The Church of Saint James the Less
3227 West Clearfield Street, Philadelphia, PA 19132
The Church of Saint James the Less was founded in 1846 when the hilltop over the Schuylkill River where it stands was still countryside. The worship of God and the ministry of the Gospel were carried out here for 160 years until, following a dispute with the Diocese of Pennsylvania that resulted in litigation, the congregation decided to leave the Episcopal church, leaving these wonderful old buildings behind.
In 2008 the people of Saint Mark’s Church, Locust Street adopted the vacated Church of Saint James the Less as a mission of our parish with the intention of restoring the worship of God and the ministry of the Gospel to this place, which was, after all, given and consecrated for the purposes of building up the kingdom of God.
We envision a community of shared mission occupying this little wedge of Philadelphia, in which worship, learning, and service are emphasized. Still in the process of discernment, we welcome partners who see the potential for ministry here and who want to work with us to make that ministry happen.
This church has long been a resource for the community it is a part of, and we are working with the local community association and neighbors to re-establish relationships and restore the usefulness of the church buildings and grounds as neighborhood resources. Planning will soon be underway for summer programs, including Vacation Bible School in 2009.
We know that Saint James the Less has been a place of learning - it has housed both a childcare center and a primary school. We believe the buildings and grounds provide a superb environment for learning; we recognize the need for good schools in every part of Philadelphia, and we dream about opening a school in this place to serve the children of the neighborhood: a place of growth and transformation where doors are opened for kids who never knew such doors could be open to them, and where kids learn to open even more doors for themselves.
We believe that God has much work to do at Saint James the Less and that he relies on ordinary people to carry out that work in his Name. We pray that our vision is clear, our conviction is firm, and that our hands and hearts are ready to do whatever God calls us to do to again make Saint James the Less a place where lives are transformed by God’s amazing grace.
Fr. Sean Mullen is the Priest-in-Charge of Saint James the Less and Rector of Saint Mark’s.
The church and other buildings and the churchyard are cared for by Peter Loftus.
To receive email updates regarding the mission at Saint James the less, click here.
To read a history of the Church of St. James the Less, click here.