St James Episcopal Church is the longest continuing religious group in Manitowoc County, with the first documented gathering of the forming congregation in 1841. Please scroll through this page to learn about our Church Leadership, Mission, Vision, Core Values, and What We Believe.

Church Leadership

Church Staff
Rector (pastor/priest) – The Rev'd Diane M Murray (Amma Diane) retired 12/31/2022 after 13+ years as our pastor. We are beginning our transition and search process. We are continuing to worship, learn, gather, pray, serve, and love our neighbors. 
Worship Coordinator – Tony Karl
Treasurer – Linda Molitor
Sexton (custodian) – Dave Haefke

Vestry (elected Church Council/spiritual leadership team)
Senior Warden – Chris Dee Eggert-Rosenthal
Junior Warden – Mary Green
Vestrypersons – Nick Doszkewycz (2020-22), Joan Estes (2022-2024), Tony Karl (2022-2023)
Clerk (legal signatory for congregation--elected by Vestry) – Tony Karl
Treasurer (elected by Vestry) – Linda Molitor

Endowment Trustees (elected)
Eleanor Agnew (2022-2024), Hugh Foster (2021-2023), & Mike Laughrin (2020-2022)

Diocesan Convention Delegates for 2022 (elected)
Mike Laughrin & Sharon Laughrin

Diocesan Convention Alternates for 2022 (elected)
1. Mary Green, 2. Chris Dee Eggert-Rosenthal, 3. Eleanor Agnew, 4. Ron Hansen

As part of a connectional denomination, St James Episcopal Church is part of the Diocese of Fond du Lac
Bishop - The Rt Rev'd Matthew Gunter, VIII Bishop of Fond du Lac

Mission

The Mission of St James Episcopal Church, Manitowoc is: Sharing God's Love Through Action.

Vision

The Vision of St James Episcopal Church, Manitowoc is to be: An inviting safe community for all.

Core Values

The Core Values of our congregation help answer the question: Why do we do what we do around here? They express what we stand for, what we’re about, and what makes us different from other congregations. Our Core Values express our congregation’s unique culture, helping guests and newcomers quickly learn important things about us. They guide our decision making, goal setting, ministry priorities, budgeting, and best use of human and material resources. Our Core Values are deeply held by the congregation and have been demonstrated in actions. They are actual, not aspirational. Here are the Core Values of St James Episcopal Church, Manitowoc.
 
We Value Acceptance & Open-mindedness
All people need a place where they can feel safe and have a sense of belonging. We value differences, embrace brokenness, and see God in all who we encounter. We are an inclusive community of faith that welcomes and celebrates diversity in age, race, nation of origin, citizenship status, gender identity, sexual orientation, social status, political view, background, ability level, marital status, and anything else that makes us unique. We offer support, encouragement, and forgiveness to all people.
 
We Value Creativity, Flexibility, & Innovation
As the world evolves, so do the ways we reach out to people. We learn from the ways Jesus challenged the status quo in encouraging others to love God and neighbor. We expect the unexpected and try to be open and agile in our responses. We are approachable and authentic in our worship, relationships, and ministries. We are all learning and growing, and we believe that leads to change. We seek to use all the unique skills, gifts, and passions God has given us to share.
 
We Value Sharing God’s Love
The Good News is that God loves all people, and we joyfully share that message with the world. We are broken people discovering healing together; we love people who are hurting and do what we can to help with physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. We listen for the needs of our community and respond with the resources God has entrusted to our care. We make a difference by serving our community and world.

What We Believe

For more information about our particular Christian beliefs, please visit this page on our denomination's web site.