SAINT PAUL EPISCOPAL CHURCH

A Jubilee Ministry Center

340 Locust Street

Columbia, PA

"TOGETHER BUILDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD"

ECUMENICAL ACTITVIES OF THE PARISH

As we continue to implement our Mission and Ministry Plan, we continue to expand our ecumenical activities with joint prayer, worship, education, and outreach ministries.  Listed below are our current ecumenical endeavors.  If you have suggestions or ideas for additional ways we can work together, please call Father Patrick at 684-8496 or at jpp001@earthlink.net.

With Lutherans (Saint John Lutheran and Saint James Lutheran) began May / October 2006

Five joint Eucharists -     Ascension Thursday – May – at Saint John Herr Estates Retirement Community

                                        Saint James Day – July 25 – at Saint James

                                         Feast of the Holy Cross – September 14 – at Saint Paul

                                         Saint John Day – December 27 – at Saint John

                                         Saint Paul Day – January 25 – at Saint Paul

Monday Adult Christian Formation Class – First Monday in October through the Monday prior to Ash Wednesday – at Saint John

With Lutherans (Saint John Lutheran) – 2011 is our seventh year

Joint Good Friday Service with Communion (alternate between churches and preachers)

With Presbyterians (Columbia Presbyterian) – 2011 is our sixth year

Joint Ash Wednesday Eucharist Service with ashes – at Saint Paul – alternate preachers

Joint Thanksgiving (non-Eucharist) Eve Service – at Columbia Presbyterian – alternate preachers

Joint Palm Sunday Breakfast and Blessing / Procession of Palms – at Saint Paul

Joint Vacation Bible School – August – using both facilities

With Roman Catholics (Saint Peter) – 2011 is our fifth year

Joint Stations of the Cross (twice during Lent) – once at Saint Paul and once at Saint Peter

With Roman Catholics (Saint Peter and Holy Trinity) - 2011 is our second year

Joint Week of Christian Unity Solemn Sung Evensong - alternate churches and preachers

With Methodists – 2009 / 2010 / 2011

Weekly Lenten Study Program with dinner

Joint Maundy Thursday Eucharist and foot washing ceremony

Community-wide Service of Healing - Lent 2010

Stations of the Cross - Good Friday - 2011

Celebrated the Week of Christian Unity (2004)

Lutheran pastor presided and preached at all Sunday Eucharists at Saint Paul to begin the week.  Catholic priest closed the week with a Catholic service of Evening Prayer.  Beginning in 2010 Saint Paul in union with both Saint Peter Roman Catholic Church and Holy Trinity Roman Catholic church instituted a joint Solemn Sung Evensong during the Week of Christian Unity.  We rotate the host church and preacher.  Our current plan is to continue this joint service in future years with the 2011 service to take place on Tuesday, January 18.

Prayers of the People

Included in the Prayer of the People a prayer for the bishop of the Lutheran Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Lutheran Church and the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg

Columbia Ministerium

Father Patrick is currently President of the Columbia Ministerium which sponsors a number of ecumenical outreach programs:  bus vouchers; emergency winter shelter; motel vouchers; Homes of Hope; Community Life Network.  The Ministerium provides a forum for a number of programs sponsored by member churches.

Breakfast Program

In addition to its monthly breakfast program (and Christmas Day), Saint Paul’s provides space for two other churches  (Impact Christian Ministry and Columbia Christian Fellowship) so that they can provide free breakfast programs (one is monthly while the other is four times a year).

Recovery Ministry

Saint Paul’s provides space to New Vision Church to conduct a Christian Recovery Ministry Program

We are exploring additional ways that we can work with other churches in prayer, worship, and outreach.  While our national churches work on sharing and communion agreements, we at Saint Paul’s are hard at work working with others to Build the Kingdom of God in our community.