Over 100 years of feeding and tending God's sheep.


1101 N. Broadway St.

Knoxville, Tennessee 37917

(865) 523-5687

WEEKLY WORSHIP SERVICES


Holy Eucharist I -  Sundays @ 8 am

Holy Eucharist II - Sundays @ 10:30 am

Centering  Prayer - Mondays @ 6 pm

Evening  Prayer - Tuesdays & Thursdays @ 5:30 pm

Anglican Rosary - Thursdays @ 5:30 pm

Community Labyrinth - 4th Saturday @ 10 am to 2 pm 

Blog Layout
Weekly Letter, 7/21/2022
The Rev John Mark Wiggers • July 21, 2022

Dear Friends, 


I was recently interviewed by our parish administrator, Kevin Jeske-Polyak. He wants to interview you as well about your experience at St. James. This is all part of our 100 year anniversary celebration. If you have been hanging around St. James for a little while or many years your story is worth sharing. See the contact information in this email for how you can get in touch with Kevin and share your story. 


I was abounding in thanksgiving after I shared my story with Kevin. We have much to be grateful for as a community. We are feeding and tending God's sheep both inside and outside of the church. St. James named that mission years ago and it still names the needs of the world and our part to play in it. Thank you for living into that mission through all our many ministries. 


As the temperatures have been high, I have been grateful for our facilities. I am also reminded that our aging air and heating systems are a major priority in our Centennial Capital Campaign. Thank you to everyone who has pledged and begun giving. Please consider what your household can pledge to this project. Improving our space helps us support the ministry we do. 


We name and celebrate the story of God's love when we gather for worship, for service, and fellowship. On Sunday, July 31 we will commemorate the feast of St. James. Wear red and come worship together. We will also gather afterwards for ice cream and time together. The story of James is also part of our story. 


I am grateful to be sharing this ongoing story of Christ's presence as we live it together. 


Peace, 

Fr. John Mark 

Times,They're A'Changing

By Ashley Burell • February 12, 2025
As ambassadors to the communities where they’ll perform, members of the Maryville College Concert Choir have a timely message for the 2025 Spring Choir Tour: “Times, They Are A-Changing,” but through music, connections can be made and unity can be achieved. The Concert Choir will begin its spring performance season with a 4 pm concert on Sunday, Feb 23, here at St. James.

Share Your Story

By Andrew Jeske-Polyak • February 12, 2025
One-to-One StorySharing is an intentional conversation between two people who share and receive each other’s stories of what matters most. It is a potent tool for forming community, deepening relationships, identifying gifts, healing brokenness and overcoming resistance; and building a relational culture. It is the basis for Episcopal Evangelism.

Weekly Letter, 02/06/2025

By The Rev. John Mark Wiggers • February 6, 2025
Friends and Neighbors, I hope you have your calendar marked for the St. James Ministry Marathon this Sunday, February 9. The event has been delayed by snow and ice, but this Sunday, you can learn more about the many opportunities for prayer, study, service, and community at St. James. This past Sunday was exciting as our Justice Ministry gathered to prepare us for a big turnout at our Nehemiah Action on April 8. You can learn more about that ministry and others this Sunday.

Weekly Letter, 01/30/2025

By The Rev. John Mark Wiggers • January 30, 2025
Friends and Neighbors, Thank you for celebrating with our folks who were baptized, confirmed, and received on Sunday. We all promised to support them in their faith. Supporting one another in following Christ is what we do. Your time, talent, and money help make that happen through St. James. I am excited about our Ministry Marathon coming up on February 9 where we can all learn about the many ways we serve and support.

Weekly Letter, 01/23/2025

By The Rev. John Mark Wiggers • January 24, 2025
Friends and Neighbors, What a week it has been. There was football, an inauguration, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We have also continued to experience very cold temperatures around here. Then we see that the Episcopal Church is in the news as a result of the sermon of The Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde at the Service of Prayer for Our Nation at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. Bishop Cole commends this sermon to all of us. I encourage you to read it HERE. I have seen many positive and a few negative responses to it. Bishop Budde stood and delivered the type of message that I hope you often hear at St. James. She called for mercy and compassion for vulnerable people. This is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ calls us too.

Weekly Letter, 01/16/2025

By The Rev. John Mark Wiggers • January 16, 2025
Friends and Neighbors, Snow and ice caused us to postpone our Ministry Marathon until February 9. On that day you will find folks in different spots sharing about the various ministries here at St. James. This will be a good day to see the church, learn about ways to serve, and connect with friends old and new. You may be surprised at all the various opportunities to serve, pray, and study together.

Weekly Letter, 01/09/2025

By The Rev. John Mark Wiggers • January 9, 2025
Friends and Neighbors, Our church calendar has many feasts and fast days. These days remind us of the stories and faithful people they commemorate and encourage us to live our faith today. This Sunday is the first Sunday after the Epiphany and is the day we celebrate the baptism of Jesus. It is fitting that we are having our Ministry Marathon as we remember this event. Baptism is our initiation into the Body of Christ. All members of the body are empowered to serve as ministers. The Ministry Marathon can help us discern ways we can use our gifts in God's service.

Weekly Letter, 01/02/2025

By The Rev. John Mark Wiggers • January 1, 2025
Friends and Neighbors, A new year dawns and voices all around call us to make resolutions, be more productive, and to change our bodies. Sure, some good messages are there, but they often get covered with blame, shame, and exhaustion. I appreciate that a call to be a faithful follower of Christ isn't a call to be perfect. Following Christ is a journey. Sometimes we take a wrong turn or need to stop and rest. The metaphors of scripture and tradition speak of being made well, growth, bearing fruit, and death that leads to resurrection. Faith is an ongoing process in which God's grace is working in us.

Weekly Letter, 12/26/2024

By The Rev. John Mark Wiggers • December 25, 2024
Merry Christmas! Yes, the Church continues to celebrate Christmas beyond the one day. Even with 12 days of Christmas, the mystery of incarnation continues to unfold in our world. I see us living out that mystery at St. James by the way we seek to feed the hungry, do justice, and nurture our souls in prayer and worship together. We become those who bear Christ to the world.

Weekly Letter, 12/19/2024

By The Rev. John Mark Wiggers • December 19, 2024
Friends and Neighbors, As Advent moves towards Christmas, we are currently in Ember Days (12/18, 12/20, 12/21). These days of prayer and fasting correspond closely to the change of seasons. You will see them indicated on liturgical calendars, but I will confess that even many of us clergy have to look up what they mean. The Episcopal Church uses those days as times that people in the ordination process are to write letters to their bishop. Can a fast that has fallen out of practice mean anything for us in the present time? I am exploring that as I think about the approaching solstice, holiday festivities, and the onslaught of information in our time.
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