O come, all ye faithful to the new St James chapel

Perched on a hilltop overlooking Marmion Avenue and St James Anglican School, the chapel is the hub for Anglicans between Alkimos and Lancelin.

With Archbishop Roger Herft due to consecrate the $4 million chapel next Tuesday, the Reverend John Taylor said parishioners held their first half-service in the chapel last month.

Mr Taylor said they started the October 4 service in the Yanchep shed and when they reached the peace wail halfway through, the congregation travelled south to the new chapel.

“It was the last and the first of the same service,” he said.

Holding services on Sundays from 10am and Fridays from 9am, Mr Taylor said the congregation included about 50 people.

“We are getting more people coming along all the time, now that they know we are actually here having services,” he said.

The building features a main chapel with a wall of windows looking west to the ocean, and a smaller lady chapel, dedicated to the Greek Saint Helen to tie in the with Greek freighter, the Alkimos, that the suburb is named after.

Unlike traditional churches, Mr Taylor said the wooden pews were comfortable.

“They have also got a view, so I’ve got to improve my sermons,” he said.

Other features include a water of life fountain with a shallow pool to immerse people in, an altar from the Yanchep building, a suspended pyx vessel and a stained glass cross.

Serving as a chaplain at the school two days a week, Mr Taylor said the biggest adjustment was learning to use technology built into the chapel, including flatscreens that fold down from the ceiling.

“I’m a troglodyte, I don’t use technology,” Mr Taylor said.

During the Times’ visit to the new chapel last week, two Year 5 students manned the media room to screen short religious films.

The Times understands City of Wanneroo has bought the former chapel site on Lagoon Drive, Yanchep.