Testimonials

Some time ago we asked people two basic questions

1. What brought you to St James?
2. Why do you stay?

Here is a summary of what they had to say

What brought you to St James?

I’ve been to many different evangelical churches, but I wanted to worship God in a different atmosphere
Seeking a rich, traditional service
Looking for some place to belong. My wife brought me to my first mass the feeling I got was that I was welcome, and could grow as a Christian
I came here because of the traditional liturgy, and the beautiful space
Liturgy, music, architecture, and service — Street Outreach and St James Music Academy
Rich liturgy, chanted mass, making the sign of the cross as part of the ritual of the liturgy, the Anglo-Catholic tradition
I see people of different levels of society worshipping together and treated the same way
A friend invited me to a wonderful service at Christmas Eve — the beauty, the music and the people of every walk of life there — it still lingers in my heart
Someone here helped my dad once
My godfather was once a member here when he lived in Vancouver, and I prefer High Anglican liturgy to other forms of worship
My parents were married here, tried it, and stayed! Also had a visit from a welcoming member of the parish
I came here in 1999, attended Good Friday liturgy and have been here ever since
St James was recommended by a friend
It is clearly a holy place in the middle of darkness
Invited by a friend to join choir
Enjoy the sacred feeling here
I was told that St James was an important centre of Anglo Catholic worship in Vancouver
Friends and family in the congregation. Choral music, hymns, and liturgy
The music; I love the music and hope it will never disappear
A long-time yearning; I can’t explain it very well, but perhaps in it’s simplest form would be an answer to a prayer, and a search I wasn’t wholly aware I was making

Why do you stay?

It is my spiritual home, where I encounter God and grow as a Christian
It is truly a home of friendship, beauty of the music — a mystical worship place whether sitting alone or with the congregation — thank God!
The worship — beauty of holiness, sense the presence of God in the worship. Love St James!
St James’ fills me in riches beyond compare, uplifting and challenging me through its glorious traditional liturgy and music
I love St James’ — the people, the clergy, choir, and organist. Sanctuary here, and peace, and fellowship. The love of the Lord. The Mystery and beauty; the Mass.
The service is very beautiful — unique — especially in Vancouver
It strengthens my faith
The liturgy and the sense of the inner church
The atmosphere is precious and having the huge cross very visible to me is priceless!
I love the High Mass, the music and the fellowship; I love the diversity of the congregation.
Beautiful space, music, service
It meets my spiritual needs. It is a very holy place
Quality of worship and service in the best sense
Love the liturgy, music and the people.
The music, the beautiful building
The ritual of the service, the mystery of the Mass, and how we are invited to be part of the story of the incarnation, using all our senses — sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch
I love the service setting; faith and spirituality feels real and relevant to everyone who comes to St James. I consider this my spiritual home. I stay because am comfortable, feel accepted — and I love the music.
I applaud the Street Outreach work and the St James Music Academy
Music, music, chant, fellowship, music, location, music, culture and cultural significance and music
The sacramental life of parish. The proximity to the poor and the welcome our neighbours felt. The beautiful liturgy that is unlike anything in our city. We do not try to be ‘relevant’ but we stand apart the mundane expressions of worship — drawing people who are seeking a contemplative, ancient, grounded, beauty filled liturgy that is ‘other’ than our popular culture — we get enough of what is hip- culturally relevant, ever changing meaningless media every day! – St James is and should remain a call out of the drab everyday and should embody truth, beauty and justice