HISTORY COMPILED BY
PATRICIA FERGUSON
AREA INFORMATION COMPILED BY
KARY MATHIS, SENIOR WARDEN
Earliest recorded Christian activity by Methodist missionary, preaching to Indians in sign language in 1837; Roman Catholic missionaries active in Lincoln County from mid-19th century. First services for St. James held in 1938; Vicar appointed 1943; St. James organized as a mission with St. Stephens, Newport, 1950. Divided as individual mission 1963; designated parish 1991. Met in several different locations initially; current property acquired 1960, ground broken for current building 1965, building opened 1966, first services April 24, 1966; addition opened 1985; kitchen added 2008.
Deacons George and Janis Goold named 1991 (both now serving in St. Stephens); Deacons Kristina Burbank and Pauline Morrison ordained 2004.
(Source: History of St. James Episcopal Church of Lincoln City, compiled by Patricia Ferguson, member, St. James Vestry, 2005)
LINCOLN CITY AND LINCOLN COUNTY
Lincoln County: Estimated population (2009) 46,293; Lincoln City, 7,700.
Comparisons Lincoln County and Oregon (2009):
ItemLincoln CountyOregon
Proportion white 91.9% 90.1%
Hispanic 7.6% 11.0%
White non-Hisp. 85.3% 80.0%
Proportion Am. Indian 3.4% 1.4%
Median household income $39,534$50,165
Proportion below poverty level16.7% 13.5%
(Source: U.S. Census of Population, 2009)
The congregation of St. James reflects the demographic makeup of Lincoln County, with a majority of the members being retired. There are about an equal number of couples and single people, with the majority having a higher educational level than the average for the county, and somewhat above-average incomes. About two-thirds of those attending regularly are Anglo, and about one-third Hispanic. Two services are held on Sundays, one in the morning and one in the evening. The evening service, in Spanish, began in August 2010, in response to requests from Latino-Hispanic Episcopalians and others in the community, who did not have weekly Spanish-language services. The congregation has been active in identifying trends, setting goals, and establishing efforts to achieve those goals. A 2007 self-study, Envisioning the Future of St. James, and the Parish Profile, prepared in 2010 for the search and transition process for a priest, include considerable information, and are available in the parish office.
