St James' - History and its Role
St James' was consecrated by Senior Chaplain Samuel Marsden, on the 11 th of February, 1824. It is currently Sydney's oldest Church building still in use. It was in St James' that the one and only Bishop of Australia was enthroned.
As a major city church it attracted many prominent people to its congregation, with some, such as early explorers and governors, are commemorated in various plaques around the walls.
For well over one hundred years St James' has adopted the mainstream Anglican tradition, and so stands out in the Diocese of Sydney. Eucharistic worship has always been at the centre of the life of this faith community with its dignified liturgy, fine quality music, Anglican Catholic ceremonial, and in recent years the full participation of the laity in all aspects of ministry.
St James' has always offered a wide faceted ministry to the City of Sydney and indeed the whole metropolitan area. St James' is seen as the Centre of Ministry to the legal profession as well as the homeless through the Sister Freda Mission.
In earlier days, St James' had its own school, providing elementary education or children of the parish. Today the St James' Institute of Spirituality provides teaching, nurture and support in many forms of Anglican Spirituality.
