Welcome
The Center for Spiritual Formation programs help us to pray and to put our prayers into action in many ways. In ancient languages the word "spirit" means "breath." As we speak of spirituality we speak of the breath of God on which to focus our lives.
The Center's logo incorporates the St. James Church symbolic cross and chalice with a shell in the center. The shell is a symbol for the Apostle James, a symbol for baptism, and for the Center's mission to stimulate a new birth in Christian Faith. We welcome persons of various traditions to participate in our programs.
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The Center for Spiritual Formation is pleased to announce Summer Sounds at St. James, a series of musical concerts each Wednesday evening in July at 7:00 p.m. The admission price for each concert is $10; college students with a valid ID will be admitted free. A reception follows each concert so that the audience may have opportunity to meet the performers and obtain their CDs.
Season tickets are available at $30 for all four concerts. If you'd like to help sponsor Summer Sounds at St. James, a Friends level sponsorship is $75 and includes two season tickets. Patrons will receive four season tickets for $150. Your sponsorship will help assure the program continuation and will be acknowledged in the concert programs.
Please download an order form here, or contact the church office at 225-387-5141 or via email.
Here's a letter-size color poster to share in your office, or in JPG to share via email. Thanks!
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July 7: The Herman Jackson Jazz Trio
Herman Jackson is a Baton Rouge native who earned his BA in Music at Southern University under the direction of the celebrated Alvin Batiste. Jackson is now head of the percussion department and assistant Jazz Band director at Southern.
Jackson has performed with many major recording and performance artists and made world tours to jazz festivals from Iceland to Japan and everywhere in between! The Herman Jackson Ensemble makes an annual performance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Joining him for his Summer Sounds appearance will be Thaddeus Richard on keyboard, Chris Severin on bass, and Germaine Bazzle, vocalist.
Miss Bazzle is a New Orleans jazz legend. Sometimes compared to Ella Fitzgerald or R&B queen Irma Thomas, she is most assuredly dazzling in her own right, with a repetoire of classic jazz, American pop songs, show tunes and the music of Duke Ellington.
Above: Herman Jackson; Right: Germaine Bazzle
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July 14: BossaRica
BossaRica musically reflects the encounter between Brazil, Latin America and the United States. The group was born in 2009 when friends, talented young musicians and colleagues at the LSU School of Music, Marcelo Vieira (cello and voice), Ronaldo Cadeu (guitar), and Raul Gomez (violin), decided to join their knowledge and cultural heritage.
Their repertoire includes the best of Brazilian and Latin music, jazz, as well as other styles of popular and classical music.
Their original arrangements result in an elegant yet informal stream of good music. The group has been greatly appreciated by audiences in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas and go on a Brazilian tour in August 2010.
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July 21: The Fabulous Bagasse Boyz
The Boyz say they are humbled to be in such esteemed company, and hope they are worthy of the attention.
The trio claims to be able to turn any piece of music into bluegrass style, but also plays folk-oriented songs, especially in the concert environment. They have been described as banjo-centric with a heavy accent on three-part vocal harmonies.
Hans âFritzâ Mayers on banjo and mandolin, Willi Sager on bass, and Rex Hall on guitar came together with the purpose of bringing down-home authenticity to the musical world!
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July 28: Flute & Harp Duet
Katherine Kemler is Professor of Flute at LSU; harpist Kimberly Houser is professional-in-residence at LSU, and both are internationally renowned performers.
Their program will include A History of the Tango by Astor Piazolla, as well as Four Exotic Pieces (with added percussion) by Australian composer Colin Brumby, and an exciting composition called Narthex by Bernard Andres featuring special effects on both instruments. In addition, Kemler will include her dazzling rendition of the flute solo Zoom Tube by British flautist/composer Ian Clarke, which has been a top seller on iTunes!
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Our Library
We are privileged to learn and study from some of the finest authors in the world. We have links to books used in our current and upcoming programs at Our Library site. If you so choose, purchase of books through the links on our site will help support the programs and outreach activities of The Center.
| Ongoing Programs
Everyone is invited to participate in the ecumenical programs that help to cultivate ourspiritual growth and awareness of God in our daily lives.
Yoga in a highly meditative style that uses comfortable propped poses meets on the Second and Fourth Mondays: 11:30 - 1:00 on the third floor of the Ministry Center. This is a consciousness-oriented yoga in the Svaroopa Style that promotes healing and transformation of mind and body. For information contact Margaret Culbertson at mculb@bellsouth.net or 753-4206.
Spiritual Direction is a time to reflect about one's relationship with God. One hour conversational meetings are by appointment with Deacon Pat Lyle. Please call her at 225-936-1492. 
Fifth Sunday Celebration
A signature of the Center is called "Fifth Sunday Celebration." This is a once per quarter parish-wide celebration that will include lunch and a guest lecturer with programs for the adults and the youth.
Following the 11:00 a.m. Eucharist a meal of burgers and mouth watering fixings will fill both a hungry heart and stomach. "I am the bread of life; you who come to me shall not hunger." A part of our meal will be to serve those less fortunate in our community as we put our prayers into action through outreach.
Forthcoming
The word 'spiritual' means connected with the mind and the feelings, and the word 'spirit' in both Hebrew and Greek means "breath." The CSF strives to offer programs that will enable you to enrich your feelings of self and also encourage you to reach out to others with a renewed energy.
- Create and provide resources to families and individuals for the development of the spiritual life in the home, and to provide resources for parish groups and ministries.
- The Center will work for a celebration of the arts including an art show, a summer musical series, an Epiphany display of the Magi, and art classes on icon painting and illustrated manuscripts.
- Provide spaces for listening, such as an Advent and Lenten, "mini-retreat" at the church, annual men's and women's weekend resources for parish groups and ministries.
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