News

Sunday Worship – February 22nd 2026

Holy Week Services

Holy Monday Service – March 30, 2026 7:30 pm Location to be determined

Holy Tuesday Service – March 31, 2026 7:30 pm Location to be determined

Spy Wednesday Service – April 1, 2026 7:00 pm at Memorial United Church, Portugal Cove

Maundy Thursday Service – April 2, 2026 7:30 pm at Cowan Heights United Church

Good Friday Seven Words Service – April 3, 2026 12:00 pm Noon at Wesley United Church

Good Friday Evening Service – April 3, 2026 7:00 pm at St. James United Church

Easter Eve (Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil) – April 4, 2026 8:00 pm at St. James United Church

Announcing “Our Next Chapter”: A Journey to Shape Our Future Together. Letter from the St. James Church Board 2025 plus Questions & Answers

Announcing “Our Next Chapter”: A Journey to Shape Our Future Together

On Sunday, October 19, 2025, during our worship service, Board Chair Pamela Norman made a significant announcement about the future of St. James United Church.

We are thrilled to officially launch “Our Next Chapter,” a new strategic planning initiative. This is not a pre-determined plan, but the beginning of a sacred journey. It is a process for our entire community to prayerfully and intentionally listen, dream, and gather the wisdom needed to inform our future direction.

This initiative echoes the vision of our founders 65 years ago, and it is now our turn to plan for the next 25 years of ministry.

Watch the Full Announcement

We invite you to watch the full announcement from our Board Chair to hear more about this hopeful process.

What’s Next? The Listening Phase

This announcement kicks off the most important part of this initiative: The Listening Phase.

Beginning next week, we will be launching a broad consultation process to hear from everyone who has an interest in the ministry at St. James. Our goal is to prayerfully listen to our congregation, partners, and the wider community to understand their hopes and identify key needs.

We will be inviting participation through congregational workshops, stakeholder meetings, online surveys, an your voice is essential. We invite you to review the “Message to the Congregation” and the “Q&A” documents that were shared on Sunday.

This is just the beginning. Please check this page for updates, and get ready to share your ideas.

For any questions, you can reach the Strategic Planning Committee at .

Video: United Church of Canada 100th Anniversary Hymn Festival

Please enjoy this video presentation of the United Church of Canada 100th Anniversary Hymn Festival which took place on Sunday, June 29, 2025 at St. James United Church.

CBC Radio Story on St. James United Church

Click Here for the CBC Radio Story

The Story begins at the 29 minute mark. (Please note, the program is in French)

Silent Vigils for Peace

Silent Vigils for Peace, Wednesday, December 11 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm:

Beginning on Wednesday, December 11, St. James will be hosting a monthly silent vigil for peace. Given the many conflicts in our world, especially as we enter the second year of the war between Israel and Hamas, we all need a place to just sit together in prayer.

This is to be a no-taking-sides event, and so we ask people not to bring signs, or wear clothes with slogans, or to engage in conversation about one issue or another. This is a place of silent solidarity with all the people who are suffering because of our addiction to aggression and violence, seen especially in the bloodshed and destruction in Gaza, in the ongoing captivity of hostages from Israel, in war and violence in other places in our world. Let’s come together and prayerfully hold the world in love and a desire for peace.

Alternative Worship Services

Alternative Worship Services:

In addition to our Sunday morning worship service, there are a number of other opportunities to gather for prayer and reflection at St. James United Church.

First and Third Sunday of the month at 7:30 pm: Inside-OUT

This time of reflection and discussion is unapologetically 2SLGBTQI+ focused, a space for people who identify as Queer to explore spirituality without having to censor themselves. This service is open to people of all faith traditions and none. It concludes with a time of socializing.

First Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm: Taizé Prayer

Based on the prayer tradition of the interchurch monastery in Taizé, France that is frequented by young people from all over the world, this reflective service uses chants, readings and periods of silence. The music is sung in many languages, repeating simple phrases from the Psalms and other Bible readings.

Second Saturday at 5:30 pm: Tapestry

Beginning with a potluck at 5:30 pm, this service celebrates the strands that make us who we are in terms of faith, experience, and identity. Based on a theme, the service makes use of popular music as its “hymnbook”. Participants are invited to bring a text or other media that represents the theme. Time is given for individual and shared reflection.

Fourth Sunday: Wild Light Spiritual Oasis (3 pm, locations vary – Generally the fourth Sunday of the month with some variation based on seasons and weather.)

This outdoor experience is not church outside but a time to seek connection with God in nature, often with a time of individual “wandering”, following an initial gathering as a group. Locations are chosen based on the time of year and participants are asked to dress for the weather.

God’s Love is for All – A Message from First Dawn Eastern Edge Regional Council

Dear Members of Regional Council,
With hate-motivated acts of violence on the raise and with Thursday’s hate-motived stabbing in a course on gender issues at the University of Waterloo, it reminds us that we need to be open and vocal that God’s love is for all.
With that in mind we would like to share this video that was released this week. We encourage you to share the video as widely as possible. Below is an introductory paragraph to the video along with the link.

How does God feel about Queer People? The 2SLGBTQ Clergy steering committee asked ministers from denominations all over Canada to find out. Here’s what they said: God loves Queer People. The idea that all Canadian churches are hostile to the queer community is simply false, as these ministers and Moderators of the major denominations make clear. So, what can you do? Contact your local politicians and let them know you do not condone hatred against queer people. Share it on social media and post this video to your church website. Let the world know that God is love, and God loves people of all sexualities and genders.

Video link

Prayer
We take a breath today God, wondering when the hate will turn to love, when fear will turn to acceptance. We remember the professor and the two students who were stabbed during their gender studies class at the University of Waterloo may you surround them with your healing love. We pray for those in the class who witnessed the violence. Help us to be advocates of peace and justice and to listen as people speak their truth.
Help us God to boldly share your love, acceptance, understanding and grace for all.
Amen

Leona Laundry
First Dawn Eastern Edge Regional Council

Church Office Hours

Effective on Monday, December 5th the office hours will be 8:30AM to 1:30PM Tuesday to Friday.

Due to this change, the deadline for announcements, dedications, and donations is now Wednesday at 9 AM.

Items received after this time will be included in the following weeks’ bulletin.

St. James United Church paints main entrance stairs in colours of Progressive Pride Flag

In a display of solidary with the 2SLGBTQ+ community, St. James United Church has painted the stairs to their main entrance the colour of the Progressive Pride Flag.

To learn more about Affirm United, please visit: affirmunited.ause.ca