News & Events
From the Search Committee – June 4, 2021
We are pleased to announce that our search committee has now moved into face-to-face meetings with our candidates, the final phase of our discernment process. Our committee began our work together in June 2020, and we have spent the past year in self-examination, study, and listening. Over the past...
FROM THE INTERIM PRIEST-IN-CHARGE – June 4, 2021
EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY This past week at church, I mentioned in conversation that it was nice to be in “ordinary time.” I didn’t realize that I was talking about something that was not entirely familiar to everyone. So, here’s a brief explanation and comment. The term “ordinary time” originated in the Catholic...
FROM THE INTERIM PRIEST-IN-CHARGE – May 28, 2021
OUR NEXT BABY STEP – HOLY COMMUNION IN BOTH KINDS The Collect for this Trinity Sunday goes like this, “Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power...
Dear People of Saint Paul’s: Where do we go from here? I wish that I knew the answer. Whatever our direction, we go there prayerfully, deliberately, and together. Saint Paul’s has withstood fires, floods, plagues, and wars. We persevere because we have a mission to be a “welcoming Episcopal congregation...
FROM THE INTERIM PRIEST-IN-CHARGE – May 21, 2021
THE WIND BLOWS WHERE IT WILL The club struck the back of the ball cleanly, and it rose high into the blue sky, straight at the flag. As I heard “great shot” from my playing partners, I suddenly had a sinking feeling as I saw my brand new Titleist descending too...
From the Building and Grounds Committee – Parish House Renovation – Restrooms
Construction on our new restrooms has begun! The space which held the old Parlor and women's restroom is now being renovated to create a men's and a women's bathroom that are easily accessible to everyone.
From the Treasurer – October 30, 2020
We are ten months through the year and have received pledge amounts totaling $533,191.62. We need $246,808.38 to meet our 2020 goal for $780,000. Your generosity has helped get our church so close to this goal, and with your continued support we know this will be attained. You probably noticed...
From the Stewardship Committee – October 30, 2020
Lord, we give faithfully, and in our giving, we honor you, the source of all our blessings, our daily bread, and all the gifts of our lives. As the deadline approaches to complete pledge cards for the 2021 church year, I am reflecting on the tangible sense of excitement emanating from...
FROM THE RECTOR – October 30, 2020
To the Community of Saint Paul’s Church, Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide the people of the United States in the election of officials and representatives; that, by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our...
From the Stewardship Committee – October 23, 2020
Lord, we give faithfully, and in our giving, we honor you, the source of all our blessings, our daily bread, and all the gifts of our lives. We honor our Lord with our gifts: our time, talent, and treasure. Our support for the Church takes many forms and occurs throughout the...
From the Search Committee – October 21, 2020
Dear Parishioners, The Rector Search Committee would like to thank everyone at Saint Paul’s who participated in our church survey. The information we have received from the Parish will help our search committee understand where our church is now and what is needed from our new Rector as the church...
Forward Day by Day – Oct. – Dec. 2020
The new Day by Day issue for October, November, and December has arrived. If you would like to have one mailed to you, please contact the parish office. Forward Day by Day is a booklet of daily, "page-a-day," inspirational meditations each reflecting on a specific Bible passage from the daily lectionary readings...
Bishop Logue to Visit Saint Paul’s – October 25, 2020
On Sunday, October 25, we will enjoy having our Bishop, Frank Logue, at our 11 a.m. service. Bishop Logue will preach and celebrate at this Facebook live service. Plan to be with us and share your comments of welcome and appreciation for his ministry among us. Any offerings so designated, will go to...
From the Building and Grounds Committee – Repointing our Churchyard Wall
As a part of this season’s capital projects, repairs are now being made to the Churchyard walls. Keith Nichols, our masonry contractor, has secured — from Thompson Building Wrecking, our nearby neighbor on 11th Street — bricks to fill in the holes on the west wall. Mr. Nichols reports that, quite...
From the Stewardship Committee – October 2, 2020
Lord, we give faithfully, and in our giving, we honor you, the source of all our blessings, our daily bread, and all the gifts of our lives. The Stewardship Campaign theme this year reflects how our gifts to the Church honor the gifts we receive from God. A manifestation of our...
From the Stewardship Committee – September 25, 2020
The 2021 Stewardship campaign is underway and pledge cards will be mailed Monday, October 5th, with a request for a response by Monday, November 2nd. The upcoming year will be full of challenges and opportunities as we deal with the ripple effects of the coronavirus and as we open...
