Wilshire Center’s St. James’ Church to reopen Nov. 22 after one-year renovation

The return will be celebrated at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, with a Choral Evensong. It will be followed by Sunday services the next day at 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. (Korean-language service), all as the congregation bids farewell to the revered music director, Canon James Buonemani.

The renovation launches St. James’ into its second century serving the spiritual needs of the diverse communities in the central city.

“We’ve been working towards this day for months, a chance to showcase St. James’ bright future to our multicultural congregation, visitors and the many unhoused friends who visit our soup kitchen and food pantry every week,” said the Rev. Dr. Kate Cress, rector of St. James’.

She credits the excellent design and management of the renovation to the associate rector, the Rev. Jon Feuss. He worked with the congregation to develop the vision for the comprehensive project, spearheaded fundraising, and, alongside the Vestry, hired and tracked the work of dozens of contractors all while continuing to attend to clerical duties.

While construction was going on, services were conducted across the courtyard in the parish hall, which underwent its own transformation for its new role.

The return to the sanctuary is sure to be greeted with a sense of wonder and excitement.

Inside, parishioners will find many upgrades including brighter lighting, restored stained glass windows, repairs to the original tile floor, new stone work behind the altar, and a renovated chapel. Ending decades of enduring sweltering temperatures in summers or having to bundle up in winter, St. James will complete its retrofit with a modern air conditioning and heating early next year.

Outside, cracks were filled, longstanding rooftop drainage issues were addressed and the entire church received a fresh coat of paint. In a lucky break, workers found the century-old slate roof needed only spot repairs, as its original shingles were deemed to be of such high quality that they are expected to outlast modern replacements.

Also in the works is a crown atop St. James’ soaring bell tower and four statues that will occupy niches that have gone unfilled. The 3D-printed statues will include Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Bishop Sungsoo Simon Kim of Seoul, Korea, Bishop Barbara Harris of Massachusetts (with her signature cigarette dangling from her fingers) and their patron, St. James.

For all that has been changed or upgraded, the elements that make St. James’ distinctive will remain the same. The 1911 David John Falconer Memorial Organ, an instrument so highly regarded that its draws organists from around the world to perform, is being unbundled and retuned in time for the church’s debut. And children will still delight in seeing the the turtles in courtyard fountain.