On the second Sunday of every month at 12:45, the Coler Hospital ministry team gathers at St. James' for the ride to Coler. The volunteers are transported back to Manhattan after the service, arriving around 4:30 p.m.

What the Volunteers Do
Volunteers bring severely disabled patients in wheelchairs from all over the hospital to the chapel for the 2:30 service. During the service, they help patients find the pages in the hymnals and assist Chaplain Chapin with the readings. After the service, they return the patients to the floors. They meet with Chaplain Chapin before the service and afterwards.

Coler Memorial Hospital
Coler Hospital is an institution of the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation serving some 1000 of the City's neediest people suffering from chronic illness or disability. Approximately 85% of the patients have no family or friends. In 1996, Coler merged with Goldwater Memorial Hospital in order to reduce costs. Staff reductions have severely affected both employee morale and quality of patient care. The need for the St. James' ministry now is greater than ever.

The History of the St. James' Involvement
In the summer of 1976 there was a strike at Coler, and Chaplain Chapin made an appeal through the Episcopal Mission Society and the Bishop of New York for assistance from New York parishes - only St. James' responded. After the strike, St. James' became a consistent resource of concerned volunteers who help in the chaplaincy programs and Sunday afternoon services. The Grants Committee has given money to Chaplain Chapin for his discretionary use particularly in the area of music, St. James' having provided funds for a new chapel organ in 1995.