Profile of St. Paul’s, The Dalles
1)
Describe a moment in your worshipping community’s recent ministry which you recognize as one of success
and fulfillment:
During the past year Marilyn Roth was ordained as a deacon. Her ordination followed a long process of
discernment and study for her that also required congregational support, understanding and the commitment
of two parishes, St. Paul’s and St. Mark’s of Hood River. This service was a joyful celebration of these
parishes as well as members of the larger community, Marilyn’s family, friends from her former Baptist
church, and representatives from around the diocese. We celebrated her new leadership among us and the
gifts of all our members.
2)
How are you preparing yourselves for the Church of the future:
St. Paul’s welcomes and affirms everyone in their diversity. All visitors are welcome. We support youth
activities, and recognize the value of our long-time members’ history at St. Paul’s. Members’ interests and
leadership from within our congregation are encouraged. At the annual Vestry Retreat we pray, discuss the
current state of our congregation and plan for the coming year. We use technology and social media, while
recognizing that not all our members use electronic devices. We are in the process of redesigning our
website. We distribute our financial resources wisely and plan for our fiscal future. Two of our parishioners
recently returned from the Episcopal Youth Event with many good ideas regarding ministry to younger
people. Our congregation is changing, and we are prepared to change as we move into the future.
3)
Please provide words describing the gifts and skills essential to the future leaders of your worshipping
community:
A leader of St. Paul’s needs to embrace rural small town living and appreciate eastern Oregon, its
landscape, climate, cultural diversity and history. Our leader needs to understand the unique challenges of
small churches, and be willing to be involved in the community and diocese. We would value outreach to
past members in the outlying areas who used to be a strong component of the congregation. Our
congregation supports our diocese’s Ascension School at Cove, with programs since 1924 where many
campers have found a relationship with God. We seek a priest with a strong spiritual life, who facilitates the
development of our ministerial gifts and spiritual growth, and is committed to pastoral care, visiting the sick
and place-bound seniors. A leader needs to be able to work effectively with people of all ages, listen with an
open mind and communicate effectively with all members. Our congregation includes retired clergy, who
would welcome an opportunity to stand behind a new leader.
4)
Describe your liturgical style and practice for all types of worship services provided by your community:
We respect the traditions of Episcopal liturgy and are willing to experiment with new ways to worship.
There is an active group of worship leaders, lectors, leaders of intercessory prayers, bakers of altar bread, and
those providing individual healing prayers. One of our three deacons serves at each of the two Sunday
Eucharists. We offer a variety of special services, including Holy Week services of Maundy Thursday, Good
Friday, the Great Vigil and Easter; Advent and Christmas; healing services; a 12-Step service; and other
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special occasions. The Altar Guild prepares the worship space for all services and special ceremonies. We
like vocal and instrumental music, including sung Eucharists. A small dedicated choir sings every Sunday
during the school year, and offers music during the summer months. Our skilled pianist supports the choir
and congregational singing during worship services. The Kimball organ is played sometimes during the year;
although we do not have an organist we would like to see its use expand. The original St. Paul’s Chapel built
in 1875 is located downtown and belongs to the diocese; we have access to it and our priest will be its vicar.
5)
How do you practice incorporating others in ministry?
We hold a ministry fair each year to make visible the opportunities for various ministries at St. Paul’s, and
have discovered a multitude of ministerial gifts within our congregation. In the past we have identified those
among us as candidates for ministry; now our emphasis is on volunteering and one-on-one encouragement.
Training is provided from time to time for worship leaders, lay Eucharistic visitors, lectors, Altar Guild, and
Safeguarding God’s People. A group of members completed Education for Ministry in the past. A first year
EFM class was held two years ago, however it has not continued. We have not had a Parish Commission on
Ministry for quite a while, and some would like to reactivate this to help identify, train and encourage each
other in various lay and ordained ministries.
6)
As a worshipping community, how do you care for your spiritual, emotional and physical well-being?
St. Paul’s has a lay pastoral care team, who along with our three deacons, respond to personal needs in our
congregation, especially the ill and those unable to attend church. The deacons conduct regular worship
services and Bible study at a local retirement community. Two members are healing ministers and provide
intercessory healing prayers during Sunday services and healing services when requested. Music for Sunday
services is chosen to follow the lectionary and enhance our worship experience. A well-attended Adult
forum is held between the two Sunday services, and occasional book studies offer opportunities for
continued spiritual growth. We struggle to provide Sunday School and youth activities. We have an active
prayer chain. There is a meal ministry for families in need. Many parishioners help with funerals, preparing
the altar, participating in the Eucharist and bringing food for the lunch or reception. There are many
opportunities for fellowship during the year, including monthly potlucks, which support our well-being.
