In Search of Growth

For one Episcopal parish in the heart of Manhattan, it’s hard to pinpoint what makes them thrive when the magic sauce is seemingly all over the place.

St. James’ Church, a predominantly neighborhood parish that prides itself on actively sharing the love of Jesus Christ with each other, their city, and the world, the “magic sauce” means not taking themselves too seriously—precisely because they take Jesus and his kingdom most seriously.

Rector Zack Thompson says he came to the church nine years ago “with a clear sense that this place was committed to confidently proclaiming the gospel and creating a parish culture focused on spiritual growth that flows from the call to discipleship.”

He points to elements of worship, formation, and mission that are an enduring feature, but also notes progress toward building culture of transparency and honesty, authenticity and openness.

St. James’ Church

When Thompson was called as rector in 2023, doubling down on the call to keep Jesus at the center also included substantial financial cuts. What would it look like to not rely so heavily on the endowment fund, as the church had been doing in the past, this long-established parish had to ask. What would it look like to shave roughly $2 million off their budget—in the most expensive city in America?

St. James’ desire for long-term financial and spiritual health led them to move toward a sustainable draw on the endowment, to right-size the budget, while taking care not to lose momentum—all of this in the years following the pandemic. As the strategic period of seeking financial health comes to a close, the people in the pews are embodying growth and showing a vibrant vitality all their own—resulting in a steady show of newcomers.

“There has never been a fad or a trend to grow disciples, because that’s the work,” Thompson said in an interview with The Living Church. “Instead, courageously, confidently, and with a Christ-like humility, we’ve been invited to embody the gospel. We’re not embarrassed by it, nor are we trying to be trendy.” Growing disciples means feeding the community from the riches of their tradition, exactly where they are and as they are: “Not desiring some romanticized past, but being heirs of a living, dynamic, beautiful tradition that has created saints in every age.”

The same has been true for the Rev. Marisa Sifontes, who came on as an associate rector in September 2023. For her, a certain thrill accompanied the church’s collective efforts to “keep the main thing, the main thing,” and focus on those core areas of worship, formation, and mission.

When it comes to worship, she sees how parishioners walk down the street from their homes and through the church doors for a service, a reception, or even an organ recital. She knows that St. James’, on the corner of East 71st Street and Madison Avenue, is visible as a place people walk by on their way to the store or the subway, and subsequently, can be a place people show up to when they find themselves curious about the life of faith.

St. James’ Church

St. James’ has seen many newcomers over the last couple of years. Young adults have responded in droves to Great Tradition Christianity at the early morning Rite I Eucharist, just as new families have found their way to the family-friendly Holy Eucharist, Rite II mid-morning service; other newcomers still have begun to find a home at evening Candlelight Communion. Although St. James’ pares back its worship offerings during the summer months, the distinct liturgies continue to inspire new faces.

For Sifontes, however, she sees the church being the church when it clothes those in need of clothing and feeds those in need of food.

Although St. James’ has hosted a meal program for more than 30 years, the parish recently saw a 60 percent increase in the number of people fed on a weekly basis when it switched to a mission-based model. Instead of paying dedicated staff to run those programs, the Associate for Youth and Young Adults added “Mission” to his title; other pastoral staff joined him in being responsible for volunteer and space logistics, increasing their own capacities to serve their hungry neighbors.

“We’re now feeding between 140 and 160 people a week. We feed people every week of the year, even on Good Friday and other church calendar holidays,” Sifontes stated, emphasizing that they no longer feed people out of calendared convenience.

Volunteers dedicated to chopping vegetables, stirring pots, and filling bags remain the heart and soul of the operation; in a similar way, the lay leadership has a deep commitment to faith formation throughout the week.

This too is part of the magic sauce, according to Thompson. A group of moms lead a Tuesday morning Bible study, while clergy and additional staff with formal theological education lead a Wednesday morning Bible study. Add in youth group and a host of Sunday school offerings, and there’s something for everyone nearly every day of the week.

At this Episcopal parish in the heart of Manhattan, they believe that if we walk in love, then we naturally share the love.

And in turn, the magic sauce naturally happens.

Cara Meredith, a freelance writer and postulant for holy orders in the Diocese of California, lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.