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Worship & Music at St. Paul
We have two worship services, 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. from Labor Day through Memorial Day. The second service changes to 9:30 a.m. in the summer (between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends). Communion is celebrated twice a month, typically on the first and third Sundays. Midweek services are held during the seasons of Lent and Advent. A Thursday evening worship service is also offered during the summer months. Additional services are held on Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Ash Wednesday, etc. We also frequently host an ecumenical Taize service.
In conjunction with the pastoral staff, the Director of Music Ministries, Marillyn Freeman, plans the worship services each Sunday. This is done after considerable research to provide service music and hymns that speak to the lesson of the day. Marillyn also works with the Worship and Music Committee to provide new and varied worship experiences, directs three youth choirs, accompanies the worship services, arranges music, and directs over 30 various instrumentalists who augment the worship services. If a musical instrument exists, chances are the St. Paul congregation has a member who can play it.
Over 400 people have led various portions of our worship services throughout the year, from the smallest seven year old singer to all the other choir members, cantors, ushers, greeters, acolytes, lectors, communion assistants, Altar Guild members, instrumentalists, baptismal candle and napkin makers, and seasonal decorators. We are blessed with five choirs: Sanctuary, High School, Crusader, Chapel, and Hand Bell. St. Paul congregation is STRONG in our celebration and praise of Christ through music.
There are several youth musical events that are shared throughout the area during the year. One of the newest developments has been the youth-lead contemporary Soul Lift service (keyboard/piano/acoustic guitars/bass guitar/drums/vocalists), which had its roots in a Sunday evening service but has recently been moved to Sunday mornings (once a month) to allow more people to participate. We are looking forward to this being an area of growth.
Worship services are recorded in audio and video formats and distributed as a ministry to shut-ins. Worshippers are greeted by Sunday morning greeters; we reach out to visitors and provide new member orientation on a frequent basis.