St. James United Methodist Church (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

St. James United Methodist Church
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Location	1430 Ellis Blvd., NW Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Coordinates	41°59′14.8″N 91°40′57.1″W / 41.987444°N 91.682528°W / 41.987444; -91.682528Coordinates: 41°59′14.8″N 91°40′57.1″W / 41.987444°N 91.682528°W / 41.987444; -91.682528
Area	1.5 acres (0.61 ha)
Built	1952-1954
Architect	William J. Brown
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
MPS	Religious Properties of Cedar Rapids
NRHP Reference #	15000894[1]
Added to NRHP	December 15, 2015

St. James United Methodist Church is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States. The congregation began as a Sunday school in the northwest part of the city organized by Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church. The evangelist Billy Sunday had preached a revival there and over 300 people joined the church.^[2] St. James Methodist Episcopal Church, as it was then known, was established shortly afterward in February 1910. The congregation originally used the closed Danish Lutheran Church at K Avenue NW and Fourth Street NW for their services, and they moved the building that summer to Ellis Boulevard NW. St. James grew to the point that a new building was needed. In 1945 property across the street was purchased, and local architect William J. Brown designed the new church facility. Construction began in September 1952 and it was completed in April 1954 for $165,000.^[2]

The church building is a modern interpretation of the Gothic Revival style. The gabled-ell form structure houses the sanctuary, administrative, educational and social spaces. Brown utilized the Interdenominational Bureau of Architecture's guide Planning Church Architecture: Designs, Floor Plans and Recommendations to Help in Planning Church Buildings for Worship, Religious Education, and Fellowship Activities to Cost from $30,000.00 to $850,000.00 (1945) for the basis of his work.^[2] The exterior is composed of Tennessee quartzite stone with Bedford stone trim. T. Marion Jones built the wooden furnishings and Universal Art Glass Studios of Winona, Minnesota created the stained glass windows. The sanctuary has a seating capacity of 300, and there are 16 classrooms in the building. It received some damage in a 2008 flood that allowed the gymnasium to be returned to its original use after having been converted into office space. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.^[1]

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