Founded in 1880, St. James of Jerusalem Episcopal Church – “The Little Church by the Sea” – is a lively, inclusive Anglo-Catholic parish in the heart of the historic district of Long Beach, New York. We are dedicated to the practice of catholic evangelism, celebrating the Liturgy and sharing the Sacraments. In our mission, we seek to be faithful to the exhortation of our patron, St. James the Just: “Be doers of the word and not hearers only.”

Thought for the day…

“He rides pleasantly enough whom the grace of God carries.” Thomas a Kempis

January Celebrations

Chris McNamee (B 1/5), Denis & Eleanor Nicholson (WA 1/7), Eileen McCarthy (B 1/9), Ann-Marie Brantley (B 1/21), George Milos (B 1/23), Denis Nicholson (B 1/26), Vinny Buscemi (B 1/29)

B - Birthday          A – Anniversary          HB – Anniversary of Holy Baptism

Prayer List

Tom Cantone, Steve Conti, Charlene Darby, Dennis Eidelman, Margie Haggerty, Pat Hasin, Melody Jenkins, Ellen Kase, Reva Kelly, John W. King, Mr. Knoblach, Suzanne Leguerre, Katherine Liberatori, Ken McCune, Jackie Neglia, Dottie Phelan, Evelyn Pottage, Ms. Roberts, Delia Romero, Bill Salveson, Irma Smith, Janine Washinger, Darlene Wells, Max Wilford

Saints and Holy Days for January

The Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1/1), Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah (1/2), William Passavant (1/3), Elizabeth Seton (1/4), THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (1/6), Harriet Bedell (1/8), Julia Chester Emery (1/9), William Laud (1/10), Aelred of Rivaulx (1/12), Hilary of Poitiers (1/13), Martin Luther King, Jr. (1/15), Richard Meux Benson (1/16), Charles Gore (1/16), Antony of Egypt (1/17), The Confession of Saint Peter the Apostle (1/18), Wulfstan (1/19), Fabian (1/20), Agnes (1/21), Vincent (1/22) Phillips Brooks (1/23), Ordination of Florence Li Tim-Oi (1/24), The Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle (1/25), Timothy, Titus and Silas (1/26), Lydia, Dorcas and Phoebe (1/27), Thomas Aquinas (1/28), Andrei Rublev (1/29), Juan Bosco (1/31), Samuel Shoemaker (1/31)

Sunday, January 29, 2012
following a combined service at 9 am

Please be sure to attend this important meeting of the whole parish, as we conduct essential business and elect new members to the vestry. The meeting will begin immediately after Mass – a combined service at 9 am. A pancake brunch will follow in the parish hall downstairs. We will also take our 2012 Parish Family Photo.

Ash Wednesday

February 22 at 7:30 am and 7:30 pm

Confessions will be heard in the hour after the morning service and in the hour before the evening service.

Votive Mass

Friday, February 24 at 7:30 pm

This Mass will be offered for the repose of the souls of those who have died in Christ.

First Sunday of Lent

February 26, 8 & 10 am

The Great Litany will be sung at the 10 am service.

The Way of the Cross

Friday, March 2 at 7:30 pm

Praying the Stations on the Ember Friday in Lent.

The Annunciation of Our Lord

Sunday, March 25 at 8 & 10 am

The principal Mass will be followed by the Stations of the Cross.

"O, who loves Nicholas the saintly?"

On Dec. 3, 2011, we enjoyed our annual and much anticipated St. Nicholas’ Family Day Celebration! This was a special service for children and families to both learn about and celebrate St. Nicholas. Fr. Chris shared a homily with the children about St. Nicholas, who generously helped those in need, the hungry, and the homeless – often without revealing his identity.

The service concluded with the hymn, “O, who loves Nicholas the Saintly”, and then a surprise visit from St. Nicholas himself! Wearing his traditional and authentic Christmas outfit, St. Nick met with the children and distributed Christmas presents to all the good girls and boys. (Luckily, all were good and received gifts). We then enjoyed a lavish festive supper in the undercroft with a mouth-watering buffet of home-made dishes and desserts.

Many thanks to all who helped decorate and prepare and serve the delicious food for this celebration.

You can find photos of the celebration here.

Molly & Seamus Hennessy meet St. Nicholas

Margie and Don Fraser receive plaque in their honor

On November 13, 2011 the parish honored Don and Margie Fraser for their 40+ years of devoted service to St. James.