FROM THE RECTOR – September 25, 2020
To the community of Saint Paul’s, “Perfect love cast out fear,” (I John 4:18) There is no doubt that we live in fearful times. In the midst of these times we need to always be reminded that it the way of love is the only response that speaks to our faith. This week...
From the Senior Warden – September 25, 2020
To Listen: to pay attention; heed; obey; (F)or gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple,[a knowledge and discretion to the young— let the wise listen and add to their learning, ...
FROM THE ASSISTANT RECTOR – You, your kids, us, and Christian Formation at Saint Paul’s
A message to the parents of Saint Pauls: Dear Friends, Greetings. God’s grace and peace. On behalf of your church family, we write first to acknowledge the stress and difficulty of what you and your children (no less than Lindsey’s and my own) have experienced since last spring when your home became...
Saint Paul’s + Walk for Water = LIFE
Walk for Water is Back October 3, 2020 Last year, we all came together to battle the global water crisis either by walking, serving here at the "Watering Hole," or donating. The 2020 CSRA Walk for Water is now a virtual event, but it will still impact people around the...
FROM THE RECTOR – September 18, 2020
To the community of Saint Paul’s, To the Community of Saint Paul’s Church, Your Vestry and Vestry committees have been working hard to develop a plan for our return to in-person worship. Following the guidelines of the Diocese of Georgia we are prepared to begin, in the safest possible manner, with the...
From the working group of the Vestry – September 16, 2020
September 16, 2020 To the Members of Saint Paul’s Church, As many of you know, since June, the Vestry has been discussing the placement of the Leonidas Polk monument plaque that sits adjacent to the altar of the church building. A working group has been formed and work has been underway,...
BECOMING BELOVED COMMUNITY…WHERE YOU ARE Ministry of Racial Healing & ReconciliationWhy racial healing? Why now? Why us? The answers vary for each of us, but ultimately connect to our baptismal identity that we most fully articulate in the Baptismal Covenant. If you are interested in learning more about the ministry of...
FROM THE RECTOR – September 11, 2020
To the community of Saint Paul’s, “New occasions teach new duties; time makes ancient goods uncouth.” These words from the hymn “Once to every man and nation” remind me that we are living in the present, and that new opportunities abound. We cannot expect our past ways of doing things or...
Outreach Episcopal Relief & Development – Hurricane Relief Fund
As hurricane Laura plowed through Louisiana and Texas it left a path of destruction from which it will take years to recover. There are many in our congregation that have friends and family in these areas. We will, for the next week, be receiving gifts for hurricane relief that will be...
FROM THE RECTOR – September 4, 2020
To the community of Saint Paul’s, In the Burial Office we find this brief prayer, “Help us, we pray, in the midst of things we cannot understand, to believe and trust in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection to life everlasting.” There is so much in...
From the Stewardship Committee – August 31, 2020
Dear Saint Paul’s parishioner: The time that we have spent apart due to the social distancing requirements has reminded me that our church home is not defined solely by our beautiful and historic structure but also, perhaps more importantly, our communal relationships with each other and God. Our virtual services...
Back to School – Prayers & Blessing for our entire parish community – Part II
Back to School - Prayers & Blessing As students and educators have been returning to school over the past few weeks and continue to do so in the coming days, we offered a Back to School Blessing on Sunday. Families gathered on Zoom to talk about what they were excited...
FROM THE RECTOR – August 28, 2020
To the community of Saint Paul’s, “Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.” (Matthew 11:28) These word from Matthew and as a part of the Comfortable Words in Rite I Eucharist remind us that in the midst of our weariness Jesus calls us to be...
Godly Play shows off their butterflies from their "Love in Action" outreach project! Father Jenkins joined Godly Play on Sunday to offer a special blessing over the butterflies before they are given away. They talked about Agape love, a Greek term referring to the highest form of love. It is...
Back to School – Prayers & Blessing for our entire parish community
Back to School - Prayers & Blessing for our entire parish community Sunday, August 30 We all are aware that schooling this year is different, that we are at the beginning of a new phase of our common life in the midst of the pandemic. This truth touches the lives all...
From the Senior Warden – August 21, 2020
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2-3. The ritual of children returning to school always seems to prompt a renewed sense of order and optimism in my life. I suspect...
From the Children of Saint Paul’s: Love in Action
The children of Saint Paul’s have been gathering together online each Sunday morning this summer during our normal formation time. Our “Summer Gathering at Saint Paul’s” is a summertime program for us to connect and catch up, share stories, sing songs, and pray together. It has been fun having...
From the Search Committee – August 7, 2020
Dear Saint Paul’s Family, We are delighted to announce that our Rector search process is now actively underway, and our search committee is hard at work. The first task of our committee is to assess where the congregation is now and what is needed as we move forward. This phase...
