Worships
The service of Holy Eucharist is offered every Sunday at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and again on Wednesday mornings at 9:15 a.m. along with the Laying on of Hands for Healing. The Sunday 10:30 a.m. service features choir performances from September through May. Additional services are offered during special seasons of the church calendar, such as Lent, Holy Week and Christmas.
Evening Prayer takes place in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. This prayer service is led by Worship Leaders, members of our parish who have been licensed by the Diocese of Southern Ohio to lead worship services.
There are many ways to become involved in worship at St. Paul’s!
- Members of the Altar Guild prepare the church or chapel for worship services, weddings and funerals.
- Parishioners who are in 5th Grade or older are invited to support the clergy members during services by serving as Acolytes.
- Lectors read the Old and New Testament lessons, lead the Prayers of the People, and serve as chalicist during worship services. Parishioners age 16 and older are welcome to join this ministry.
- Our Ushers greet parishioners, collect the offering and assist with Communion during our Eucharist services.
- The Videographers tape the Sunday morning worship service for broadcast on public access television.
A highlight of our Worship ministry is the Music program. Parishioners of all ages are welcome to offer their talents!
- There are choirs for adults, youth (Grades 7-12), children (Preschool-Grade 2 and Grades 3-6), and handbell ringers!
- Parishioners offer their musical gifts in a variety of ways, including instrumental and vocal performances.
- Worship services with special music are offered during the year, including the uniquely festive Jazz Vespers, which takes place on Shrove Tuesday.
Educates
St. Paul’s strives to promote Christ’s presence in the daily spiritual, emotional and intellectual development of all its members. To that end, our Christian Formation Council offers education programs for all ages on Sunday mornings, as well as special events throughout the program year.
Sunday Programs for Children (Infant to Grade 6) and Youth (Grades 7-12)
Sunday School is offered at 9:30 a.m. for Preschool—Grade 12. Following Sunday School, children in Kindergarten—Grade 4 take part in The Gathering and Children’s Chapel, joining their parents in the Sanctuary for Holy Communion. Children in Grades 5-12 attend the entire Eucharist service. Nursery care for infants to 3-year-olds is offered from 8:20 a.m. through the 10:30 a.m. service each Sunday.
Other programs for our younger children include Vacation Bible School each summer (ages Preschool—Grade 6), the family Christmas Pageant (all ages), and visits to our homebound parishioners.
Youth members of St. Paul’s are encouraged to become fully involved in the life of the parish by participating in the worship services (acolytes, choir members, lectors), social events (Lock-Ins, 5th Quarter, Ice Skating) and meaningful outreach projects (Youth Mission Trip, Life Enrichment Center, various youth-directed projects). Preparation for Youth Confirmation begins in the 7th Grade. Culmination of the Confirmation process may take place any year from 9th through 12th Grade, or as an adult.
For more information about current education programs and events, refer to Connections, our monthly newsletter, or contact Janice Baldwin, Director of Christian Formation, at formation@stpauls-dayton.org.
Sunday Programs for Adults
The centerpiece of adult education at St. Paul’s is the Adult Forum, which takes place Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. The Rev. Jack Koepke, members of St. Paul’s adult education team and guests offer thoughtful, engaging, and informative sessions. After taking your children to Sunday School or Nursery Care, join us in the Parish Hall at 9:30 a.m. for coffee, and food for the mind, heart and spirit. There’s no homework and you can attend as often as you like. For upcoming adult education programs, refer to Connections, our monthly newsletter.
St. Paul’s invites adults who feel called to renew their baptismal covenant to be part of the formation process for adult Confirmation. This series of classes and events is for: adult Episcopalians who have not been confirmed, who wish to celebrate Confirmation as the strengthening of their baptismal covenant; adults who have been confirmed in other Protestant communions, who wish to be confirmed as Episcopalians; adults who have been baptized and confirmed in the Roman Catholic communion, who wish to be received by the Bishop into the Episcopal communion; adults who have never been baptized, and who wish to be initiated into the Church through Baptism and Confirmation; and adult confirmed Episcopalians who have been away from the Church for a time and wish to make a public renewal of their baptismal commitment.
“What’s Happening” Lunches
On the first Sunday of each month from October through May, The Rev. Jack Koepke and St. Paul’s Vestry members join all interested parishioners for a brown-bag lunch roundtable. Any and all questions are welcome, and childcare is provided.
Special Programs
St. Paul’s sponsors Days of Reflection for Adults and Youth each year. Join us for these daylong opportunities to integrate education and spirituality. The Advent Quiet Day will take place on Saturday, December 1.
St. Paul’s Book Club
St. Paul’s Book Club meets the second Tuesday of each month in members’ homes. Join parishioners for food, fun and fellowship as they discuss each month’s book selection. See Connections for book choices and contact information.
Promotes Fellowship
and Care for One Another
The purpose of the Pastoral Care Council is to support the various ministries that address the needs of our parishioners. Members of the parish carry out these programs.
