PARISH MINISTRY

At the New Year in January…

Congregational Dinner:  The new year signals the time for the congregation to meet, review events of the past year, and elect new Consistory members and congregational delegates. The meeting precedes a traditional pork-and-sauerkraut dinner. Here we recognize our 50-year members and those who joined the church since the prior year’s annual meeting and dinner. A bevy of helpers, plus donations of sumptuous desserts, are welcomed for this delightful event. Leading into Easter is the Shrove Pancake Dinner starting Lent.

Easter time…

Palm Cross Workshop:  All Palm Sunday church and Sunday School attendees receive a small cross made out of a palm frond. A crafting workshop is held the week before Palm Sunday to make the palm crosses, and many helpers are needed each year for this project.

Easter Egg Hunt: On the Saturday before Easter, St. Paul’s hosts an Easter Egg Hunt for the children and friends of our parish —toddlers through age 12. The Youth Group and Council for Christian Education help to coordinate the hunt, which includes filling and hiding the eggs!

Spring…

Confirmation/Graduation Tea:  The first Sunday in June is when St. Paul’s honors those persons who have graduated from high school and college, as well as those who’ve completed Confirmation classes and become members of our church.

Autumn...

Rally Day / Congregational Picnic:  Members are needed to help organize, set up, and coordinate this annual church family event.

Halloween Family Night:  Held in October, this family night includes games, refreshments, and sometimes the traditional ‘haunted house.’

Harvest Dinner: Held on a Sunday in November, it’s a covered dish/desserts gathering for all members in Fellowship Hall.

Advent & Christmas time…

Christmas Decorating & Removal of Decorations: Before the first Sunday starting Advent, members gather to decorate the sanctuary and Christian Education building for the Advent/Christmas season. Open to all ages to help with this joyful task. At the close of the Christmas season, the decorations are removed and the large evergreen tree from the chancel is taken outside and prepared to be burned. The “burning of the greens” takes place on the Sunday closest to Epiphany. Many people are needed to make this task easy, safe, and enjoyable.

Advent Meditations:  During Advent worship services, church family members are asked to light the Advent wreath candles and read aloud a prepared meditation provided in advance.

Christmas Eve Driveway Lighting:  It is a tradition at St. Paul’s for candles to be placed along the driveway to illuminate our path on Christmas Eve. Helpers are needed to prepare the luminaries for each service.