Here are some of the ministries we’re involved in at St. Paul’s. We’re always eager to include more, so please let us know if you might be interested in participating. Contact the church office for more info.
WORSHIP MINISTRIES
Worship is an important part of what we do at St. Paul’s. Our Sunday Eucharist, nursing home services, and other special worship events all help us orient our lives towards God and towards better serving our neighbours. Worship is a joy, but it also requires a lot of work. Here are some of the ways our parishioners support our worship.
Altar Guild
Each week a small company of faithful parishioners offer their time and skill to help set up the church for worship. For Sunday services, members work on a in teams to prepare for Communion the next day.
Music
St. Paul’s Sunday worship includes both a 9:15am service, featuring traditional hymnody, and an 11am service, featuring contemporary praise music. Each of these services require the talents and time of dedicated volunteers who contribute to our music ministry.
Sidespersons
Also known as ushers, sidespersons help people find their seats, distribute bulletins, and guide people to the altar for communion. They work on a regular rotation in teams of two.
Readers and Intercessors
Each Sunday worship service involves public reading from the bible, led by a volunteer reader. Intercessions are a form of public prayer, which involves requests and thanksgivings to God. These are led publicly by a volunteer using a prepared set of prayers called a litany. Intercessors use this as a template, but are welcome to make variations as God leads them to prepare. Readers and intercessors serve on a regular rotation.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
Sunday School
Our church Sunday school is offered every Sunday during our 9:15am and 11am services. It typically runs from September to June. Our Sunday School involves prayer, crafts, music, stories and fun. It’s geared to elementary school-aged children, and run by a team of dedicated volunteers. Parents are asked to bring their children to the downstairs classrooms as the service begins. Children return to the service in time for communion.
Nursery
St. Paul’s nursery is a dedicated room in the south hallway next to the church sanctuary. The room is stocked with toys, change table, children’s washroom and a television where parents can watch the service. It’s open for younger children and their parents. The nursery is not staffed, so parents are asked to remain with their children.
Special Activities
We often hold special activities outside Sunday services for children and families. These include organized walks, craft days, movies, and suppers. Stay tuned to our regular announcements for details.
Pastoral Care
Pastoral care is another key part of our church’s ministry. Pastoral care is a broad category of ministry, and can include friendly phone calls, home visits, hospital visits, or visits to long-term care facilities. At its heart, it involves letting people in need know that they are loved and valued. Clergy play an important role in our pastoral care ministry, but we also rely on dedicated volunteers.
Pastoral care team volunteers receive training before they begin their work. This includes both training in skills, and in the ethics of pastoral care. Confidentiality, respect for others, and accountability are all important parts of the ministry training. Most of all, pastoral care work requires a love of God, a caring heart, and the willingness to donate one’s time. Talk to us if you feel this ministry might be right for you.
OUTREACH
Kanata Food Cupboard
Our parish was instrumental in establishing this agency many decades ago, and we continue to support it with volunteers. Dedicated parishioners serve as a team on a regular rotation by packing, sorting, and distributing groceries to the needy of our community.
Primates World Relief Development Fund
The PWRDF is a Canadian Anglican agency for development, relief, refugees, and justice. With the support of Anglican parishes across Canada, PWRDF makes financial and human resources available to support our partners’ initiatives and to promote knowledgeable actions of solidarity at home and around the world. We collect donations for the PWRDF and regularly hold information updates on their work around the world.
EDUCATION AND STUDY
Bible Study
Each Wednesday at 10am, we gather online for a study of the bible passages assigned for the coming Sunday’s worship. This hour-long study is led by parish clergy but encourages participation and sharing by all participants. This typically meets from September to June, and uses the zoom platform to connect. A recording of the study is published on our YouTube channel afterwards. Contact us for the zoom link information.
Book Studies
These are held regularly throughout the year, particularly during the Lent and Advent seasons of the church. Subjects vary, but we try to offer a regular rotation of important Christian themes: bible, theology, church history, and prayer.
Pints and Parables
As the name suggests, we gather at a local pub every month for refreshments and discussion. The atmosphere is laid back, and is intended to be accessible even for those who aren’t familiar with church. The discussion centres loosely on a topic related to faith and life. However, the main focus is on fellowship and friendship. Takes place from September to June, one Wednesday a month. Contact the church for more info.