Donald and Margie were married here by Fr. Marlin Bowman in 1973 and raised their two sons – David and Daniel – in the parish. They have in countless ways supported St. James with steadfast love. Without their faith for its future, the doors of this church would not be open today.

By unanimous vote of the vestry and with the clergy concurring, they have been given the title “elders of the parish,” in perpetuity.

We thank God for Don and Margie and bless them in the on-going ministry at St. James!

 

You can place your reservation for the Celebration Luncheon here.

Congregations that approach financial stewardship from a biblical perspective do not view the money Christians give to their church merely as a way to pay its bills. Rather, such congregations see financial contributions as a way to help people grow spiritually in their relationship with God by supporting their church’s mission and ministry with a percentage of their incomes.

Our congregation’s finance committee has selected the New Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program as a way to teach the biblical and spiritual principles of generous giving in our stewardship education emphasis this year. [click to continue…]

Saturday, November 19, 2-3:30 pm

Have you or a loved one fought unsuccessfully to stop smoking? Quitting doesn’t have to be a struggle!

Join Valerie Horvath and learn a way to stop smoking for good. In the parish hall.

Offered in concert with the Magnolia Institute of Healing and Wellness

Our 2011 Not-So-Scary Halloween Party brought 50+ kids and adults to St. James’ for food, fun and games.

You can find the photo gallery by clicking here.

Special thanks to: Nicky Fader, Amy Kuna, Helene “Nana” Oliviera, Helene and Stephen Oppedisano, and Moses Powell and Jason Blumenthal.

October 29 at 5 pm in the Parish Hall

Come to St. James’ for some HALLOWEEN Fun, Food and Games!

A party for kids, families and everyone, with ghoulish games, frightening food, creepy candy, goblin cakes (for gobblin’!) and pumpkins to decorate and take home! Movies include “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and halloween cartoon classics.

Kids: wear a costume and bring a friend!

Adults: bring small gifts for trick or treat prizes.

St. James’ Garden featured in Long Beach Patch

October 19, 2011

Our Gesthemane Garden and Columbarium has been featured in Long Beach Patch. Have a look at “A Peek inside a ‘Hidden Treasure of Long Beach’”!

Read the full article →

Blessing of the Animals – October 2, 2011 – Feast of Saint Francis

September 30, 2011

St. Francis of Assisi, an Italian monk who died 783 years ago, may be the most celebrated Christian voice to affirm the moral worth of animals. According to stories, he often spoke of humans’ sacred relationship with other animals, and addressed those around him as “brother hare” or “my sisters, the birds.” (When he was [...]

Read the full article →

October 1 – Irish Day Parade Get-together

September 29, 2011

 Saturday, October 1 at 11:30 am. Parishioners are invited to meet Father Chris and others to watch the annual Long Beach Irish Day parade and enjoy the festivities. Meet in front of The Inn at the corner of West Beech Street and Tennessee Avenue.

Read the full article →

A User’s Guide to Mental Health

September 29, 2011

Tuesday, October 4, 2:00 p.m Long Beach Public Library Chemical dependency, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD and ADHD are common, yet treatable disorders. Learn more about these mental problems and the treatments that are most effective. Offered by our parishioner David Horvath, Ph.D., PMHNP-BC, CD, a Board Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. An outreach of the Magnolia Institute of Healing and [...]

Read the full article →

“Come as You Are” Eucharist

September 9, 2011

Saturday, September 10 at 5 pm     “Come as You Are,” means just that! We don’t expect you to change a thing. Come in your most comfortable clothes, even directly from the beach. You can be as dressed up or as dressed down as you want. Come with your questions about God, about the [...]

Read the full article →

Hurricane Irene Update

August 26, 2011

Miraculously – and we mean that! – St. James’ weathered Hurricane Irene without any flooding or damage to the church or rectory. The extent of property damage was the loss of a small shade tree in the garden. Deo gratias!

Read the full article →

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Workshop

August 5, 2011

Saturday, September 24, 2011 1-4 pm Facilitator: Cynthia Strite, Ed.D. Have you ever found yourself questioning why you prefer to live life in ways that are different from others? Have you ever felt stuck in a job or career track that just wasn’t a fit but you had no real answers as to why? Have [...]

Read the full article →