Bronx Church Wins Challenge Grant

The New York Landmarks Conservancy has designated Saint James Episcopal (Anglican) Church, Fordham as one of the first recipients of the Robert W. Wilson Sacred Sites Challenge Grant, to assist in restoring the church's 140-year-old slate roof.

Completed in 1865, Saint James is a reminder of the days when the Bronx was largely farmland. The national landmark building is one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival structures in New York City, and boasts Tiffany stained glass windows that make it one of two Bronx sites highlighted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This "English country church" sits on an island of greenery at the corner of Jerome Avenue and 190th Street, just south of Saint James Park to which it gave its name. Jamaican-born Bishop E. Don Taylor (Episcopal Vicar for New York City) put it best when he said, "Saint James is a gem!"

Saint James' diverse congregation comes from all over the world, but the greatest part of its membership hails from the West Indies and the Caribbean. This strong spiritual community is committed to growth and outreach, and its warm and engaging worship, grounded in the traditional Anglican style, provides a weekly spiritual boost to its members. As the parish approaches its 150th anniversary, a major goal is to restore the church building, and this challenge grant from the New York Landmarks Conservancy will be of great assistance in further fund-raising efforts. ###