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, Saint John Herr Estates Retirement Community, and Saint James Lutheran) began May / October 2006

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

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

                                       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) – 2013 is our ninth year

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

With Presbyterians (Columbia Presbyterian) – 2013 is our seventh year

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

Joint Thanksgiving Eve Eucharistic Service – at Columbia Presbyterian – alternate preachers

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

Joint Maundy Thursday Service - at Saint Paul - alternate preachers

Joint Vacation Bible School – August – using both facilities

With Roman Catholics (Saint Peter) – 2013 is our seventh 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) - 2013 is our fourth year

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

With United Methodists

Weekly Lenten Study Program with dinner - 2009

Joint Maundy Thursday Eucharist and foot washing ceremony - 2009

Community-wide Service of Healing - Lent 2010

Stations of the Cross - Good Friday - 2013 will be the third year

Week of Prayer for 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. 

Prayers of the People

Included in the Prayer of the People a prayer for the Bishop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 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; homeless day center; motel vouchers; Homes of Hope; Community Life Network; etc.  The Ministerium provides a forum for a number of programs sponsored by member churches.

Meal Programs

In addition to its 9 year monthly Free Community Breakfast Program (and Christmas Day), Saint Paul’s provides space for two other churches  (Impact Christian Center and Columbia Christian Fellowship) so that they can provide free breakfast programs (one is monthly while the other is quarterly).

In 2013, Saint Paul began a monthly Free Community Dinner Program on the 3rd Saturday of the month.

Recovery Ministry

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

Food Bank

For over 30 years, Saint Paul has had a food bank that feeds the hungry of our community.  We have over 40 volunteers and hundreds of donors who represent many different religious traditions.

We continue to explore 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.