Ministries

PARISH LIFE

The essence of what it takes to keep St. Paul's going is its organizations and the faithful members who fulfill their obligations.

The groups that actively support the worship service are: the Altar Guild, the Acolytes, the Chancel Choir, the Lay Eucharistic Ministers, the Lay Readers, the Ushers, and the Flower Delivery.

The Altar Guild consists of a small but dedicated group of people who tend to their duties on a rotating schedule. The Altar Guild has an endowment and budget independent from the regular budget of the church. They maintain the weekly floral memorials on the altars and coordinate the floral memorials at Christmas and Easter. The Altar Guild purchases linens and vestments as needed, and in the past has provided the funds to purchase new gowns for the choir.

A volunteer Sunday School staff supports Christian education. Although the number of children in our Sunday School is small, their education and growth as Christians is very important to us. The Sunday School is fortunate in being the beneficiary of a substantial financial gift, which has been invested and is maintained by the Vestry.

The Lay Eucharistic Ministers are three exceptionally dedicated individuals - Mr. Louis Parks, Ms. Crista Johnson and Mrs. Mary Voshell - who are licensed by the Diocese of Pennsylvania to provide Holy Communion to our shut-ins. This is especially important in light of our aging and decreasingly mobile congregation. The Lay Eucharistic Ministers regularly visit these parishioners and bring them not only the Body and Blood of Christ but keep them in touch with their church and fellow parishioners.

The glue that holds all the events occurring throughout the year together is the Program Committee of the Vestry. Going forward on the premise that "if you feed them, they will come", we have coffee hours, receptions, breakfasts, lunches and dinners that support the many functions held at St. Paul's. Events held during the year are, but are not limited to: an Advent Breakfast, a Shrove Tuesday Supper and special programs during Lent.

OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

St. Paul's has always been involved in the community. The gymnasium and Parish Hall were used regularly by many different groups of people. Once there was a steady flow of people into St. Paul's; now we must reach out to bring people to us. Although our facilities are in excellent shape, we do not have the programs that will attract people.

We have done the easy part - the material part. We are working on the hard part - the social part. We would like to expend our energies helping children and young people through the East Side Neighborhood Connection (ESNC) and the Elwyn Choices Program.

We have granted the use of our facilities to outside groups in the past: Alcoholics Anonymous, the Widener University Children's Homework Program, and the Community Action Group. While none of these groups are active currently, we do have a relationship with the ESNC After School Program, GED classes and English as a second language classes. All of which use our facilities free of charge. We feel we must stay active in Chester and the Diocese.

In the late 1970's, the Vestry of St. Paul's began discussing the growing Hispanic population in the immediate area around the church. The idea of establishing a mission was agreed to by the Vestry along with funds to support a Vicar for the mission. With the consent of the Bishop, Mission San Pablo was formed. Sunday afternoon worship services have been held in Spanish at St. Paul's for the past twenty years. In the early 1980s, the financial support of Mission San Pablo was assumed by the Diocese. St. Paul's continues to support Mission San Pablo in a non-financial manner.