The origin of St. James the Less begins with one of the area’s oldest Episcopal parishes, St. Peters, a north Nashville church organized in 1866. In the late 1950’s, St. Ann’s and St. Peters were expected to form a new charter church. St. Ann’s decided to retain their parish status and continue their mission in East Nashville. Subsequently, St. Peters was closed by Dean William A. Dimmick of St. Mary’s Cathedral of Memphis. The initial aspirants for a new church met at the home of George E. (Jack) and Mary Elizabeth Womack, former members of St. Peters. It was decided at this meeting that the proceeds from the sale of St. Peters would be used to purchase a lot for the mission and chose its name, St. James the Less. Property on Curdwood Boulevard in Inglewood was rented and services began on September 7, 1958 with forty-two charter members present. On September 4, 1960, the first service was held at our present location on 411 Due West Avenue. In 1963, Ground was broken for the new Nave, which was dedicated on February 7, 1965. The addition of a parish hall was completed and dedicated on March of 1981. The church attained parish status in 1984. St. James the Less, a small but active Episcopal parish in Madison, Tenn., has purchased and installed Möller organ, Opus 9890. A three rank Pilcher organ built in 1938 served the parish well for over 40 years. However, the organ was becoming increasingly unreliable, and the vestry made the decision to purchase another pipe organ as its replacement. The organ installed is a two manual, seven rank, Möller Double Artiste housed in two separate boxes, each under expression.
Opus 9890 was built in 1963 and was originally installed in the Saunders Fine Arts building at MTSU. Milnar Organ
Company removed the organ from MTSU in 1999, added an exposed 4'-2' Octave rank, and upgraded the console, which
included a Peterson Single Level Combination Action. The organ was reinstalled at Westminster Presbyterian Church in
Montgomery, Ala., from 2000 to 2016.
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