"…Paul says, “How can we thank God enough for you….?” I read those words as Advent practices. Gratitude and thankfulness, joy and hope from a relationship with God and our companions will be my lens while I look at the candle’s flame this Advent. I’ll be asking myself these questions as I read, pray, and watch.”

"Your presence, words and thoughtfulness towards our children and youth matters. It really matters.

“…singers from St. Paul’s Choir will embark on a pilgrimage to sing in residence at one of England’s most glorious cathedrals: Ely… Please keep the choir pilgrims in your prayers. We look forward to this experience, and to coming back to our home parish with renewed spirits and full hearts.”

“…Thank you, St. Paul’s – for welcoming us all, as we are, and giving us the chance to get to know people better. This community is truly something special.”

“…realize that you are heard! You are valued! You are needed! Make room and realize you are an integral part of the room where it happens! Or more simply put, you are the embodiment and success of the mission of St. Paul’s. Thanks for making my (our) job(s) easier….now t-minus three weeks before we turn it back over to the Rev. John Denson.”

“…To see our baptismal font, surrounded by young Black children took my breath away. The history of intentionality segregating congregations, including our own congregation, hit me in the face. This space has not always been welcoming of Black and Brown bodies.* And there is still much work to be done. But this moment, to me, felt like a small piece of what the Kingdom of God looks like.”

“…Would St. Paul’s members reduce their personal giving to the church because they felt it was no longer needed? The answer turned out, sometimes, to be yes. Some parishioners were heard to make a comment such as, “Well, the church doesn’t really need my help because we have all that Lilly money.” However, the stewardship guidelines approved by the Vestry in 1977 stated that “the Lilly income should not be permitted to replace or discourage responsible stewardship.”

“Through conversations with parishioners during the April 20 open meeting, the OOC and Vestry have also established a set of mission priorities based on where our congregation is feeling most energized. These priorities will help set a direction and focus for the year ahead, enabling us to make a greater impact in those areas.

What are these new teams and priorities, you ask? We’re eager to tell you all about them! Please click here to see details about our June 5 zoom information session with key ministry leaders.

“…Godly Play is a Sunday School curriculum based on Montessori educational methods. It follows a prescribed schedule for Sunday mornings so that the children know what to expect each week. Within that framework, children are allowed the freedom to choose their own activities, participate or hold back…Children have an innate understanding of God but often lack the language to communicate what they know and feel.”

“God calls us into relationships that are open, inclusive, generous, and welcoming, rooted in love for the purpose of transforming our world. We can’t do this work if we are held-up and walled-in, simply engaging in ways that are transactional and not relational. Puentes fosters an environment where bridges can be established and maintained, honoring the cultures, traditions and language of the Latino community, while exchanging our own cultural nuances. Building Puentes rooted in Christ’s love requires us to work with others, not simply to do for them.”

Read a reflection by parishioner, Charlotte W.

“…I hope you participate in supporting St. Paul’s in your charitable giving, to get some "skin in the game." And I hope that you anticipate being part of a movement that spreads hope, love and the reconciliation of all people in Jesus the Christ.”

“…Subtle evangelism can be very powerful. It doesn’t need to accost. It doesn’t need to challenge by asking if one “is saved,” or hand out flyers on street corners. We can all be evangelists. We need only to quietly share and let God do the rest, just as he did in the early 40s at St. Paul’s.”

“Celebrate St. Paul’s,” Choral Mattins, Family Ministry Stewardship, 2024 Graduates, MLK Lay Clergy Group, Name Tags and more.

“Do we merely use what we have received, without actually taking the time to thank God for the gifts of creation, and our good Earth, where these gifts come from? It’s easy to plant our gardens and fields, grow the plants, and then harvest them without ever taking time to give thanks to God for providing this planet, our island home, or for the plants who did the actual work of producing fruit.”

“…It’s never easy to be different to a majority. St Paul’s has made demonstrable and expanding efforts to welcome in folks of all backgrounds, especially for those whose ethnic background and/or gender identity have led them to feel excluded from other groups. Having been called to the rare disease community, perhaps the gift our family has for St. Paul’s is to help make it even more a place where the neurodiverse and the differently abled are not only tolerated and accepted, but celebrated and supported.”

“…I invite you to walk together with a cohort of congregants. You may discover a substantive process that brings healing to some, transformation in others, and demonstrates St. Paul’s commitment to engaging in the critical discourse that will propel us forward. “