A Progressive and Inclusive Congregation on Main Street
St. James United Church of Christ stands at 76 Main Street in the Village of Hamburg, a small Erie County town south of Buffalo where the church has been a visible part of village life since 1853. Members and friends come from the village, from across the Southtowns of Western New York, and from the wider Buffalo region, and the congregation has earned a reputation for being a progressive, radically inclusive alternative Christian voice in an area where that kind of welcome is not always assumed.
The church is easy to spot and easy to enter. A spacious parking lot sits behind the main building, reached from Main Street, with an entrance that opens directly into an accessible ground-floor level. From there, stairs or an elevator lead up to the sanctuary. Ample parking and the easy-to-access entrance are part of the church's commitment to making every visitor feel at home, and large-print bulletins and an American Sign Language interpreter available on request complete that welcome.
From German Evangelical Roots to a Progressive UCC Voice
St. James UCC was founded in 1853 as St. Jacob's German Evangelical Church, in an era when the Village of Hamburg's immigrant community needed a German-speaking congregation of its own. For roughly the first seventy years of its life, every sermon, prayer, and Bible study was conducted in German. Around 1920 the congregation made the transition to English, and the name evolved as well. The new church building was dedicated as St. James Church.
In 1934 the Reformed Church in the United States and the Evangelical Synod of North America merged to form the Evangelical and Reformed Church, and in 1957 that body joined with the Congregational Christian Churches to create the United Church of Christ. St. James became a UCC congregation, and in 1958 a Christian Education Building was added to handle a growing religious education program.
The sanctuary itself was reworked in 1970, gaining the reinforced rear balcony and the 21-rank Schlicker organ that still anchors Sunday morning music. A major accessibility project followed in 1998, when a new entryway, lifts, and elevator were installed so that anyone, regardless of physical ability, could enter and move freely through the building.
In December 2021 the congregation called Rev. Paul Werner to be its pastor, and he began his pastorate in January 2022. The church describes the arrival as ushering in a new era of energy and excitement, while remaining committed to the traditions that have shaped its identity for more than 170 years.
What Sunday Morning Looks Like
Worship at St. James centers on a single Sunday Celebration at 10:00 AM, a service that runs roughly 60 to 75 minutes. The style is progressive Christian, blending modern and time-honored music with a liturgy the congregation takes seriously. The order of worship includes supportive prayer, a challenging and relevant message, an interactive children's time, and what the church calls a commitment to sacred space.
The Sacrament of Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month, and the practice is open communion. Everyone present is welcome to partake, including people of all faiths and all ages, and no one needs to be baptized or a member of any church to receive the bread and cup. A gluten-free option is always available, and the custom is to use grape juice rather than wine, in deference to those who abstain from alcohol.
Music carries a great deal of the weight of the morning. The Chancel Choir, the church's adult choir, rehearses from about 9:15 to 10:00 AM on Sunday mornings and on some Thursday evenings at 6:30 PM. A Praise Band of guitars, bass, and drums leads worship several times a year, and the Sacred Jazz Band, an ensemble of professional musicians, offers sacred jazz at special services and concerts throughout the year. Individual members of the congregation regularly step forward to perform on instruments ranging from guitar and flute to trombone and strings, or to sing solos.
Visitors are welcome to dress however they are comfortable. T-shirts and shorts, jeans, or Sunday best are all fine. The church's Sunday morning message is summarized as uplifting and relaxed, practical and relevant, set in a progressive and inclusive community.
Four Covenants That Shape the Church's Life
St. James is notable among UCC congregations for the number of formal covenants it has adopted, each one a public commitment to a particular expression of Christian discipleship.
On February 12, 2017, the congregation declared itself an Open and Affirming church. The Open and Affirming statement specifically names people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions; all races, ethnicities, and cultures; all abilities; all educational backgrounds and political viewpoints; all financial situations and social statuses; and all ages from infants to elders. It also makes a point of welcoming those who struggle with addiction, are recovering from trauma, come from differing family structures, or have felt the pain of exclusion in any form.
On February 12, 2023, the people of St. James unanimously approved a Just Peace Covenant, committing the congregation to pray regularly for justice and peace, to give voice to protest against violence and injustice, and to be agents of change in their own lives and in the wider community.
