Welcome
Wherever you are on your journey, you are welcome here.
Services
Our community life springs from our worship in liturgy throughout the year. We have two Sunday Eucharistic services: one at 8:00 AM, Rite 1, and another at 10:00 AM, Rite 2, which include parts in Spanish. At this later service, we celebrate special days, including baptisms, first communions, and confirmations. This is God’s church, and all are welcome here. To schedule special services, (weddings, funerals, baptisms, annointing of the sick or confirmations), please contact the office (805) 238-0819.
Sunday Services
8:00 AM
in church only
10:00 AM
in church and virtual services
Evening Prayer Wednesday 6PM on Zoom
The origins of Saint James Church go back to 1886, when the Episcopal Church established a mission in Paso Robles.
In 1891, one year after the founding of the town of El Paso de Robles, a group of six women, collectively known as “The Guild,” submitted a request to the Episcopal Diocese of California to establish a mission church in Paso Robles. At that time, the nearest Episcopal church was St. John’s in San Miguel, seven miles away, a significant distance in the horse-and-buggy days. The cornerstone of the church building was laid1892, and our 1863 Stevens organ was later added. (This is believed to be the oldest continually used pipe organ on the West Coast.)
The church was extensively remodeled in 1948, adding a bell tower to house a bell that came from St. John’s in San Miguel after a fire destroyed that church.
St. James has a long history of providing food to the needy. During the 1980s, we established a food pantry called Loaves and Fishes. This pantry still serves Paso Roblans today.
St. James also has a long tradition of supporting civil justice. During the anti-Asian hysteria of the early 1900s, the church supported full citizenship for Asian Americans. During the Depression, we operated a desegregated soup kitchen in the parish hall, despite local authorities’ demands that it be segregated. St. James later provided support to servicemen at local military bases during World Wars I and II, and through the late 1940s.
St. James Today. Our reflection and prayer has led us to a deepening conviction that we must help both those in our congregation and in the larger community. We embrace our legacy of defending civil rights, in most recent years by supporting the LGBTQ+ community, immigrant families, and feeding the homeless. We collaborate with regional programs which support those in need, including Neighbor Aid, ECHO, and CAPSLO’s Adult daycare program which provides respite for caregivers.
Bible Study
Weekly Bible Study | Thurs 11:00 a.m. on Zoom
August 2025 |
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Tai Chi Chih
September 1, 2025-10:00 am - 12:20 pm
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St. Andrew's Men's Group
September 13, 2025-10:00 am - 11:00 am
Our Ministries
We are involved in many ministries, including the Health Ministry, feeding the hungry, Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Daughters of the King, Grief Support Group, Women’s Prayer Group, Adult Continuing Education, children’s preparation for the sacraments, Altar Guild, and the Vestry. If you are interested in any of these ministries, please contact the office at 805/238-0819.
WORSHIP
Worship is at the heart of our life as a parish faith community. The sacramental life nourishes us week by week and common prayer strengthens us day by day. St. James Sunday and weekday services provide a variety of worship opportunities for members, friends, and visitors.
OUTREACH
Our parish community provides a strong center for our lives and we seek always to expand our boundaries through involvement in the greater community. Some of the organizations that St. James currently supports are ECHO, CAPSLO, and NeighborAid.
EDUCATION
We believe that Christian formation is a life-long process that nurtures us intellectually and spiritually, equipping us to live out our baptismal promises. St. James hosts both one-time and on-going educational opportunities. We also offer first communion classes in Spanish.
PARISH LIFE AND PASTORAL CARE
The fabric of our life as a community of faith is maintained and nurtured through pastoral care and fellowship opportunities. We seek to support each other in the life of faith: in joy and in sorrow, in good times and in bad.
Health Ministry
As recently as 100 years ago, Christian churches were leaders in the health field, building the finest hospitals and educating thousands of religiously motivated women as nurses.
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
We are blessed with a beautiful church and a patio and garden area that provides an oasis of calm in the midst of our bustling downtown area. Church facilities are used by a variety of community groups.
St. James Altar Guild
If you are interested in learning more about joining our Altar Guild, please contact our Altar Guild Director by clicking here
DIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT
At St. James, we joyfully embrace the phrase “All are welcome here,” reflecting Christ’s call to inclusivity and our commitment to becoming a congregation that mirrors our diverse community. We support the LGBTQ+ community, participate in Pride events, and welcome all family types. Our outreach includes feeding the homeless and hungry, engaging the Latinx community by offering sacraments in both English and Spanish, and gradually incorporating more Spanish into our services.All are truly welcome here.
SACRAMENTS
The sacraments for young people who wish to become a part of the church are baptism, first confession, first communion, and confirmation. We accept children up to the age of 17 in this program.
QUINCEAÑERA
All young women wishing to celebrate a quinceañera must first enroll in our Youth Ministry Program. If you are not enrolled in the Youth Ministry Program, you will not be able to have a quinceañera at St. James Church.
Young women wishing to celebrate a quinceañera are also expected to attend Sunday Mass every week and receive the Sacrament of Confession at least once a year as part of their preparation. A quinceañera wishing to celebrate Mass must be baptized and have already received the Sacraments of First Confession and First Communion. If you have not received these sacraments, we can help you prepare.
Please note that a quinceañera is not a Sacrament. At St. James Church, we are focused on helping you form your quinceañera as it applies to your faith. Your quinceañera is an important cultural celebration, and we are here to help you have this celebration by emphasizing the importance of our life with God.
Saint James is…
— an historic church
— a spiritual foundation
— a place of welcome and acceptance
— a conduit of beauty, joy, and grace
— a center for community life
St. James has been part of the Paso Robles community for more than 125 years. It is both a place of welcome, prayer, and growth and a vibrant community of people seeking to grow spiritually through prayer and worship, to proclaim the good news of God made known in Christ Jesus, and to promote justice, peace and love.
Your contribution:
helps support our virtual services, projects and programs. A gift of any amount is a statement of support and commitment to our work in our community and our world. Thank you for supporting St. James!
St. James Episcopal Church
1335 Oak Street (Church)
514 14th Street (Mailing Address)
Paso Robles, CA 93446
(805) 238-0819
office@saintjamespr.org
St. James Episcopal Church
Contact form and Newsletter sign up
Office Hours
9:00 am to 1:00pm
Tuesday – Friday
Closed Monday
Call or leave message (805) 238-0819 office@saintjamespr.org
Our Diocese
About the Diocese
St. James Episcopal Church is part of the Diocese of El Camino Real. The Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real is a place of rich diversity and wonderful opportunity. Our identity is founded upon faithful pilgrimage, which means that we travel light, stay in balance, and have the courage to be lost. While this overall concept was designed pre-COVID, we have found that the pandemic blessed us with uncertainty and a call to live our pilgrimage faithfully in ways that are practical and real.
Our diocese includes the cities of San Jose (the see city), Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo, and all Episcopal congregations in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties.