“…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.”