“God hasn’t finished with us yet” is a well-known saying among Christians. At St. Paul’s, we take it as a reminder that our Christian education does not end with us always being formed and informed by our study of scripture, our study of our Christian tradition and our awareness of our spiritual journey and its twists and turns.
Ministry of Religious Education
Ministry of Religious Education
The Adult Forum takes place every Sunday from 9:40-10:25 AM during the school year. Led by Dr. Patrick McCauley, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Chestnut Hill College, the Adult Forum is the place where you can raise your hand and ask any question (or listen to someone else’s). The Adult Forum welcomes anyone from any perspective or point of view. For many of us, faith is a process, a journey. As we go through life, the way we see things can shift and adjust. Sometimes it’s not easy, but it can help to see that we are not alone on our path. You might just find that the person sitting next to you is curious about the same things you are. And, it comes with breakfast
The men of St. Paul’s Men’s Bible Study are on a continual journey to shared learning, service, fellowship, and fun. They support one another, with kindness, in our St. Paul’s family and surrounding communities. This group continued its tradition of meeting on the first and third Saturdays of the month. Each meeting starts with a hot breakfast in the spirit of the Prayer of St. Chrysostom, “when two or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the midst of them.” Then, they engage in many tangential, insightful discussions of texts and other scholarly studies.
During the year, this group continued their SPUDS (& SUDS) gatherings – with SPUDS being an acronym for St. Paul’s Uniting Dads Socially. All men are encouraged to join this group to discover the underlying importance of SUDS. The group’s goal is to encourage each other to come out of “man caves” and provide opportunities for dads (and others) to gather socially for fun fellowship, alternate bible study, and activities. The Men’s Bible Study meets the first and third Saturdays of each month at 7:30 AM.
Coordinator:Â Doug Pusey
The Women’s Bible Study group discusses the readings and sermon from the Sunday prior, as well as related readings with the purpose of looking at what this means for each person and how they may apply those lessons to their daily lives. Group members share stories, thoughts, ideas and beliefs with each other.  Women’s Bible Study meets from September through June on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month from 7:00 – 8:00 PM in the Lockwood-Reilly Library. The group will begin its regular sessions on Wednesday, September 10th.
Coordinator:Â Laura Harting
Coinciding with the 10:30 AM adult service in the Church Sanctuary, St. Paul’s Children’s Chapel welcomes all children, ages four to fifteen, to experience the Sacred in age-appropriate ways that foster their curiosity, wonder and faith. Children who wish to participate in the Children’s Chapel assemble in the Church with the adult congregation, and then, after the Collect, are invited to participate in the Children’s Chapel and follow the Junior Acolyte from to the Lockwood-Reilly Building with their adult leaders. Children participating in Chapel will hear the same Old Testament reading as the adults in Church and have age-appropriate discussions about the readings and their application to their daily lives. They also will create their own Prayers of the People to share with their peers.  After the Sign of Peace portion of the Sunday Service, the children will rejoin the congregation to participate in the Liturgy of the Table and Communion.
Sunday School is a great way to introduce children to the Episcopal faith, the Book of Common Prayer, and the many important passages and lessons found in the bible. Children of all ages are welcome to attend Sunday School which is held from 9:45 AM – 10:25 AM, between the regular Sunday services, in the Lockwood-Reilly building. Generally, children are assigned, based upon their age and maturity level, to one of two groups for each week’s session. During the Sunday School class, children will read or hear the Holy Gospel assigned for that week in the Church calendar and discuss the reading in an age-appropriate way; this will be the same Gospel reading that adults will hear during that Sunday’s worship service. For children who are new to St. Paul’s Sunday School, parents or guardians are asked to introduce their children to the Sunday School leaders.
For fifty years, Education for Ministry (EfM) has offered a life-changing journey of faith and learning, and it has long been a cherished part of our spiritual life at St. Paul’s. Hosted through the School of Theology at the University of the South (Sewanee) on Tuesday evenings in the Lockwood-Reilly Library on our St. Paul’s campus, this gold-standard, four-year program – EfM Classic – has helped laypeople across the Church grow in knowledge prayer, community, and service. This year, St. Paul’s is excited to expand our offerings with a new, one-year “sampler” experience – EfM Wide-Angle. Whether you are just starting to explore your faith or are just looking for a meaningful continuation after EfM Classic, Wide-Angle is a flexible, enriching way to dive in.
Participants in Wide-Angle will join the Classic group weekly in a small, close-knit seminar group of no more than 12 participants, engaging in community, worship, theological reflection, and discussions based on curated readings that touch on all four years of the EfM curriculum. The group gathers for up to three hours one evening each week from fall through spring (36 weeks total) with mentor, Alan Lindsay, a dedicated EfM graduate, mentor, and Diocesan Coordinator with decades of experience guiding people through spiritual formation.
Are you curious about whether EfM is right for you? We begin with a conversation; all prospective participants will meet with the mentor for an informal interview to learn more and determine if it’s a good fit. Tuition is $350/year (for either the Class or Wide-Angle option), plus the cost of books. Additional materials are provided, and partial scholarships are available. Ready to explore? Reach out to Alan Lindsay at RAlanLindsay@gmail.com or contact the Church Office to learn more or to schedule your interview.
Coordinator: Alan Lindsay
Sitting through long religious ceremonies can be difficult for young children. Here at St. Paul’s, we have two different places where parents can take their unsettled or struggling young ones during these times. The closest location is in the Narthex at the back of the Church. This space can be physically separated from the congregation with glass doors. It is equipped with a rocking chair and soft toys to help a child feel more comfortable and calmed while still allowing the parent to watch through the closed glass doors and listen to the service by means of an audio speaker.
The second child-calming location is the Nursery Room located in the Lockwood Reilly Building. This room is set up to accommodate the needs and activity levels of infants, toddlers and younger children. A parent or guardian must remain with their child in the Nursery Room, as St. Paul’s does not provide childcare.
St Paul’s Youth Group comprised of two age levels, Middle School (6th-8th) and High School (9th-12th).
This group participates in several community service projects. Some of the things we are involved with – hosting the annual Chrissy’s Race for Hope, Youth Sunday, cooking meals together, sponsoring Christmas for Pathways Families, Christmas Caroling, baking and decorating Valentine’s Day Cookies for college students, organizing the Easter Egg hunt with a special visit from the Easter Bunny.
Contact Pastor Maxine for more information.