Introducing the Plaza Renovations at 65 East

Anglican identity is not found in closing doors and narrowing choices,

but in invitation and opening of hearts.

— Bishop Jeffrey D. Lee

When someone walks by 65 East Huron, what does he or she discover about the Episcopal Church? Why does one person keep walking, another pause to consider the iconic architecture of a 19^th Century church or a 20^th Century office building and expansive plaza, and still another to enter our spaces?

As a resource to our 41,000-member diocese, the Episcopal Church Center represents more than just our long and admirable history of ministry in our communities; it represents the potential and the promise of our future to the Episcopal Church, to Northern Illinois and to the City of Chicago.

St. James Commons, the name recently chosen to refer collectively to the Episcopal Church Center, St. James Cathedral and the Plaza, is a statement about our church, our faith, our values, and how we envision our future.

We are engaged in a philanthropic initiative to re-invent our home in the heart of Chicago, and have created an architectural redesign that will create a space to serve more effectively as a resource center for our congregations, and a space that will become a place for people in the City to connect with each other and God, bringing us together in an atmosphere that values openness, hospitality, diversity and intellectual stimulation.

The Plan

· Our philanthropic initiative to-date allows us to break ground on a complete renovation of the Plaza.

· Future plans include new link and welcome center, renovated common areas and meeting rooms.

The Timeline

· Plaza Renovation – April 13, 2011 – May, 2012

· Plaza Dedication – Spring, 2012

Our Mission

Grow the Church. Form the Faithful. Change the World.