Our Worship philosophy
St. James' Message Driven format aims to let the Word drive the worship liturgy, rather than having the liturgy serve as the central part of our weekly worship time. This style of service emphasizes God’s Word, and the message derived from it. That means what happens from week to week changes in order to fit the focus of the Word. The readings, the message, the music, the prayers, and even the order in which things are presented are all tied to that key, central message. While that does happen in both our Contemporary and Traditional worship services, the Message Driven format enables it to an even greater degree.

This might sound like a radical change, but in reality, it is very much a returning to the heart and soul of worship: gathering together to know and feel God. The Message Driven format places God’s word directly at the center of our experience, and let’s our praise, reflection and service all flow from that mighty core. Rather than letting our own structures drive how we worship, we are striving to let God’s Word move us whether it be through a powerful dramatic presentation, a great chorus, or a much beloved hymn. The times, the are a changin’ and we pray that this change will be a positive, exciting move towards a deeper and more meaningful worship experi-ence for the lost, the long term believer, the young, the old, and anyone seeking to get closer to the almighty Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.


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