We welcome you to St. James, Greenfield on the World Wide Web.   We would like to introduce ourselves to those who may not be familiar with our Church, and to welcome newcomers. We would also like to provide an easier way to access information for current members of our parish. 

Feel free to browse!  The links on our home page will lead you through a virtual tour of the church and its activities. At the bottom of each page is an icon in the shape of our bell tower. If you click on that icon, it will always take you back to our home page.  On the longer pages, you will get a Table of Contents at the top. If you click on any item in that table you will jump to that item. At intervals on these pages, you will see "Return to the top". If you click on that you will be brought back to the top of the page and the Table of Contents. Any text that is colored blue, is also a link to an area on this site. Just click on the text and you will be taken to the area described by the text. 

We warmly invite you to a Sunday visit to St. James!   The regular Sunday's worship schedule may be found below, and a calendar page will show any special services or events. You will find directions to the church, with a link to the "Map Quest" web site that will give you explicit directions to St. James. You will also find historical information about us.

Current members will be especially interested in our news page .  There is also a collection of links to other sites on the Web which you may find interesting.  We welcome comments about our site, but would also like your active participation on our web committee. 
 
 

The earliest period of this church's life began when a small number of Episcopalians struggled to gain a presence in Franklin County, Massachusetts. The original St. James was consecrated in 1814. The first rector, Dr. Titus Strong, pursued missionary work as far south as Springfield and as far north as Vermont, where chapels were created. The people of Greenfield respected Dr. Strong for his community and civic interests beyond the church, including School Committee work and Lyceum lectures. Strong promoted a low-church ritual, accommodating St. James Church to its Congregational neighbors. Before his death in 1855, the present stone church was built. 

In recent decades there have been changes in the social and economic balance of town and county. Post-war recessions have caused a decline in the tool industry, a leading part of the local economy, as well as growth in the retired community and minimalism in government everywhere. Rectors of the church, together with other churches and social agencies, have responded to these changes with a ministry to the homeless and hungry. 

Recent rectors have implemented the changes in worship suggested by the bishops at Diocesan Conventions and National Conventions. Peter Chase, who served as Rector from 1973 to 1986, used his skills as mediator and scholar to introduce the new liturgy. With the aid of successive vestries, women were able to bring their skills to bear in committee work, at conventions and at the altar. The Rev. Linda Ricketts served as Vicar of St. Andrews in Turners Falls and as Associate Rector of St. James for ten years. She is remembered for her encouraging sermons, prayer groups and support of Christian Education. Rector, Frederick E. Emrich, was at St James from 1987 to 1998. His tenure was marked by a substantial effort for goodwill towards all, in particular a ministry to the homeless and hungry, enlargement of the music program under Marilyn Berthelette and retreats for the parish at Camp Bement. The Rev. Emrich resigned in 1998. 

The Rev. Frank Moss began leading the parish family into the new millennium in November, 1999.  He will be remembered for his good humor and genial, healing presence.  Also, during his ministry the physical facility was upgraded and made accessible to all.  The Rev. Moss retired in September 2006.  The Rev. Heidi Frantz-Dale joined the staff as Assistant Rector in 2000 with an emphasis on Christian Education.  She also served as Vicar at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Turner’s Falls.  In 2003 she accepted a call to become Rector of a church in New Hampshire.  The Rev. T. J. Bland, Deacon, joined us in 2000 and left in 2003 to care for his mother, returning in April 2006.   He strengthens the pastoral ministry of St. James and assists in worship.

The Rev. David Holroyd became the Interim Rector in October 2006.

Worship