SAINT PAUL EPISCOPAL CHURCH
"A Jubilee Ministry Center"
P.O. Box 96
340 Locust Street, Columbia, PA‚ 17512-0096
717-684-8496
717-684-2560 (fax)
In the name of Christ, we offer you welcome to our church. May those who sorrow find comfort; the weary, rest; the troubled, peace; the stranger, friends; the unhappy, joy; and to all, the sense of God's presence in this Holy Place.
Please note that the next scheduled time for Baptism is Sunday, November 7 (All Saints' Sunday). Please call the parish office (717-684-8496) to schedule a meeting of the parents and, if possible, the godparents, with the Rector.
September, October, November 2010
Rector's Note:
The only item in our five-year Mission and Ministry Plan that we have not accomplished is the achieving of an average Sunday attendance of 150. In fact, our average Sunday attendance has slippped slightly over the last few years as a number of our members have achieved the Crown of Glory. On the other had we do have a good number of new young people and families and our Sunday School enrollment is very good. We have tried almost every concievable way to get our message out and invite others to join us. We have done direct mailing, advertising, and we have an up-to-date and easy-to-use web site. We offer both a Saturday evening and two Sunday morning services. I, and other parish members, am involved in the community on a number of levels; our parish family particpates in all community events; and people know us. So what is the issue? why don't more people come and pray with us. Are we too traditional? Is there some program or ministry that we do not offer? Is Columbia just too churched? Are you and I afraid to personally invite a friend, a family member, or a fallen-away Christian back to the church.
As part of my sabbatical, I spent some time with the data that I collected from the mega-church outside of Manheim - LCBC. It was formerly known as Lancaster Bible Church - it is now known as LCBC - Lives Changed By Christ. It currently has three locations (with tow more locations scheduled to open in 2010 and 2011) all hard-wired to the main campus outside of Manheim. What do they do? Each weekend they gather over 10,000 people at four services (2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday) just at the main location - week after week after week. Can we learn from them? How do they extend the invitation to come and pray with them? How do they greet visitors and get them to return? How do they involve members in the life of the church and the community? People obviously want to be part of them - what is so different? I may not get all the answers and maybe the answers are things that we do not want to do or cannot do; but we ned to be o;pen to the power of the Holy Spirit in how we go forth and preach the Gospel to all nations.
A long, hot, dry summer has come to an end and we now begin a new year of mission and ministry. All of our programs begin again - and we need everyone to be involved. The choir, worship assistants, nursery, Sunday School, fundraisers, social events - all need people to m ake them work. If you are involved in these things - THANK YOU!!!!! If you are not, please consider how you can use your time and talent to further the mission and ministry of our parish family. If there is something you would like to do we we don't currently have a program or ministry that supports what you want to do - then just do it. Make, create, and begin whatever you want. We will support you in all the ways that we can. Don't ever let the phrase, "We have never done that before" slow you down. If we have never done it before, the question might be, "Why not?"
Peace and Blessings to you as we begin the "busy" season. I hope that you have relaxed and enjoyed the summer. Come and pray with us - don't miss an opportunity! Pray for each other! We are a blessed family! God has been good to us! We can rejoice in our love for God and for one another! Rejoice! Again, I say rejoice!
Patrick+
If you are a member of Saint Paul's, we hope that you find this web site useful and helpful to keep up-to-date with what is going on in the parish. If you are a non-member, we hope that our web site will entice you to come and pray with us and find out what really makes Saint Paul's such a great place - it's warm and loving people. If you are searching for a church, we hope that you will join us on our faith journey.
If you have a pastoral need, whether or not you are a member of Saint Paul's, do not hesitate to contact us and let us help you in any way that we can. If you would like the Rector to visit you, or would like a home communion / visit please call us and let us know. If you or a loved one are in the hospital, please call us so that we can come and pray with you or your loved one.
We welcome comments and feedback on our web site. If you have suggestions for parish activities or programs, please let us know.
GET DIRECTIONS TO THE CHURCH:
Go to the bottom of the Mail List - Request Information Page and click on the Map to Saint Paul Link
