Faith in Action
St. James’ has had a longstanding relationship with Faith In Action (FIA), a social services agency based in Chelsea and Dexter. We regularly donate items for their food pantry and to their annual programs that support families at the beginning of the school year, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Members of our congregation also volunteer at their food pantry in Dexter. We routinely look for opportunities to support their mission of providing essential support to alleviate the effects of hunger and poverty in our community.
St. James’ Morton Cox Legacy Scholarship
In 2025 Faith in Action partnered with St. James’ to provide the St. James’ Morton Cox Legacy Scholarship, an annual educational scholarship for individuals seeking to further their education. This scholarship is designed to support those who have faced financial hardships and need assistance in pursuing academic or vocational goals, regardless of age.
Through this partnership, St. James’ has established an educational scholarship fund, which is administered by Faith in Action. Funds were made possible from the bequest of Dr. Morton Cox of Ann Arbor.
The $2500 scholarship is awarded annually and can be used for a wide range of educational purposes, including college tuition, technical training, GED classes, certification programs, tutoring, and other enrichment opportunities. Eligible applicants must be part of a household currently receiving services from Faith In Action.
The first recipient is a father from the Dexter community who is working toward his teaching certification through an alternative route at the University of Michigan. He is expected to complete the program in the summer of 2026. Balancing full-time employment and family responsibilities, his commitment to education and personal growth deeply impressed the scholarship committee.
FIA praised his inspiring vision for teaching, noting his desire to "instill positive growth and lay a good foundation" for future students.
His wife said, “This scholarship helped pay for the rest of his schooling for his teaching certificate. It was such a relief to know he could finish his studies and not have the extra worry about how we were going to pay school bills every month. We took a leap of faith when enrolling in the program, and God has had his hand in every step of the journey so far. Thank you for being a blessing to our family.”
Church at the Crossroads, Detroit
Our latest outreach partnership is with Church at the Crossroads in Detroit. We have participated in their summer lunch program since 2023. For more information on Church at at the Crossroads, click on the link below.
Crossroads Clothing Delivery
In addition to participating in the lunch program, we have conducted clothing drives for Church at the Crossroads. Our most recent one (summer 2025) ended with an SUV packed to the ceiling and the hatch with bags and boxes of children's clothing sized 2 years to 14 years. We also used this opportunity to hand deliver a check for the Alms collected for Crossroads during our Lenten season. Reverend Teresa Wakeen was on hand to receive our check for $1641.76.
Little Free Library and Little Free Pantry
With funds from the Diocese, we have erected a Little Free Library and Little Free Pantry on the front lawn of the church. Members of the community can help themselves to the books and food items in the pantries. They can also contribute.