TOWER- The sight of a long line of people streaming into St. James Presbyterian Church on Sunday was something not seen for a very long time. But those entering the church building, built at the corner of S. Second and Spruce St. in 1936, were doing it to say goodbye. Goodbye to the church, goodbye to their fellow congregants, and goodbye to a history of Presbyterian worship in Tower that dated back to the church’s founding in 1884.
St. James has been a small but mighty presence in the Tower-Soudan community for the past few years. But with an aging and dwindling number of members, the church community made the difficult and final decision to close their doors earlier this month.
On July 9 the church hosted the “St. James Celebration of Life,” and held its final service. Rev. Richard Blood, who led the church for five years in the 1990s was on hand to lead the congregation, which has been without a pastor since Doug Workman retired. The service filled the pews and luncheon afterwards served a full house, including many neighbors and friends from Immanuel Lutheran, the church located next door to St. James.
Many who had longtime family ties to the church attended and reminisced. Richard Kitto remembered his time singing in the church choir, a church in which his grandparents were very active.
“There are lots of old memories here,” he said.
Kathy Siskar spoke about the church’s history. The first church building was constructed in 1884, possibly the first established church in the community.
“This group envisioned a community that would grow and prosper and would need a solid spiritual foundation to make that happen and keep souls nurtured,” she said. The original church building, located on N. Third St., burned in 1936, and the church was rebuilt at its new location, where it now stands.
Siskar quoted from an old church newsletter, an article written by Jenny Tobin. “St. James has been known as a church that is welcoming to everyone in the community,” Tobin wrote, “The spirit of this church has always been strong and loving. Over the years, this church has been an outreach to Tower and the surrounding community.”
That tradition of community outreach continued to this day. In recent memory church outreach has included sponsoring free Thanksgiving community meals, children’s Christmas parties, the community Easter egg hunt, children’s activities and Vacation Bible Schools, soup luncheons, activities supporting the children at the elementary school, prayer shawls, ecumenical services, musical events, youth fellowship, and Bible study groups. And while some of these events are now being continued by other community groups, many have disappeared with the dwindling church membership.
“As the ages of the St. James membership grew, and the energy and money dwindled, St. James made the painful decision to close,” Siskar said. “They knew, however, like the St. James forefathers and foremothers, that true church is not a building– it is the strong belief in and commitment that we have to God and his people. It is the essence of our spirits. They will know we are Christians by our love.”
“I know in my heart that God is smiling,” Siskar said. “He is very pleased with the journey that St. James Presbyterian Church has completed. He is saying well done good and faithful servants, well done.”
“It is so nice to see our church full,” said longtime member Jill Wagoner. “I love this congregation. It is a safe place.”
The church choir from neighboring Immanuel Lutheran performed a piece, featuring a flute solo by Angie Gurrius, before the meal was served.
Jaynee Yocum joined the church only a few years ago and she’ll miss what it brought to her life. She had been volunteering at the annual Vacation Bible School, and said the people she met there made her feel so welcome.
“We got to know so many people,” she said. “It was so worthwhile.”
Marge McPeak spent time saying goodbye to the organ, which she had faithfully played for the last 23 years. She said she would be taking the light that illuminated the music home with her, as a lasting reminder. She’ll also be taking the memory of the full pews this Sunday with her, instead of the many Sundays when the church was filled with fewer than a dozen congregants.
Church members now are deciding on finding their next spiritual home.
“I’m not sure where I will end up,” said McPeak. “I will be visiting other churches with friends. It’s sad, but it’s time. I’ve been a Presbyterian my whole life.”
The church building and parsonage belong to the synod. The synod is donating the parsonage to Habitat for Humanity, which will be doing some minor updates and then finding a new family for the home. The future of the church building itself is not known at this time, but several church members expressed hope it can be repurposed for another community use, perhaps housing.