For the past two months, the mechanisms that make the organ work (the “action”) have been in the workshop of Cornel Zimmer Organ Builders in Denver, NC being “re-leathered.” All of the almost 60 year old leather had to be removed and new leather cut and glued for each...
FROM THE RECTOR – July 31, 2020
To the community of Saint Paul’s, Every now and then we are given the opportunity for a fresh start. I believe that can and will be true for Saint Paul’s Church. While over the past now too many months, we have discovered in new ways how to be the Church outside our...
"Benji," the Franklinia Alatamaha tree planted two years ago in the center of the triangle between church and chapel has fallen in love with his new home. This rare specimen is from the original root stock brought back to Philadelphia by the famous American botanist, William Bartram, a friend of...
We've missed you so much! Coffee and Conversation is back . . . on Zoom! Every Sunday morning, beginning THIS Sunday at 10:35 a.m., come say hello to your friends before the 11 a.m. worship service. We will break into groups of 5-6 people so that we all have a chance to see each other and catch...
From the Search Committee – July 24, 2020
As we begin the Spirit led work to call the next Rector to lead Saint Paul's Church, we ask for your prayers and participation in the commissioning of the Search Committee Sunday morning, July 26, at 10:40 a.m. The liturgy is included in Sunday's bulletin and separately below. Bulletin for Commissioning...
From the Senior Warden – July 24, 2020
Commissioning of the Search Committee Sunday, July 26, 10:40 a.m. FACEBOOK LIVE One of my favorite memories with Deacon Mary Kathleen “MK” Blanchard is one where we failed her. At the end of a service, MK sent us out into the world in peace; when we responded, our “alleluias” fell flat. With...
FROM THE RECTOR – July 24, 2020
To the community of Saint Paul’s, So often in our lives we get so focused on the destination that we fail to appreciate the journey that gets us there. When we first suspended in-person activities and worship at Saint Paul’s most of us believed it was going to be brief...
Organ Re-leathering Project Update
The Saint Paul’s Casavant Organ, built in 1966, is being re-leathered by Cornel Zimmer Organ Builders in Denver, NC. These are pictures of some of the newly re-leathered organ components. The original leather has been removed and the wood surfaces cleaned. New leather pouches are then each cut by...
FROM THE ASSISTANT RECTOR – July 17, 2020
“Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” --Genesis 28:16b When Jacob awoke from his mystical vision, seeing a bridge connecting God’s life to his, he immediately grabbed what was at hand, a stone, and poured some oil over it. The act of marking God’s presence is...
FROM THE RECTOR – July 10, 2020
To the community of Saint Paul’s, Each day I look at the number of new COVID-19 cases in the CSRA. I keep hoping that I will see a down turn, something that will point to the end. Each day, so far, I have been disappointed. As Jesus hung on the cross, in his...
A “Thank You” from Golden Harvest Food Bank
Saint Paul's Church recently set a goal of raising $10,000 to donate to Golden Harvest Food Bank. In one week, the Church raised $15,000, or the equivalent of nearly 50,000 meals! Since COVID-19 regulations have put volunteer opportunities on pause, our parishioners have found ways to reach out and...
Congratulations to our 2020 Seniors
Congratulations Class of 2020! Last Sunday we prayed for and celebrated each of our graduating seniors. Check out our Facebook Page to read each of their favorite Saint Paul's Church memory!
FROM THE RECTOR – June 26, 2020
To the community of Saint Paul’s, I share the following letter for the Augusta area clergy: To the Augusta Convocation of Episcopal Parishes, All of us look forward to the time when we can gather again in our parish buildings to worship in ways that are familiar and comforting. We share frustration...
From the Search Committee – June 26, 2020
Dear Saint Paul’s Family, The Transition Handbook for the Diocese of Georgia begins with these words “discerning the call of a new priest to serve as rector or vicar is an act of prayer. Consciousness that one is doing a holy thing for the good of the whole congregation and...
FROM THE RECTOR – June 25, 2020
To the community of Saint Paul’s, I think for lack of a better word we are all just “tired”. On March 8, we started with no intinction or touching when the Peace was exchanged. Within the week in-person worship was suspended until at least March 30, then May 17, then July 1 and...
From the Senior Warden – June 19, 2020
To the Community of Saint Paul’s Church, While the Church has been physically closed, the work that has been planned continues to move forward. The work on the new ramps is scheduled to begin Monday, the bathroom renovations planned for the Parish Hall continue to move forward; the east side...
