Kneemail from Saint James Church

Dear Parishioners and Friends of St James’,
 
 As we approach the celebration of the Feast Day of St. James the Great, our parish patron, I was reflecting on how joyful it is that we can transfer his feast day from July 25^th to the Sunday following. Due to the circumstances of modern life, we do not often hear about the lives of the saints, nor celebrate their virtuous and victorious living, because their feast days most often fall during the week. However, their prayers and intercessions always surround us that we might finish the race as they and win the victor’s crown of gold. I would like to think that is particularly true of our patron, St. James (the Greater and Apostle of our Lord) who prays most especially for us who count on his prayers.
        
In the 19^th century, when this congregation was founded, somehow the decision was made to put the parish under the patronage of St. James. And what is it that a patron does? The best answer is found in the Latin etymology of the word patron, which comes from the word, patronus, which means a “protector of clients” or “defender”. Eventually, the word picked up the meaning of “benefactor”. I might not be saying new to many of you regarding the word “patron”, but why was St. James chosen as the patron of this holy place.
        
The exact reason might be lost to time. Unless someone is privy to information from conversations at that time, we may never know the precise reason. Yet, at some level we can surmise a few things. St. James is known as the protector of pilgrims. Tradition tells us that he was willing to travel great distances, from Jerusalem, to Hispania – modern Spain – to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He, along with Peter and John formed Jesus’ closest friends. Finally, St. James followed the Lord to the point of death, as he was the first of the Apostles to be martyred. Such characteristics and qualities of a patron saint fits so well with early Texarkana Episcopalians, who travelled far, were close to our Lord Jesus Christ, and willing to risk much, so that the Gospel would be preached in this area.

As we celebrate St. James’ Feast Day, we thank almighty God for his life and witness as he confessed before the rulers of this world the great Name of Jesus. We also celebrate and give thanks for all those saints who have pilgrimaged through these doors the last one hundred forty-three years under the protection of St. James. They have been the means of grace by which we have come to know and worship our Savior today. Those men and women, confident in their love for God, set the foundation for our parish, while others built upon the ministry of  that cornerstone, and still, others have sustained the ministry through these many decades.

May what we do here in this parish church of St. James, be to God’s greater glory. May St. James protect us in our earthly pilgrimage so that through the legacy we are forming, others may know our Lord and Savior as closely as His Apostle James did.
                 
In our blessed Lord,