The primary ministries of the parish are carried out in the daily life of its members acting on their faith. By our baptism we are called to be instruments of God’s love, in our daily routines—the workplace, family life, with friends, and in civic life. The vocations of St. Paul’s parishioners are many. We are people active in medicine and in the arts. We are teachers and students, civic leaders and business people. We care for small children and aging parents. We vote and run for office. All of these roles, we believe, are encompassed within what it means to be a person of faith.
In addition to what parishioners do in their daily lives, St. Paul’s members have been involved in the following activities related to compassion for others:
St. Paul's is a Greening Congregation and has a commitment
to earth stewardship.
The Social Action Group is focusing on environmental concerns during Eastertide, and everyone is invited to join them in a cleanup project at Lincoln Park in West Seattle on Saturday, May 3, from 9:00 to 1:00. Read more.
St. Paul’s Social Action Group
The social action group helps members of St. Paul’s take action outside our parish walls by discerning and responding to the needs of those both near and far. St. Paul’s is located in the urban heart of Seattle, so we need not look further than our own doors to find persons in need. And while this group does focus on local ministries such as efforts to help the homeless, we also are joining our sisters and brothers in the larger Episcopal Church to respond to needs across the world.
Previous Projects
The Social Action Group is happy to announce that we exceeded our goal of collecting 1,000 pounds of food for Northwest Harvest—by just four pounds, but we made it! We also came very close to our goal of raising $2,000, collecting over $1,600 as of Sunday, March 30. You may still make donations if you like: St. Paul's supports Northwest Harvest year round, and donation boxes will remain in the narthex and downstairs in the parish hall. Thanks very much to everyone who donated to this worthy cause! Visit www.northwestharvest.com to learn more about their statewide work on behalf of persons in need. And stay tuned for more events related to the issues of hunger and homelessness in our city and neighborhood.
Sacred Heart Shelter
Members of the Social Action Group are planning to volunteer at Sacred Heart Shelter in the upcoming weeks. If you’d like to join them, please contact Stephen Crippen at (206) 214-7650 or stephen@stephencrippen.com.
In Advent 2007 we helped Episcopal Relief and Development provide malaria nets that protect people in sub-Saharan Africa from this disease. We sold 277 nets during Advent! Widespread use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and state-of-the-art drugs has succeeded in cutting malaria deaths in half in two countries most heavily affected by the disease, Rwanda and Ethiopia, the World Health Organization reports.
» Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22945262/from/ET/
St. Paul’s prayer team
Chalice is a group of parishioners and clergy praying for whatever is in the hearts and minds of the people of St. Paul’s. Each Sunday evening the prayers of the people from Sunday's Mass are emailed to the team. The team prays for these intercessions and thanksgivings throughout the week. Needs that arise during the week may also be added to the prayer list. Members use a variety of approaches to prayer. We pray at home, work, school, gym, St. Paul’s chapel, or wherever we can. What matters most is that the parish, its concerns, and thanksgivings are being held in prayer day after day. The chalice team meets once a month to share insights, difficulties, questions, and resources with each other. The only requirement for membership is an ability to maintain confidentiality; a team member can opt out for any reason whenever they choose. Members generally find the practice to be a fulfilling part of their own spiritual growth, and a simple yet profound way to support the parish. For additional information or to add a request to the list, please contact Mother Melissa at melissa.skelton@stpauls.org or John Forman at john@integraldevelopment.com.
Other Ministries
For more than 20 years, a group from St. Paul’s has celebrated regular masses at Queen Anne Health Care, a local assisted-living facility.
Individuals from St. Paul’s have been involved in feeding programs in the Queen Anne neighborhood, have contributed volunteer time and made donations of clothing and toiletries to a local food bank and to a program for homeless youth.
St. Paul’s response to HIV/AIDS have been ongoing since the mid-1980s. When this ministry began, St. Paul’s was the only congregation in the area offering weekly masses, potluck suppers, and support groups for people living with HIV/ AIDS. Individuals from St. Paul’s have also been involved in ecumenical and diocesan efforts to support people living with HIV/AIDS and their family and friends.
St. Paul’s also has a history of sponsoring refugee families. In the 1970s and 1980s, St. Paul’s sponsored two families from Viet Nam. In 1999, St. Paul’s sponsored a family from Kosovo, with whom they are still involved.
