King David decided that the God of Israel needed a worthy temple to show forth divine majesty. However, the prophet was ordered: “Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in? The LORD reveals to you that he will establish a house for you.” David is thinking in terms of buildings. God thinks in terms of people. St. James knows how true that is. How sad it was when we lost our beautiful “temple,” the place where we gathered. But the building did not define who we were as a parish. We are St. James not because of where we worship but because of who we are — the people God has called together in love.
