SAINT PAUL EPISCOPAL CHURCH
A Jubilee Ministry Center
P.O. Box 96
340 Locust Street, Columbia, PA‚ 17512
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 All Saints Sunday, (November 1, 2009). Please call the parish office (717-684-8496) to schedule a meeting of the parents and, if possible, the godparents, with the Rector.
Rector's Note:
Six years ago in my first sermon as your Rector, I said that unless we changed as a parish and grew in spirituality, in mission and ministry, and in members we only had about 15 years left as a viable parish. Your response over these last six years has been nothing short of amazing.
In most parishes, the word change and the actions of change are not acceptable. Anytime change is suggested or implemented there is a resistant and defensive reaction. Not here at Saint Paul's. All of you embraced the need to change so we would not just survive; but grow and become something new. This did not mean that we tossed out all that we were doing; but it did mean that we were open to new ways to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ - and we have.
Over the last six years our growth in sprituality is almost beyond comprehension. We have more opportunities for prayer, worship, and education than most parishes ten times our size. We are the only parish in the diocese that has the extensive ecumenical relationships in prayer, worship, and education that exist here in Columbia. But what is more important is that all of you have responded to these opportunities with the level of support that I knew was there; but is surprising to those who don't really know us. Saint Paul's is at heart a spiritual community - a religious family - that loves the Lord and cares for each other. We are nourished by Word and Sacrament in so many different ways that there is something for everyone. I said in that first sermon that to grow into a big parish, we had to act like a big parish. Well, in reality we have acted like a big parish; but we have retained the small parish personal care for one another that has been the hallmark of this parish for 160 years.
Our Mission and Ministry has expanded so much that there is not enough room in this newsletter to comment on it all. From our core mission of "Together Building the Kingdom of God" to our outreach ministry, we are a viable and visible presence in this community. We give over 10% of the level of our operating budget to the Millennium Development Goals to help eliminate poverty, hunger, disease, powerlessness in our community and around the world. We feed over 5,000 people each year through our food bank, free monthly community breakfasts, and our monthly Friends and Family Dinner. The use of our facility by other churches and organzations help them in their ministry to young girls, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, and helping people recover from addiction. We support with time, people, facilities, and money a wide level of community services that help God's least, last, and lost.
Finally, we have grown in numbers. Not as much as we need to, but we have done very well. When I arrived, our average Sunday attendance was 67. At the end of 2008 is was 98. It was slightly higher in 2006 (106) but we have lost a great number of saints among us as they have achieved the crown of glory. We need to continue to work on this area. In some respects, this is the hardest area for us to face. Our Mission and Ministry Plan calls for us to have an average Sunday attendance of 155 by the end of 2010. This is an ambitious goal to achieve in less than two years. Why 155? Because the number would not require any great additional expense in the budget; but would, based on current giving levels, allow us to move off the financial edge that we face each year in our budget. To a large extent we live collection to collection; but it would be nice to move slightly off that way of operating. Our very nice endowment gives us a firm financial footing but it would be helpful not to have to rely on interest from that endowment to "make budget." With the current economy, our interest income from the endowment is down; however, we will not spend the principle of our endowment for any reason.
In the Gospel, someone says of Jesus, "What good can come out of Nazareth?" Unfortunately, I have heard many in this diocese ask me, "What good can come out of Columbia?" Well, if some would just take the time to come and see, they would realize that mission and ministry is alive and well in Columbia. They would see that the Episcopal Church in Columbia is vibrant and alive - brimming over with prayer, worship, outreach, evangelization and all the other marks of a growing, healthy parish. But it really does not matter what others think - we know that our presence in this community is a leaven - a small but powerful force - that is helping make all things new.
Six years ago, I asked you to trust me. I asked you to change. I asked you to open yourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit. And you did! Together you and I are "building the Kingdom of God" here in this place - at this time. Some of us won't be around to see the full flower of our work. Some of us may never sit under the trees we are planting today. But grow and flower they will! The fruit of our labor is the real presence of the Risen Christ in our community. Thank you for all you have done, are doing, and will be called to do in the future. I am humbled and proud to be part of this wonderful parish family. Praise God! Bless Us!
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 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
