St. James is a welcoming church, with a friendly, welcoming and helpful congregation.
We draw members from the community of Moss Side and beyond. An Anglican congregation for Marathi speaking people worships as part of St James and is open to all.
The original church, known as the Iron Church, was built in 1879 on the land where the current church building stands today. A new stone church was built to replace this in 1888. Unfortunately, due to the building's deterioration, this was demolished in 1988. The building which stands today was completed in the early 1990s.
The parish of St James with St Clements takes in both the brewery and Asda in the north and extends westward across Princess Parkway and the Alexandra Park Estate. The southern border is Bowes Street alongside where the old bus depot was situated. We are in a United Benefice with the parish of St. Edmund’s, Whalley Range.
At St James', our style of worship is broadly evangelical, based around C.of E. Common Worship, with bible-based teaching to encourage us to show the love of God in our community. We sing a range of traditional and contemporary hymns and songs, led by a small Music Group
Place of Welcome
Every Tuesday from 10.00-11.30am. We've joined this national initiative designed to provide a place where people can meet and socialise. Its main aim is to provide fellowship and combat loneline
PlayRoom
Our friendly community playgroup run by St James Church offering space for children to explore and adults to connect and relax. The room features a small cafe (with refreshments included in the entry price) and the play is inviting, focusing on a natural and a less-is-more approach.
A Together Time halfway through the session unites everyone for five minutes to engage with a seasonal theme and the session ends with singing time.
Teaching on Sundays
During the feast days and major Christian festivals and seasons like Lent and Advent we follow set readings (the 'lectionary') and at other times of the year we have a teaching series - this is common to all our congregations.
Life Groups
Lie Groups are at the heart of our community here at St Edmund's and St James as we know that the best place to get Connected, Grow and Serve is in a smaller group (8 or less) that meets regularly.
Connect
Life Groups are the place for you to connect with other people and God in a deeper way than is possible on just a Sunday morning. God created life to thrive in the community, as the best way for you to support others is when they are also supporting you. In this way, true community is built through authentic relationships where people feel encouraged and refreshed as we work out our faith in God's and each other's presence. Life Groups meet at various places, including people's homes and at either of the two church buildings.
Grow
A sign of life is growth, and Jesus describes this as discipleship. In Life Groups we aim to grow as disciples by learning what it means to walk with God and each other. In this way, God encourages you and your group to grow through becoming more and more like Christ, to grow in your understanding of His Word and to live this out in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Serve
Servanthood is the mark of a follower of Jesus. Life Groups are not solely about us and our interests but about how God wants to encourage us to accomplish His mission. This is expressed in two ways: Firstly, Life Groups will spend time asking God how they can serve Him as a team together and then putting this into practice. Secondly, Life Groups will spend time asking God how He wants them to serve Him as individuals and then supporting each other in living this out.
Please contact Jill at the office, or Tony or Grace if you would like more information about Life Groups.
Children's Society
Right now in Britain there are children and young people who are facing one, or many disadvantages. The Children's Society work with these young people step by step for as long as it takes. We support The Children's Society through our annual Christingle services every December at St James'
Christian Aid
The church founded Christian Aid Week to fight for equality, dignity and freedom for all. By holding a church collection every year during Christian Aid week, we help to support some of our most vulnerable sisters and brothers – like the communities in Sierra Leone that are the focus on this year's Christian Aid Week.
The two words ‘life’ and ‘hope’ are important for Christians. These words and the ideas they communicate can be found throughout the Bible from the broad over-arching ‘salvation story’ to the detailed teaching of Jesus, Paul and others. They are foundational words for our mission to all in Jesus Christ. They will shape all that our churches will plan and do into the future.
Our Shared Vision and Mission
St James and St Edmund’s church council’s have agreed the following;
Our Vision: Inspired by Jesus, we are helping people live lives to the full, giving them hope for their future - ‘Life and Hope for all’.
Our Mission: United around a common vision of ‘Life and Hope for all’ and energised for mission, we will offer places of welcome and belonging for all ages and cultures, where people can explore life and seek God. We will do this by:
- Helping people to become followers of Jesus Christ and to grow in their Christian faith
- Nurturing leadership to match our vision
- Loving and supporting those in need, helping them to flourish
- Being an active voice for justice, peace and reconciliation
- Encouraging creative living and living that reflects care for our community and the planet
- Providing resources available to all in our community
We will commit to bring ‘life and hope’ to all in many different ways. More details will follow over the next few weeks and the full ‘Mission Action’ plans are available to read at the back of church. Meanwhile, here is a taster!
Hope for people
New life for new people.
We will tell God story, our stories and tell of God’s promises. We will pray for people to find new life in Jesus Christ.
“I have come that they may have life to the full” Jesus words in John 10 verse 10.
Better lives for people who struggle. Hope for their futures.
We will do this through loving service, developing our relationships with people in our parishes, looking for ways to make new contacts and friends. We will offer pastoral care, practical support, advice, friendship and encouragement to people in our communities.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 13 verse 34
Hope for our communities
for Whalley Range, Moss Side and the other communities we support.
We will respond to God’s calling to loving service to all people in our parishes. We will be improving our buildings and facilities and working in partnership with community agencies who share our values.
“Love your neighbour as yourself”.
Matthew 22 verse 39
Hope for our planet
We will live well and carefully as part of our God-given environment. This will shape our thinking and our life together as Christians.
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Genesis 1 verse 31
Hope for our churches
We will work and pray for a missionary Christian presence in our parishes into the future. We pray that God will bring new life and hope to our worshipping communities.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29 verse 11
We have a large meeting hall which is used for worship on Sundays but may also be used for community meetings midweek.
There is also a small meeting room.
A kitchen is situated to one side of the hall.
The building has Wi-Fi and the main hall has a large screen with audio facilities.
The building and rooms may be hired - contact the Church Office on 0161 226 0088
