St. James' Services Will Be Held
In New Parish Hall

PARISH HALL — St. James' Episcopal Cathedral tomorrow will hold services for the first time in its new parish hall. It seats 500.

For the first time in more than 75 years there will be no church services tomorrow at Fresno and N Streets, the site of the old St. James' Episcopal Cathedral.

Instead, the parishoners will attend services for the first time in the cathedral's new parish hall at Cedar and Dakota Avenues.

Besides the new buildings, the cathedral this week acquired a new clergyman. He is the Rev. Harold B. Thelin, the cathedral canon.

He comes from Nyack, NY, where he was rector of the Grace Episcopal Church. Before that he served parishes in Armonk and Kisco, NY; National City and LaMesa, San Diego County, and St. Paul's Cathedral in Los Angeles.

He was born in Canada and moved to Southern California in 1920. He attended the Van Nuys High School, the University of Southern California and the General TheologicalSeminary in New York City, from which he received a bachelor of sacred theology degree in 1929.

The Rev. and Mrs. Thelin live at 3847 East Sussex Way. They have a son, Benjamin of Miami, Fla., an airlines pilot, and one granddaughter.

Dean Harry B. Lee announced services will be held tomorrow at 8, 9:15 and 11 AM and 7 PM, the same schedule as in the old cathedral. His sermon topic will be Together We Worship.

The new parish hall and an adjoining education building were constructed for $220,000. Work has started on a $42,000 cathedral house (administration building). Until it is finished the cathedral offices will be maintained at the old site.

Eighteen classrooms, a nursery and a church school superintendent's office are included in the education building. The parish hall, which will seat 500, has parking for 175 cars and space for future construction of a $400,000 cathedral.

Architect Robert Stevens designed the new buildings. The Carr Construction Company was the general contractor.

from the Fresno Bee
January 30, 1960

St. James' Episcopal Cathedral will include a parish hall and classrooms. It is located at the corner of Cedar and Dakota Avenues. The units will cost an estimated $200,000. Workman [sic] are shown doing various phases of building. Fresno Bee Photo August 1, 1959

The interior of Sanford Hall. The altar, pulpit and other items are from the original cathedral building. This parish hall was intended for temporary use as a place of worship in 1960, until the new cathedral was constructed. It is still in use today.

St. James Cathedral, as seen from the Dean's study.