About Us

St. James is a community which warmly invites and welcomes others regardless of their faith background. Nationally, 60% of adult members of the Episcopal Church have their roots in some other Christian tradition before having found a home in the Episcopal Church! We welcome you to be amongst us any Sunday morning, and to participate as fully as you wish in our service, even to receive Holy Communion.

We welcome you to any and all of our services or activities listed on this Web site and we encourage you to get in contact with us through our phone number, address, website, or to visit the Parish Office if we can assist you in any way.

St. James Church welcomes families. We have a comfortable space geared for children, outfitted with carpet and pillows,  allowing crawling and sprawling by children.  This is provided in the back of the church. We hope that this special space will allow children and parents to be comfortable while they worship. Parents and young children are encouraged to use this space during the worship service.

May God richly bless you in your spiritual journey, and may God bless us all with peace in our homes and abroad in 2011!

How to Find St. James

One block west of Central Square (Main St) @ 44 West Street Keene, NH 03431-3307

 

Parish Directory

Phone 603-352-1019
Fax 603-357-2637
Rector The Rev. Mark Jenkins

Associated Clergy

The Rev. Robert Freeman
The Rev. Michael Haas
The Very Rev. William Hale
The Rt. Rev. Donald P. Hart
The Rev. Sanford Johnson 
The Rev. Lewis Stone
The Rev. Samir Habiby

Director of Church School

Gina Gitchell  

Director of Music

Walt Sayre

Administrative Assistant

Patricia Smith  

Pledge Treasurer

Lisa Dixon

Thrift Shop

Carol Clinton

Sexton

Michael Fusaro

Newsletter

office@stjameskeene.org

 

Vestry

Wardens

Lorraine Madden - Senior
Russell E. Van Kuren - Junior

Clerk

Deb Rogers

Treasurer

Robert Trebilcock

Vestry Members

Term Expires 2012
Ken Dale
Mary Pleasanton
Kevin Woolley

Term Expires 2013
Katie Brown
Ken Herman
Open

Term Expires 2014
Doug Green
Bridget Hansel
Kathleen Rooney

Delegates to the Diocesan Convention and Western Convocation

Term Expires 2012
Dita Englund
Ken Herman
Sally Stockwell
Eleanor Vander Haegen
Sam Webb (Youth)

 

Annual Meeting

Third Sunday of January

Vestry Meeting

Second Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM

Newsletter Deadline

In order to get the next issue of The Prophet put together and in to the Parish Office, please submit any articles to Melissa Herman at 2brnt2b@ne.rr.com  by the 1st of each month, at the latest. These can be submitted on disk in Microsoft Word format, or submit items to office@stjameskeene.org. Email is probably the more reliable method but good old hard copy will work too. Thank you.

Top  

Coffee Hour Hosts

The Ministry of Hospitality is an important one. If you are interested in helping with Sunday coffee hours, please call the parish office.  

The Feast of Jonathan Daniels - Martyr

Over the past few years, we’ve asked for, and received, special permission to honor the person and witness of Jonathan Daniels on the Sunday in August which is closest to August 14th, the day when the rest of the church celebrates his memory and work. We do so because St. James Keene is Jonathan’s home parish and we want to make the celebration accessible to as many people as possible, thus not on a weekday.  

U.T.O.

The United Thank Offering is a collection that has been taken for over a hundred years. It has grown from less than $100 to into the millions. The money collected in parishes such as St. James goes around this country and around the globe to build schools, hospitals, churches, and to support programs in them.

In years past, the United Thank Offering has been taken each year in the fall, occurring unfortunately at the same time St. James is conducting our pledge drive and talking about the Companions in Jubilee. In an effort to separate each of these important ministries, there will be a collection this year on Pentecost instead of in the fall. Not only does this make some practical sense, but it also allows us to celebrate and participate in the wider Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion of which we are a part. You will find the blue U.T.O. envelope at the back of the church.  

Resource Room

What is the resource room? Well, it’s a little like a library, except we keep the church’s A-V equipment in there. Take a look. It’s in the Undercroft near the music room. There are books to read to children, stories for children to read to themselves, puzzles and games. Do you ever get tired of your children watching mindless cartoons? Try borrowing one of our videos. Do you want a spiritual lift? Chances are you’ll find a book or magazine which can help do just that. Remember, it’s air conditioned and it’s free (and to return what you borrow).

 

Altar Flowers

The chart listing donors for altar flowers for the year 2011 has been posted in the hallway outside the Sacristy. Would those parishioners who have indicated they wish to have flowers on the altar on a specific date each year, please check to see if their wishes have been shown correctly. All questions concerning the giving of flowers should be referred to Melissa Herman.  Please do not contact the Parish Office.

If you wish to give flowers for a specific Sunday for this year, please write your name on the appropriate line. There is no limit to the number of donors for any one Sunday, so don’t hesitate to enter yours even if there is already a name noted on that date.

A reminder is sent to all donors on or about the 15th of the preceding month, confirming the date, the occasion being commemorated and applicable names.  A consolidated list is provided to the office at the beginning of the month for inclusion in the weekly Order of Service. If there is a last minute request, please call Melissa Herman.

There is no minimum contribution. Funds collected in excess of the cost of the flowers provide the Altar Guild with the monies used to purchase linens, vestments, and repairs as required. If special flowers are desired, arrangements can be made for the donor to work directly with the florist in the ordering and paying for such flowers.

Reminder: there are no flowers during Lent and Advent; there are greens only. For Easter and Christmas, special notices are inserted in the Order of Service and in our newsletter, The Prophet, so that the congregation may participate in the adornment of the Church.   - Melissa Herman  

Links

Diocese of NH Web Site

Visit the Episcopal Church of The United States

Take a virtual tour of the Washington National Cathedral

Visit the website of Keene, NH

Trinity Wall Street  

St. James Church School Information

Sunday School

From mid-September through June,
Church School meets from 9:30 until appoximately 10:30, when children meet their familes for worship upstairs.
After the conclusion of each of the 5 thematic blocks, there is a break for holiday/vacation time.

Please contact the Parish Office at 352-1019 for more information.

Top