of God which passeth all understanding.

DONATE TO MT. LEBANON CHAPEL - LEGACY FOR LEBANON

HISTORY

In the early 1830s, Dr. Thomas Henry Wright conceived the idea to build Mt. Lebanon Chapel. The chapel was to serve those members of St. James…

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Filmed at St. James Parish

Wilmington's unique history with the film industry has led to St. James and Mt. Lebanon Chapel being featured in several tv shows and feature films! Here are a few you might recognize. The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (2022) Film...
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St. James Parish
25 S. Third Street
Wilmington, NC 28401

Phone: 910.763.1628

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Thursday;
8:30 am to 1:30 pm on Friday.

Disclaimer


ST. JAMES PARISH

St. James Mission Statement: To welcome all to grow in love of God and neighbor.

St. James Vision Statement: To build community through ministries that strengthen our faith.

  • 8:00 AM: Worship at St. James Parish- Holy Eucharist Rite I
  • 9:00 AM: Worship at St. James Parish- Holy Eucharist Rite II & Online Worship
  • 10:10 AM: Faith Formation & Sunday School Hour
  • 11:15 AM: Worship at St. James Parish- Holy Eucharist Rite II & Online Worship

Click here for service descriptions and more info

Click here to request room/space use at St. James


© 2023 St. James Episcopal Church. All Rights Reserved

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St. James Day School

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St. James Episcopal Church is a member parish in the Diocese of Eastern North Carolina. We welcome everyone who wishes to attend our services and events.

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Service Times


St. James Parish

Welcome Sunday

  • 8:00 AM: Worship at St. James Parish- Holy Eucharist Rite I
  • 9:00 AM: Worship at St. James Parish- Holy Eucharist Rite II & Online Worship
  • 10:10 AM: Faith Formation & Sunday School Hour
  • 11:15 AM: Worship at St. James Parish- Holy Eucharist Rite II & Online Worship

Click here for service descriptions and more info

Location

St. James Parish
25 S. 3rd Street
Wilmington, NC 28401

Contact Us
910.763.1628

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Wwe have three services, 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. The 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m services are also available via livestream.

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Welcome Children Service Times Location Membership

We extend a sincere welcome to you and we hope you will come and find your place at St. James. We have long been an active, working church with parishioners who play a vital role in parish ministries and community life. The range of St. James' ministries is as broad as the interests of its members.

Christian Formation for children endeavors to support and supplement the family's efforts to raise children as followers of Christ. Children's Formation includes Sunday classes as well as seasonal festivals and intergenerational events. Preschool ages 2 to 5 years, and grades 1 through 5 use a lectionary-based curriculum enhanced with art and music. Middle school classes include confirmation preparation and current event issues. Senior high classes engage in weekly Bible study from a young person's perspective.

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Sunday Services

On Sunday, we will be offering the following services:

  • 8:00 AM: Worship at St. James Parish- Holy Eucharist Rite I
  • 9:00 AM: Worship at St. James Parish- Holy Eucharist Rite II
  • 10:10 AM: Faith Formation & Sunday School Hour
  • 11:15 AM: Worship at St. James Parish- Holy Eucharist Rite II

Wednesday Eucharist

Holy Eucharist Rite II - 12:10 p.m.

Click here for service descriptions and more info

St. James Parish occupies a full city block in downtown Wilmington, surrounded by Market St., 3rd Street, Dock Street, and 4th Street. Parking is available through the week and on Sundays on Market, 3rd, Dock and 4th Streets, adjacent to the church. Although the street parking is free, please note that on weekdays, parking on Market, 3rd and 4th Streets (other than the block of 4th Street behind the church property) is restricted to 2 hours, after which parking fines may be imposed by the City of Wilmington.

Maps & Directions

Membership at St. James, as with any other Episcopal parish, is governed by Canonical requirements of the Episcopal Church. It begins with the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, it continues with confirmation or reception by a bishop of the Episcopal Church, and it is maintained through a continuing commitment to the mission and ministries of the local parish.

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Make a Donation Stewardship 2022 St. James Foundation Realm

Thank you for supporting the mission and ministry of St. James Parish! For more information see our give page. To give a gift now, click the button below. To pledge, please login to Realm and follow the instructions in this video. Let us move Forward Together with Joy, Gratitude, and Generosity!


Give Now
On behalf of the wardens and vestry of St. James Parish, we want to thank you for being a part of the Community of St. James. The contributions and the faithful ministries of all who served in various capacities across our parish have helped this parish to fulfill the mission and ministry to which we are called. Let us move Forward Together with Joy, Gratitude, and Generosity!
Make a Pledge

The St. James Parish Foundation was established in 2003 with the mission of supporting the needs of St. James Parish’s wonderful and historic church campus in perpetuity. The Foundation supports its mission by providing financial contributions to the Parish through targeted distributions for capital or specific campaign-related needs. Those contributions are through the assets that have been so generously donated to St. James Parish over the years by its’ congregation. You can easily donate online! Donate Online Here


Learn more about the St. James Foundation

Access your giving history and discover your St. James Parish community. Visit our Realm Help Page or contact our financial administrator, Maria Hollopeter, if you have any questions.

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