What to Expect

The family of God at St. James Lutheran looks forward to meeting you.  We are a small, friendly, loving, and caring congregation.  Our dress varies from casual to “Sunday go to church clothes.”  We also enjoy having your children worship with us. Jesus encourages us to bring the children, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven (cf: Matthew 19:13-15).

Public worship is a public confession of what we believe (cf: Matthew 10:32-33). Therefore, the liturgy we use, and the hymns we sing are a reflection of what we believe, teach and confess.

Jesus Christ is at the heart and center of Lutheran worship (cf: John 14:6). The two main parts of this Christ-centered service are the Proclamation of the Word and the Sacrament of the Altar (communion). It is through these external Means of Grace, instituted by God Himself, that Jesus Christ gives us the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.

All worship services at St. James follow the liturgies printed in our synod's 2006 hymnal - Lutheran Service Book (LSB). The liturgy that we use is based on Holy Scripture. God’s Word is more than just words of promise. Through the preaching of the Law and the Gospel we receive not only the conviction of our sin and the message of love and forgiveness but also the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit that forms and strengthens faith within us.

Holy Communion

The Chief Service of the Church is the celebration of the Lord's Supper. We celebrate Holy Communion on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month, and on Special Occasions (e.g. Christmas Day, Easter Sunday). We encourage all members to receive the blessings of the Lord’s Supper every time it is offered. If you have a Physical Condition that prohibits you from coming to the rail, or from eating the bread or drinking the wine, please speak with Pastor before the service.

We practice the Christian Church's historic practice of Closed Communion. The historic Christian Church and the LCMS have always believed, taught and confessed the Scriptural practice of Closed Communion. From the Bible, we believe that communing together is a testimony of the oneness in doctrine that we confess together publicly at the altar rail as the body of Christ (cf: Eph. 4:5; Acts 2:42).

Our practice is not because we claim that we are better than others but because communion together is a public testimony of our agreement in all articles of doctrine (cf: Formula of Concord,  Solid Declaration, Article X, line 31). Holy Scripture teaches that it is important to hold membership in a Church body that publicly confesses that which you believe in your heart and confess with your lips (cf: Romans 10:9, 16:17).

Our Communion Statement:

The Lord’s Supper is celebrated at this congregation in the confession and glad confidence that, as He says, our Lord gives into our mouths not only bread and wine but his very body and blood to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of sins and to strengthen our union with him and with one another.  Our Lord invites to his table those who trust his words, repent of all sin, and forgive and love as he forgives and loves us, that they may show forth his death until he comes.

Because those who eat and drink our Lord’s body and blood unworthily do so to their great harm and because Holy Communion is a confession of the faith which is confessed at this altar, any who are not yet instructed, in doubt, or who hold a confession differing from that of this congregation and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, are asked to meet with the pastor before communing (See Matthew 5:23f.; 10:32f.; 18:15-35; 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:17-34).

Pages