The Backpack Ministry at St. James provides healthy snacks on the weekend, throughout the school year, for students in the Glenpool Public Schools. The identified children are those who are at risk of going without food on the weekends. This program began at St. James in January 2008 and currently serves 105 children.
St. James has the privilege of preparing and serving the evening meal at the Tulsa Day Center for the homeless every 5th Sunday. Our Deacons also hold an annual Coat Drive which benefits the Day Center Clients.
We are glad to partner with the Jenks Food Bank as we fight hunger insecurity in our own backyard. We regularly collect needed items at the Food Bank and we have members who are available to work shifts when the Food Bank needs extra volunteers.
Our Deacons host an annual back-to-school event at a local shoe store for children in foster care in Creek County, fitting each child with two new pairs of shoes.
We want our church to be a place people can find help. Our Pastor oversees a Benevolence Fund that helps to meet the needs of those who come to the church looking for assistance.
We believe that one of the gifts of a faith community is the ability to walk together on a journey of faith. Through Christian Education we seek to walk the roads of this journey together, that we might honestly wrestle with our doubts, grow in our faith, be nurtured in community, and be sent out to live as Christ’s disciples in the world.
St. James greatly values our children and loves to have children in worship. We believe that the best way for children to learn how to worship is by worshipping with their parents and the rest of the faith community. We welcome children of all ages in the sanctuary throughout the worship service.
While children are always welcome, we also want the children, and their parents, to have the best experience possible. To that end, we invite members and guests to allow our member volunteers to care for their young children. We truly believe that the nurture and care of our children is not just their parent’s responsibility, but the church’s responsibility, and so we welcome opportunities to provide for the children of our church. For the safety of our children, we alway maintain two-deep leadership and often have a youth volunteer as well.
Music has always held a special role in the life of the church; it has the power to elevate our thinking, transcend language, and allow us to connect to God in a unique way. The music ministry at St. James strives to give glory to God, to enhance worship, to provide an avenue for service, and to be a tool for sharing God’s love with the community.
Musical selections at St. James range from vibrant “traditional” music to more modern hymns and anthems. St. James is committed to creating and maintaining musical opportunities for all ages and all are invited to make a joyful noise unto the Lord.
St. James’ Adult Choir rehearses on Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:00 am in the Sanctuary, and assists in leading worship Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m., September through May.
No prior experience required, just a love of singing and a desire to lead the congregation in hymns and anthems
Our Kids Connect program includes music time and the children will sing in worship when the director feels they have a piece they are ready to share. Sometimes they even write their own lyrics!