Who We Are

 A Family of Faith in Greenfield.

Our Journey

Our Journey

How St. James Began

Every church has a beginning, and St. James started in August 1966 when three families came together to pray and dream about a new Lutheran congregation in Greenfield. From that first worship service, God has blessed us with faithful pastors, leaders, and a heart for mission.

Today, St. James continues to serve Greenfield through Word and Sacrament, reverent worship, and community outreach, standing firmly on Scripture and the hope of the Gospel.

Our Story

Timeline of St. James

October 2, 1966

The first worship service was held at the Junior High School, led by Pastor George Hoog.

January 8, 1967

A church school program began.

January 22, 1967

Pastor J. Luther Seng was appointed Mission Developer and later became the first pastor on May 18, 1967.

May 14, 1967

St. James was formally organized with 89 adults and 55 children.

May 22, 1967

Officially received into the Indiana-Kentucky Synod.

1969–1972

Partnered in regional ministry in Knightstown.

1976–1980

Sponsored Laotian families, providing housing, jobs, and community support.

1972–1973

Pastor Terry Hudson served.

1974–1992

Pastor Leslie C. Yeager led the church through steady growth, including a major remodeling and building project (1984–85).

1993–2005

Pastor Jerald M. Mielke guided another building project (1995), adding a Christian Education wing, Narthex, and extensive renovations.

2006

Interim Pastor Joyce Gerwing served.

2008–2020

Pastor Larry Gember shepherded the church until his retirement.

2020–2022

Pastor Doug Gast served as interim.

July 2022–Present

Rev. Dr. Richard Blue, Jr. began serving as Senior Pastor.

Serving Together

Staff & Leadership

What Guides Us

What Guides Us

Living Life Together in Christ

At St. James Greenfield, our vision is simple: living life together in Christ. We gather around Word and Sacrament, grow in authentic community, and go to serve Greenfield and beyond.

This vision shapes everything we do—from worship rooted in Scripture and the historic liturgy, to caring for families, to reaching out in love to our neighbors. Life together means walking side by side: celebrating joys, carrying burdens, teaching the next generation, and serving in Christ’s name. Whether you’ve been part of the Lutheran tradition for years or are just beginning to explore faith, there’s a place for you here as we follow Jesus together.

The Heart of St. James

Our Core Commitments

Christ-Centered
(Word & Sacrament)

 Jesus is the center of everything we do. We listen to His Word, receive His gifts in Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and seek to follow Him daily (Colossians 1:15–20; Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26).

Authentic Worship

 We worship with depth and purpose, grounded in the Scriptures, the historic liturgy, and the creeds, regularly receiving Holy Communion (Hebrews 12:28; Psalm 96:9; Acts 2:42).

Living Life Together

Church is a family. We share life, bear one another’s burdens, pray, and encourage each other toward love and good works (Acts 2:42–47; Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 10:24–25).

Community Focus & Mission

God places us in Greenfield for our neighbors’ good. We serve through local outreach and partnerships, shining Christ’s light in word and deed (Matthew 5:16; Matthew 28:18–20; Jeremiah 29:7).

Family Ministry

We equip parents and mentor kids and students so that every generation knows and follows Jesus (Deuteronomy 6:4–7; Psalm 145:4; Mark 10:14).

Congregationally Led & Confessional

 We stand with the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, confessing the creeds and the Lutheran Confessions, while making decisions together as a congregation
(Jude 3; 2 Timothy 1:13–14).

Our Beliefs

What We Believe

We Believe in the Triune God

We believe, teach, and confess the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We Believe in Jesus Christ & the Gospel

We believe, teach, and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the gospel as the  power of God for the salvation of all who believe in him.

We Believe in the Authority of Scripture

We believe, teach, and accept the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as  the inspired Word of God.

We Believe in The Ecumenical Creeds

We accept the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the  scriptural faith we believe, teach, and confess. 

We Believe in the Augsburg Confession

We believe, teach, and accept the Unaltered Augsburg Confession and the Small  Catechism as true witnesses to the Word of God.

We Believe in the Small Catechism 

We believe, teach, and confess the other confessional writings in the Book of Concord

We Believe in the Lutheran Confessions

 We believe, teach, and confess the gospel, recorded in the Holy Scriptures.

Join us this Sunday

You’re part of the story too.

Plan Your Visit! 🎉 We can't wait to meet you!