On April 16, 2023, the Church Council unanimously empowered the Mission and Social Action Team to begin the process of becoming a Creation Justice church. The Creation Justice Covenant was approved unanimously at the Annual Congregational Meeting on February 9, 2025. In practical terms, the church has replaced all lighting with LED fixtures, switched to 100 percent recycled paper for bulletins and office use, eliminated plastic and styrofoam cups, plates, and utensils in favor of reusable or biodegradable alternatives, hired a janitorial service that exclusively uses Green Seal certified cleaning products, and asked members to bring a personal mug from home for the after-church coffee hour.
The fourth covenant is still in process. In 2015, General Synod 30 of the UCC passed a resolution encouraging congregations to become WISE, that is, Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged for mental health. The Church Council voted unanimously to pursue WISE certification, a WISE Liaison from the UCC Mental Health Network is guiding the work, and the congregation is studying books about mental health and neurodiversity in a small group series. If the congregation votes to adopt the WISE covenant, it will join Open and Affirming, Just Peace, and Creation Justice as the fourth pillar of the church's identity.
Beliefs Held Openly and Without Ceremony
St. James UCC describes its theology in unusually plain language. The congregation takes the Bible seriously, but not literally. Members believe that faith is a matter of heart and mind, that God embraces all people equally, that they are called to be global citizens, that the social expression of love is justice, that every generation is called to discover new faith traditions, and that God continues to speak through the actions and words of people today.
Drawn together by the Holy Spirit, the congregation sees itself as a diverse community of Christians joining faith and action in covenant with the wider UCC, serving God in the co-creation of a just and sustainable world as made manifest in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Children, Youth, and Lifelong Learning
Sunday School at St. James is lectionary-based and highlights the UCC values that animate the rest of the church's life. The program is open to children of all ages from Kindergarten through sixth grade, and classes meet the first and third Sunday of every month. Every Sunday, children begin in worship with their grownups and then, after a Children's Time with the pastor, head to class. After class they rejoin their families in the coffee hour, or parents may pick them up directly from the classroom.
All volunteers with children undergo a background check in keeping with the church's Safe Church policy. The Sunday School Leader is Cher Hall, and Karen Reinagel serves as Director of Religious Education Emerita.
Adult education has lately been built around the WISE journey. A small group series running from late September through mid-November focuses on books about mental health and neurodiversity, particularly in the church setting, and teens are welcome to participate alongside adults.
Music That Anchors the Week
Music at St. James is led by Ciaran Krueger, Director of Music and Choir Director, who joined the staff in 2010. Krueger is also a music teacher at Franklin Middle School in the Ken-Ton school district and has served as Artistic Director of the Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus. He holds a Bachelor's in Music History and a Master's in Choral Conducting from the University at Buffalo, where he studied with Harold Rosenbaum.
Jonathan Rizzo has been the church's accompanist since 2010. He also serves on the faculty at Buffalo State College as a staff piano accompanist, holds a Bachelor of Music Education from SUNY Fredonia, and won the Buffalo State Young Artist Competition performing the first movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor. In addition to his work at St. James, Rizzo accompanies choirs for Lancaster High School's choral program and several other Western New York ensembles.
Service and Outreach Across the Southtowns
St. James works with a wide network of mission partners, both local and international, on issues of hunger, homelessness, and poverty. Current partnerships include Providence Farm Collective, House of Hope, Family Promise of Western New York, Heifer International, Help One Help All in Haiti, and Habitat for Humanity.
Locally, the congregation provides backpacks and school supplies for children at Buffalo Peace House, purchases holiday gifts for families in need through the Hamburg School District, joins the CROP Hunger Walk, takes part in Undie Sunday with Churches in Action, and runs the Mitten Tree project, which helps local families in need stay warm. After the November storm of 2014 the church donated numerous jars of handmade soup to feed police and rescue workers and others stranded in their homes without food.
The church is also a visible presence in the Village of Hamburg itself. Members contribute regularly to the Main Street beautification project and participate in village-sponsored festivals such as Hamburg BurgerFest and the Flavor of Hamburg, offering children's activities, smiles, and refreshments. In 1972, under the leadership of Rev. Roger Horton, the church helped establish and support the Hamburg Counseling Center.
Through annual grants, St. James also contributes funding to a long list of outreach organizations. These include Heifer International, Providence Farm Collective, Saints Peter and Paul Outreach and Food Pantry, Help One Help All, Hamburg Central Schools Thanksgiving meals, the Samaritan Counseling Center, Paradise House of Buffalo, Church World Service, Buffalo Peace House, the International Institute of Buffalo, Journey's End Refugee Services, Help Honduras (a ministry of the New York Conference), Dunkirk Camp and Conference Center, Senior Wishes, and Plymouth Crossroads.