Book Club
The members of St. Paul’s Book Club read a new book, and discuss it (and pretty much everything else) over wine and treats at a different host’s home at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. The purpose of the Book Club is simply to get together with others who like to read; although our books cluster loosely around religious topics, ours is not a study group. Frequently, the Book Club alternates between Anglican mysteries (loosely defined!) and “serious” or non-fiction books.
Cooking & Caring
Members of this ministry provide support for other parishioners by cooking and delivering a meal, running errands, providing support with a friendly phone call, or other small tasks.
Eucharistic Visitors—Eucharistic Visitors take Communion and copies of Forward Day-by-Day to parishioners who are unable to attend services at St. Paul’s.
Foyer Groups
The purpose of these groups is to promote friendship, fellowship and a sense of church community. Small groups of parishioners meet for a shared meal in a restaurant or in their homes several times during the season, which runs from January through August.
Hospitality
Parishioners assist with in-house functions, such as receptions, funeral hospitality and coffee hours. This ministry also oversees special events, including the Fall Parish Picnic, the Spaghetti Supper before Thanksgiving, and the festive Pancake Supper on Shrove Tuesday.
Keeping in Touch
Each week, we mail or hand-deliver service bulletins, MiniConnections and Home Devotions to parishioners who are unable to attend church services. Parishioners who are out of town for the winter months, or who have moved but desire to keep in touch with St. Paul’s, receive monthly parish mailings.
Lunch Bunch
This social group of parishioners meets once a month at various restaurants to share a meal and fellowship.
Mothers of Teens (MOTs)
Mothers of teenagers and grown children gather once a month in an atmosphere of fellowship and support to share their thoughts and concerns about raising children.
Note Writers
Note writers correspond monthly with parishioners who are unable to attend church.
Parish Library
The Library provides books and tapes on a variety of topics to parishioners.
Pastoral Care and Counseling Center of Miami Valley Hospital
St. Paul’s financially supports the ministry of the Pastoral Care and Counseling Center, which offers pastoral counseling and therapy (both individual and group), premarital preparation and counseling, education and training for clergy and laity, and consultation to clergy and congregations throughout the region.
Stephen Ministers—Stephen Ministers are members of the parish who are trained to provide support for fellow parishioners who are undergoing a difficult time in their lives.
Reaches Out to Others
The parishioners of St. Paul’s believe in sharing their faith and blessings with others. Our Outreach Council supports numerous ministries dedicated to improving life in the Miami Valley community and beyond. Parishioners with a passion for helping others are encouraged and supported in their efforts to develop outreach projects.
Canterbury Court
Canterbury Court is an Episcopal Retirement Home located in West Carrollton. Volunteers from St. Paul’s provide a weekly knitting class for those at CC who are knitting for the St. Paul’s Prayer Shawl ministry, and parish members run errands and visit residents who are homebound.
Community Support
Numerous community groups, including Boy and Girl Scouts and various volunteer organziations, use our building for their meetings. Last year, more than 45 organizations used our building on a regular basis.
Children’s Christmas Outreach Project
Each year, Sunday School students in Grades 3-6 plan a fundraiser and use the funds to purchase gifts for more than 35 children, from infants to 17 years old, in the St. Vincent de Paul supportive housing program.
CROP Walk
Each year, parishioners participate in the Greater Dayton CROP Walk. Their efforts help raise money to feed the hungry here in Dayton (local charities vary) and throughout the world (Church World Services International Hunger Relief Fund).
Habitat for Humanity
St. Paul’s has been active in Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that builds homes in partnership with people who lack adequate shelter, for many years.
Heifer Project Lunch
Every spring, the 5th and 6th Grade Sunday School class prepares and hosts the Heifer Project Lunch to raise money for this unique organization, which provides animals and sustainable agricultural products for families in developing countries.
Life Enrichment Center
Two or more Saturdays each month, St. Paul’s volunteers prepare and serve lunch at the Life Enrichment Center (LEC) in downtown Dayton. The Saturday lunch program has become very popular at the LEC, serving more than 120 clients each week.
St. Paul’s Youth Mission Trip
Every year, youth and adult members of St. Paul’s take part in our annual Mission Trip to Athens County, Ohio, where we provide emergency home repair for low-income residents. Held in late June, the 4-day trip to Ohio’s poorest region allows us to offer thanks in a most meaningful way.
MVERN (Miami Valley Episcopal Russian Network)
MVERN is an international ecumenical program that has partnered 10 Miami Valley churches with St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in the village of Sablino, Russia. St. Paul’s supports this ministry by actively participating in fundraisers to sustain the youth exchange program and provide necessary supplies for St. Nicholas.
Prayer Shawls
Members of St. Paul’s and residents of Canterbury Court work together to create beautiful, hand-knitted shawls, which are given to St. Paul’s members and friends who need a bit of comfort.
St. Vincent Hotel
The St. Vincent Hotel is Dayton’s primary homeless shelter. During St. Paul’s annual “Gifts of the Heart” Shower, parishioners generously donate clothing, household goods, toiletries, and funds. During the rest of the year, we gather necessary items and transport them to St. Vincent’s.
