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Saint James Church A Brief History Saint James Church has a long history on James Island. In November, 1706, the assembly of South Carolina appropriated money to establish six churches. One of these was Saint Andrew’s Parish, which included James Island, and the Anglican congregation on James Island was active and recognized as a separate entity by 1720. The congregation met in a house with the rector of Saint Andrew’s Parish, the Reverend William Guy. Mr. Guy, in his report of August 1, 1722, wrote of plans for the building of a chapel. That chapel was probably completed in 1722. A second chapel was completed in 1733 after the first was destroyed by a hurricane in 1730. The second chapel was probably destroyed during the American Revolution, and services were once again held in a home until a third chapel could be built. In 1831 the parish church, Saint Andrew’s, was petitioned by members of the chapel congregation, requesting that the chapel and attached glebe lands be transferred to them. At that time, Saint James Church, James Island was incorporated and the chapel and about seventy acres of glebe land was deeded to the corporation. The third chapel was torn down and a fourth church building was erected. It was of the gothic style and seated two or three hundred people. During the War between the States, all communicants of Saint James left the island, the church was destroyed by fire in 1864, and few buildings were left on the island. From 1864 to 1899, few services were held, but two lay persons wisely invested in land, increased the income, and in 1899 a fifth church building was erected. It was a wooden Gothic building, seating about 100 people. Fifty years later, in 1949, a new parish house was built, and in 1968 it was doubled in size with the addition of Sunday School and office space. At the same time a new pipe organ was installed in the church. In 1959, the congregation outgrew the wooden gothic church, laid the corner stone of the present church, and the building was completed in 1960 and consecrated in 1964. Therefore, Saint James Church today is the sixth church built on the same site, and the congregation today is celebrating over 280 Years of Ministry - from 1720. Currently, Saint James is in the process of building a New Ministry Center. These expanded facilities will meet the current needs we have for worship, adult Christian education, youth ministry, administrative support and the needs of a growing ministry. We welcome you in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
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