St. James in the City’s congregation was founded in 1911 and quickly outgrew its original chapel space. The current building was constructed in 1926 and designed by architect Benjamin McDougall in the Gothic Revival style. Stained glass by Judson Studios depicts classic Biblical narratives, as well as modern themes relevant to the surrounding neighborhood – movie cameras, freeways, and the arrival of Korean and Latino immigrants. St. James has a history of social justice involvement, founding a school in 1968 to help educate the children of new immigrants from Korea and other underserved communities. The congregation has long been known for its outreach to the food insecure and people experiencing homelessness, and for its progressive response to the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Today, St. James is a multiracial and community-serving congregation. Its soup kitchen and food pantry help alleviate food insecurity, and it is home to Los Angeles’ oldest continuously operating Alcoholics Anonymous group. St. James is also host to the African Christian Fellowship and Caribbean Christian Fellowship, composed of members of the African and Caribbean diasporas that call Los Angeles home.

A National Fund grant of $150,000 along with $150,000 in matching funds raised by the congregation will support the rehabilitation of St. James’s century-old slate roof system as part of a larger capital campaign that will address critical repairs to the building envelope, as well as important interior and building system upgrades.

St. James in the City Episcopal Church Photo by Brian Curran

First Church in Oberlin