"I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'"
--Psalm 122:1
Being a part of the church, the body of Christ, is a way of life. Participating in church every week is so important for our spiritual well-being. Yet sometimes, even if we attend church worship regularly, we miss out for one reason or another on some of the best "extracurricular" celebrations that are a part of the joy of being together in Jesus Christ at St. Paul United Church. Each is a great opportunity to make new friends in Christ. Mark your calendar in advance for these annual events:
Rally Sunday
On the Sunday following the Labor Day holiday in September, our congregation gets back on track with the start of the new Sunday School Season, as well as our Annual Church Picnic. This is an opportunity for fellowship and greeting people you’ve missed because of vacation. You will find registration information from our Christian Education Ministry welcoming you and your children.
Fall/Spring Rummage Sales
In mid-September and mid-April, our church community begins checking its closets for items that can be donated to the fall and spring rummage sales. Each time around a full week and practically the entire first floor of the church (excluding our sanctuary) are set aside to both set up and host the rummage sale, which is one of the largest in the Taylor community. Clothing, jewelry, books, records, household goods, and furniture are all sorted, priced, and displayed for sale. There’s even an area labeled “The Finer Things” for nicer items, many brand new. The rummage sales are not only recycling events which affirm our responsibility to be good stewards in Christ: they also provide an inexpensive shopping opportunity for a lot of families who have smaller pocketbooks. Items are purposely priced to be affordable. All funds raised go to support the church in various ways. Come shop. Come volunteer.
All-Church Halloween Party
Halloween had its start in medieval Christian observances of "All Hallows Eve" and "All Hallows Day" (also known as "All Saints Day"), honoring all Christian saints who have died. The Scottish Celts believed that "All Hallows Eve" was also a time in which strange and mischievous spirits were temporarily at loose before being subdued and vanquished by the holy light of the next day. At the St. Paul United Church Halloween party, we don't worry about the theology of it all but just sit back and enjoy our masked and costumed kids having the time of their lives. The party offers a safe alternative to door-to-door trick or treating. Weather permitting, most of the party takes place outdoors, including the pumpkin decoration, a variety of games, and a "haunted hayride." A light supper is served, hosted by our Christian education ministry. The Halloween Party is customarily scheduled on a Saturday or Sunday evening before Halloween. All hands are welcome for the party set-up and decoration which takes place the day before.
Fish Dinners
Our church, as the Detroit Free Press and News Herald Newspapers have noted, serves some of the best fish in the Detroit Metro area. We're no secret: During the Lenten Season, St. Paul Church hosts five to six Fish Dinners which historically have drawn hundreds of people. It takes a lot of culinary talent and organization skill to feed everyone. But our church members are experienced. We've been hosting dinners like these for almost a hundred years. Our fish dinners begin on the Friday after the first Sunday of Lent. An extra draw to our fish we serve is our famous cole slaw and pies. All proceeds from the suppers support our church's ministry and outreach.
Decoration Sunday for Advent and Christmas
Getting ready can be a part of the joy of Christmas. Advent, the four weeks preceding Christmas, has always been a "season of preparation" for the Christian churches. At St. Paul United Church of Christ we mark the arrival of Advent and the coming of Christmas by festively decorating the rooms of our church. Decorations usually go up on the Sunday afternoon immediately following Thanksgiving. Different church groups take responsibility for the decoration of different rooms. But individuals can pitch in to help decorate any room they like. Afterwards, there's plenty of time to ooh and ah at the fruits of our labors. The lighted Christmas trees in the sanctuary are decorated with angels brought and donated by church members. Newcomers to our congregation are encouraged to bring and donate their own angel for the trees. (P.S.: Help is also needed in taking down decorations and storing them. This is usually done following the worship service on the first Sunday of January.)
Advent By Candlelight
The "Christmas rush" can make us feel too rushed. We often forget that "Jesus is the reason for the season." To help women of our congregation reclaim the true spirit of Christmas for themselves and their families, our Christian education ministry sponsors an annual "Advent By Candlelight" celebration in Fellowship Hall. Individual women volunteer to host and decorate a candlelit table for the evening, extending invitations to family, friends, and fellow church members to join them as their guests. Special music and readings on Advent and Christmas themes are shared over a delicious dessert in a wonderful time of fellowship.
