Who We Are

Elevation: Up, Up, & Away!

How high is high enough?! This past month, on "Elevation Sunday," we rolled out a set of action plans-"Elevation!"-for the remainder of the year. These action plans are the first fruits of our "Such Great Heights" visioning movement, and we are highlighting four opportunities in particular into which we are inviting all parishioners. As Rector, I am asking each member of St. Paul's to prayerfully consider joining in two of these ministry opportunities. Following is just a word about each, along with a contact person. More information is available at www.stpauls-episcopal.org/elevation. You can also call the church offices.

Small Group Ministries: Reading Jack Spong's latest book, or praying the Rosary, or, say, gardening as a spiritual experience. Who knows! In addition to small group offerings that already exist, we have produced a survey (available on the Web, or by request) to help gather input from our parish family about what sort of small group experiences would be most appealing, most valuable. We see these intimate gatherings as a way to grow closer both to God and to one another. They will meet for a fixed period (say, six weeks) and might meet at church, in a coffee house, or on Belle Isle. Who knows! (Please contact Leslie Choplin to learn more.)

Pastoral Care Ministries: Cooking meals, writing cards, or transporting people to church. Pastoral care takes many forms (some of which we have not yet dreamed up!), and you are invited to join in, and to help us expand these essential, joyful, and life-giving ministries. (Please contact May Dickson, Sally Ray Griffith, Miffy Hall or Kate.)

Welcoming Ministries: A smile, a handshake, a conversation. As Mother Teresa said, love begins with a smile. It has also been said that the Gospel can be paraphrased as "hospitality to the stranger." You are hereby invited to join in that hospitality. It starts with a smile, a conversation, and maybe a follow-up phone call. Another essential, joyful, and life-giving ministry waiting for you. (Please contact Martha Anne Ellis or David Wofford.)

Downtown Mission Team: When St. Paul's was founded, we were situated in a residential area. In a word, that changed. In another word, that is changing again: that is, we have a neighborhood forming around us again! And we want to get to know our new neighbors and see what God has in store for us and for them. Again, it's about hospitality to the stranger. Join us on the adventure! (Please contact Don Cowles.)

Before closing I also want to lift up two additional and fundamental things that you can do to help St. Paul's Church elevate!

Attending Worship: At the recent Diocesan Council, Bishop Shannon took us back to basics, reminding us that at the heart of everything we do is the worship of the living God, "Simply put, Christians are not people who get up on Sunday and try to decide whether or not to go to worship. Being at worship on Sunday is at the very essence of what makes us who we are as those baptized in Christ." Plain and simple, there is no substitute for regular worship. Again, it is at the heart of everything we do. Indeed, it is the most important thing we do.

Inviting a Friend: And I have shared with you what Bishop Shannon said at Council on this score, "that fully nine out of every 10 people come to church simply because someone they know or have an association with asks them." That was true for me. There is no substitute for the personal invitation. Who do you know who might join you for church on a Sunday morning and perhaps brunch afterward? Just think, St. Paul's Church could be as important for them as it is for you.

If indeed you want St. Paul's Church to be everything that it can be; if you want us to go as high as we can go; that is, if you want us to be the beloved community of disciples that God calls us to be-and I know you do!-then I urge you to:

God is waiting on us, my sisters and brothers!

God is waiting on us!

Onwards and upwards!,

Wallace+