Who is welcome at St. Paul’s?

We are truly open and welcoming to anyone who comes to St. Paul’s, regardless of political affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity. We also welcome “seekers” – those who are questioning their religious beliefs and/or Christian denominational preferences. Father Jay welcomes tough questions.

What times are the services at St. Paul’s Episcopal?

Services are held on Sundays at 8:00 am (Rite I; no music) and 10:15 am (Rite II; full music). We also have a Rite II and Healing service on Wednesday mornings at 9:00 am.

What’s this “Rite I” and “Rite II” stuff?

Rite I and Rite II refer to different formats of our liturgy. Rite I has a more formal tone, and Rite II uses more common, everyday language. Both follow the general liturgical structure. For more information about the differences between Rites, as well as liturgical structure, please scroll down to this section on our About Our Church page.

What can I expect in the service?

You can learn a little more about our order of service, Holy Communion and our use of the Book of Common Prayer on our About Our Church page (scroll down to “About the Episcopal Church”). Communion is open to all present.

Are my children welcome in the service?

Yes! Our Deacon involves our youth at the end of the service, asking them to assist with the departing blessing. However, some parents feel that they can better focus on worship (or Sunday School topics) without managing their young children. We have a wonderful and recently updated Nursery with trained and capable staff and volunteers.

What should I wear to church services?

Any dress, from casual to Sunday-dressy, is evident on any given Sunday at our church. We are more concerned that you are there, not with what you are wearing.

What do Episcopalians believe?

Summarizing from Chapter 4 in “Welcome to the Episcopal Church,” by C. Webber:

We believe in unity primarily through worship, and turn to the Creeds for our guidance (primarily the Nicene Creed), which affirms belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. It also clarifies our belief in Jesus and God as unified, and that Jesus lived a human life. The Creed asserts the truth of the Trinity and the Incarnation of Jesus. We hold to a universal (or “catholic,” with a small “c”) faith that is accepted by the whole church in all times and places.

What are the missions of St. Paul’s?

Well, we are working on that one, and the target is often changing. Currently, we are involved in many outreach programs, the most robust of which are our Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, and our annual Christmas Dinner. We believe this reflects our call to help others, particularly those who are in need.

Our Vestry (the group of elected members that makes most driving decisions at St. Paul’s) has recently identified our 3 most important initiatives for our current status: Lay Ministry Development, New Member Ministry, and Young Adult Focus. These new initiatives indicate our recognition of the importance of everyone in our church using their gifts, as well as of recruiting new people (like you!) and making sure we meet the needs of young adults and families.

Our Christian Formation program has also been recently revitalized, under the leadership of our Deacon (Chris Harpster). There is a lot going on at St. Paul’s, and our ideas keep changing and growing!

What kinds of Sunday School groups are available?

Most of our Sunday School classes meet at 9:00 am on Sunday mornings. At that time, we have classes for younger children (Godly Play; ages 3 – 2nd grade) and older children (St. Paul’s Adventurers; grades 3 – 5). We also have an adult class, Adult Forum, which meets at this time. Nursery care is available during Sunday School hours.

For teens, we’ve found that attendance improves later in the day on Sundays. Therefore, EYC for grades 6 – 12 meets at around 11:30 – following our 10:15 service – on Sundays.

Due to our experience of attendance dropping significantly during holiday weekends and summers, our youth Sunday School classes meet in rough coordination with the Kingsport City Schools schedule. Youth Sunday School classes are typically cancelled on holiday weekends, School Break weekends, and summers. We will try to keep our Calendar page up-to-date on Sunday School cancellations. Our Adult Forum, however, continues to meet year-round at 9:00 am on Sundays, and nursery care for all children needing care is available whenever Forum meets.

How can I receive a call from the priest (Father Jay)?

In our pews are information cards that you can fill out and place in our offering plates, indicating the reason for your visit and, if you desire, a request for contact with our priest. If you are comfortable with it, you are also welcome to simply post a message below for e-mail contact with Father Jay. Your e-mail address should show up for the webmaster, so there is no need to make it public in your comment.

Where can I learn more about the Episcopal Church?

You can visit the Episcopal Church’s national website – they have a Visitor’s Page, too!