Christmas and Spring Pageants
The stage curtain opens, lights twinkle, and our young people share their talent and spirit in witness to a faith we share in Jesus Christ. This is what both the Christmas and Spring Pageants hosted by the Christian education ministry are all about. Our young people prepare for the pageants weeks in advance, learning new songs and rediscovering some old ones. Though our Christian faith is always the focus, each pageant has a special story or theme. While the Christmas pageant is usually held on the second Sunday of December, the Spring Pageant is customarily held in mid-May. Both Pageants are part of our 10:00 am Worship Service. Immediately following the pageant, a buffet lunch is served.
Annual and Semi-Annual Congregational Meetings
One of the things which distinguishes the mutually covenanted congregations of the United Church of Christ is that we are self-governing under the spiritual guidance of Jesus Christ. Each individual church, led by lay men and women rather than the pastor or an outside bishop, is responsible for the prudent conduct of its own affairs. No where is this more evident than at the annual and semi-annual meetings of our congregation in mid-January and mid-July. At the annual congregational meeting, church members elect new Council leadership, approve a budget, and handle other matters of concern. During the semi-annual meeting, our church's budget and program progress is reviewed by the congregation. Robert's Rules of Order prevail but there's always plenty of opportunity for input. The congregational meetings immediately follow the Sunday morning worship service. Everyone who votes at the congregational meetings must be a church member, which is a good reason to become a member if you aren't already one!
Scrapbooking Day
Church members and friends interested in preserving memories creatively are invited to the annual day-long Scrapbookers event usually held on the last Saturday of every January at St. Paul United Church. Organized in the church's large fellowship hall, the event starts at 9 a.m. and continues until 5 p.m. Experienced scrapbookers and vendors are always on hand to offer creative pointers for beginners. Participants enjoy uninterrupted time to prepare scrapbooks. Although most scrapbookers work on family albums, the scrapbooking possibilities are unlimited. A noon lunch is served with deserts, snacks, and beverages provided throughout the day. Every participant has her or his own personal work table for the day. The event is by advance reservation only. Information about the next scrapbooking day is shared through the St. Paul monthly newsletter and the Sunday morning bulletin.
Wild Game Dinner
During the fall, many St. Paul Church members head to northern Michigan for hunting season. It's an opportunity to taste some of the resulting bounty at an annual Wild Game Dinner. Venison, elk, buffalo, and varieties of wild-caught fish are often on the menu prepared by one of the Downriver area's leading chefs. The event draws a sell-out crowd to our Fellowship Hall. To reserve tickets, contact our church office at 313-291-1221.
All-Church Summer Picnic
Michigan's summer heat and humidity can put the best of us in the doldrums. But our church's late-summer picnic is a genuine pick-me up. Howe-Peterson Funeral Home graciously provides a big-top tent for an outdoor morning worship service. Afterwards, there is a buffet lunch and an ice cream social. A variety of intergenerational games and activities are offered. Always popular is the water balloon toss getting everyone a little wet on a hot day. The picnic, which starts with a 9:30 a.m. coffee and donut time, usually finishes up at 3 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the shade and breeze of our church green. If it rains, there's plenty of room in Fellowship Hall for us all.
Staying in the Loop (or Getting the Inside Scoop) on Upcoming Events
Our church does it best to keep members informed about upcoming programs and events. We do so by means of several different newsletters, individual mailings, our website and e-mail. The church office publishes an informative monthly newsletter, The Tidings, which is emailed or mailed to the homes of members and friends monthly. Week-to-week information about upcoming events is available in the Morning Tide, a Sunday morning bulletin insert distributed along with the order of service by the ushers before Sunday morning worship. These are also available on our website under “Worship Services.”
The Annual Church Directory also provides some basic and general calendar information for our church. Copies of the directory, which is usually issued each February, are available through the church office. Other event and program information can also be obtained by viewing the "Church Calendar" also posted on the website under “What’s Happening”. St. Paul Events Calendar includes upcoming church programs and activities. To add an activity to the calendar or for more information about an upcoming event, contact the church office. The church staff is always glad to answer your informational questions as well and can be reached by telephone 313-291-1221, or e-mail stpaulucctaylor@stpaulucctaylor.org.