Treasured Journey Exhibit

Hear the opening address by historian and exhibit curator Dr. Cordelia Moyse at the opening of the Treasured Journey exhibit on Founders’ Day, October 3, 2019, at Lancaster History.

Faith communities provide some of the most important historical material with which to understand people and culture. Few churches in North America have such a long and well-documented history as Saint James Episcopal Church in the heart of downtown Lancaster.

From 1744 to today, Saint James clergy and members have made significant contributions in spirituality, education, community service, arts and architecture, and in global mission. Saint James relationship to the Lancaster community can also be seen in its ministries during times of war, its pursuit of social justice, and its failures to live up to the ideals of Christian faith when it accommodated slavery and discrimination.

The archives, treasures, and stories of Saint James offer a unique local lens through which to see how ordinary people of faith in Lancaster understood their religious identity and beliefs in relation to their family, community, country and the world.