General Protestant Cemetery – Monday, July 20, 2026 at 7 pm.
Memorial Gardens Cemetery – Monday, July 27, 2026 at 7 pm.
Please note in the event of inclement weather the services will move to ahead to 7 pm the next evening.
The Bridges to Hope annual general meeting will be held on Thursday, June 18th at First United Church, located at 221 Park Avenue, Mount Pearl. The meeting will begin at 7 pm, and is open to members of the corporation, volunteers, clients, ministers of member churches, and any and all interested parties. Only board directors and identified voting delegates from member churches are permitted to vote on any motions. Thank you for your continued support of Bridges to Hope!
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.
Video of Pamela Norman’s Announcement HereWhat’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 .
Download Message to the Congregation Download Questions & AnswersPlease 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.
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, 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:
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.
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
330 Elizabeth Avenue
St. John’s, NL Canada
A1B 1T9
Phone: 709.722.1881
URL: http://www.stjamesuc.org