St. James is also a Five for Five church in the UCC, contributing to all five of the denomination's special mission offerings: Our Church's Wider Mission, One Great Hour of Sharing, Neighbors in Need, Strengthen the Church, and the Christmas Fund.
Weddings at the Sanctuary
Weddings at St. James are framed as a covenant between two equal and independent individuals who are seeking to commit their lives to each other and to ask for the blessing of God and the church. Couples of all genders are welcome, second marriages are welcome, and interfaith marriages are welcome. The church views wedding ceremonies in light of the words it says every Sunday: that no matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.
The Historic St. James Evangelical Cemetery
St. James maintains a historic cemetery on Veit Road, just off Main Street in Hamburg. Most of the graves belong to German immigrants from the mid to late 1880s, reflecting the congregation's founding-era community. After a successful Eagle Scout project to improve the grounds, Scouts BSA Troops 525 and 509G continue to serve as caretakers of the cemetery, and ongoing research and restoration work is led by local historian Shelly Weinstock. The cemetery participates in the WNY Tombstone Trail 250, and a Facebook page keeps friends and family members up to date on new findings.
Community Groups That Call St. James Home
The Assembly Hall and the Horton Lounge host a number of community organizations on a regular basis. Girl Scout Troop 34714 meets in the Assembly Hall on Mondays at 6:00 PM. Cub Scout Pack 525 meets there on Thursdays at 6:00 PM, followed by Scouts BSA Troop 525F at 7:00 PM. Alcoholics Anonymous meets in the Horton Lounge on Thursdays at 8:00 PM. These meetings are part of the church's broader sense of being a gathering place for the wider Hamburg community, and the building is also available for outside meetings and events.
The Pastor and the Lay Leadership
Pastor Paul Werner is originally from the New York metropolitan area, having grown up in Queens, northeastern New Jersey, and on Long Island before moving to Florida with his family after high school. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature, a Master of Arts in Foreign Language Education, and a graduate certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of South Florida in Tampa, and taught Spanish to middle school, high school, and college students, as well as ESOL to college students, for over twenty years.
Werner earned his Master of Divinity from the Florida Center for Theological Studies, now part of St. Thomas University in Miami, and was twice awarded the UCC's William R. Johnson Scholarship, a competitive seminary scholarship for openly LGBTQIA+ ministerial candidates. He was granted licensure by the Florida Conference in 2008 and ordained by the Florida Conference at First United Church of Tampa in 2013. He served as Assistant Pastor of First United Church of Tampa, as Pastor of St. Andrew UCC in Sarasota, and as Designated Pastor of Trinity Congregational UCC in Winter Haven, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Florida Conference. He now serves as Vice Chair of the Church and Ministry Committee of the Western Association of the New York Conference of the UCC and is a member of its Pastoral Care Subcommittee, as well as a member of the New York Conference UCC Commission on Justice.
Werner comes from the perspective of liberation theology and has a particular passion for social and economic justice. He believes that the poor, oppressed, marginalized, and vulnerable are especially loved by God, and that Christians are called to emulate the actions and teachings of Jesus to work for justice and peace for all people and to end the sin of systemic injustice.
Christy Schrecengost serves as Church Administrator and joined the team in 2023. She is supported by a Church Council of nine elected members, three of whom are elected each year for three-year terms, who meet monthly to delegate and oversee the ministries of the church. Four Ministry Teams (Worship, Mission and Social Action, Discipleship, and Generosity) meet together once a month and report to the Council, supported by Administrative Committees handling property, personnel, finance, and pastoral relations.
Getting Involved and Staying Connected
The church's weekly newsletter, the St. James Connector, is available by email subscription. Worship services are livestreamed on Facebook Live at St. James United Church of Christ, Hamburg, allowing members and friends from outside the local area to participate. A Google Calendar keeps visitors up to date with weekly programming.
Online giving is available, and a Generosity Team leads an Annual Fundraising Campaign each fall, with pledge cards sent to members or available on request from the Church Office. Planned giving options are available through the Treasurer for those who wish to leave a meaningful legacy to the church.
Anyone interested in joining the church can attend a St. James 101 New Members' Group session, which meets periodically after worship for a time of questions, conversation, and learning more about the congregation.