As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we reflect on the things and people that we are thankful for.  As a member of Kansas St. James, I am grateful for this faith community.  The members of Kansas St. James are generous people who support and care for one another.  We start each service with prayers for those struggling with health issues like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.  We pray for one another and for members’ family and friends, many we do not know and will never meet.  We share fellowship before and after mass with conversations, refreshments, and by watching The Chosen together.  Each person shares their talents with the church by donating flowers for the alter, serving as a reader, or playing music during the service.

At Kansas St. James Church, everyone matters and is valued.  We celebrate and grieve together.  We care about the successes and challenges in each other’s lives.  Everyone is welcome.  We invite you to attend a mass with us and see for yourself.  In the meantime, we wish you a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

-Angie McGinnis, Member of Kansas St. James

The small rural town of Kansas, Ohio was home to St. James Catholic Church for over 100 years. Established in 1889 as a mission parish of the larger St. Mary’s Church in Millersville, St. James came into being thanks to the efforts of dedicated families in the community.

Nearly 20 Catholic families petitioned the Bishop of Cleveland in 1889, requesting a new church be built in Kansas. Their request was approved, and the first cornerstone of St. James Catholic Church was laid on September 1, 1889. The modest wood-frame building was constructed through donations and voluntary labor from parishioners. It was named St. James the Lesser and dedicated on June 8, 1890.

Over the next century, St. James grew into a thriving parish and vital part of the Kansas community. Generations of families were baptized, confirmed, married, and laid to rest within its walls. St. James celebrated its 100th anniversary on June 17, 1990 with a special mass led by Bishop James Hoffman.

In 2005, St. James faced an abrupt and painful change. Despite its continued growth and activity within the community, the church was selected for closure by the Toledo Diocese and Bishop Leonard Paul Blair. Parishioners organized prayer vigils and filed legal briefs asserting their ownership rights, but were unable to stop the order. The final mass in that building was held on June 26, 2005, ending 115 years of history.

Being locked out of their spiritual home did not dampen the spirits of the St. James community. Parishioners persisted in holding weekly prayer services in front of the shuttered church and fighting legal battles to save the parish. But after years of disputes, courts ruled the diocese had the right to close parishes. The original St. James church was demolished.

Though stripped of their place of worship, the parish lives on. Since 2012, the St. James community has gathered for weekly services at their new home 7 miles outside of Kansas, near Fostoria. Our journey shows how faith and perseverance can overcome even difficult challenges.

The spirit of St. James endures thanks to dedicated parishioners who carry its rich history forward.