7)
How do you engage in pastoral care for those beyond your worshipping community?
Community outreach is important at St. Paul’s. Through volunteer time and financial support we respond to
the needs of the community. Many of our congregation actively support at least one kind of service.
Specifically we are involved with and/or support Community Meals, the Warming Place, a shelter that is
open to the homeless on the coldest nights, and the Backpack program, an ecumenical program of
distributing food to schoolchildren for the weekend. We have a Relay for Life team; volunteer in Start
Making a Reader Today (SMART), a public school program to help children read; I-84 cleanup and
Wounded Warriors Project. We support Haven from Domestic Violence with food baskets at Easter,
Thanksgiving and also gifts at Christmas. Members volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers/Big
Sisters, and Meals on Wheels. Some of us sew memory quilts and knit prayer shawls. There is a pet blessing
and we have community Taize services during Advent and Lent at St. Paul’s Chapel downtown.
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8)
Describe your worshipping community’s involvement in either the wider Church or geographical region.
St. Paul’s parishioners and clergy are actively involved in The Episcopal Church at large. Members of St.
Paul’s have been deputies to General Conventions. Within the diocese members serve on the Standing
Committee, Diocesan Council, Ascension School Board, and other diocesan committees including the
Commission on Ministry and Finance Committee. St. Paul’s will host the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern
Oregon’s Convention in October 2015. The parish participates in special campaigns for Episcopal Relief and
Development. Regionally we belong to The Dalles Fellowship of Churches, and one of our deacons is active
in, and represents the parish in Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.
9)
Tell about a ministry that your worshipping community has initiated in the past five years. Who can be
contacted about this?
In 2010 St. Paul’s began a partnership with Fr. Noe Bernier, a priest in Haiti. This has evolved into the
Eastern Oregon Haiti Project, a ministry focused on providing better educational opportunities for children in
Haiti. A team from St. Paul’s has gone to Haiti each year since the project began. The team has provided
professional development for Haitian teachers, school supplies, books, teaching materials, and built
classroom furniture. Many parishioners as well as others contribute money, clothing and school supplies to
this ministry. Team members have included persons from other Eastern Oregon parishes and from other
places. In 2016 the team will work with rural village schools in Fr. Noe’s area. Diane Walworth is the
leader of the Eastern Oregon Haiti Project.
10)
What is your practice of stewardship and how does it shape the life of your worshipping community?
We see stewardship including time, talent and treasure, and are faithful stewards of our physical plant:
grounds, gardens, parish hall, and worship sanctuary. Monthly, Vestry reviews and monitors the financial
status; it also monitors the budget closely. An internal committee manages the savings and endowment
funds prudently, in accordance to TEC guidelines. We are fortunate to be beneficiaries of the E. P. Binney
Fund, an endowment that helps with our yearly financial stability. We have used a variety of approaches in
our annual financial stewardship campaigns with varying degrees of success. A more focused emphasis
throughout the year may be helpful.
11)
What is your worshipping community’s experience of conflict? And how have you addressed it?
Our last rector’s exit brought existing conflicts to the surface. Some felt left out of church processes. The
parish has experienced polarization over support of the diocese and Ascension School. With the bishop’s
encouragement, Vestry hired a consultant. Initially he met with Vestry to understand conflicts and
communication issues. Using the Benedictine model he guided Vestry in conflict resolution, healing and
congregational development. Vestry addressed communication and transparency by revising meeting norms,
welcoming guests and giving them time for comments.
Vestry sponsored a Parish Family History Night. Members completed a timeline of events in their lives in
the church and the parish itself. Stories were shared and events discussed. Long-time and newer members
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grew in understanding of shared values of the congregation. Vestry now has a coffee hour once a month
between services to listen and talk with parishioners. A parish healing service is planned. The consultant
will return to work with the whole parish in July, after which we hope to continue congregational
development with the consultant’s help in partnership with our new priest-in-charge.
12)
What is your experience leading/addressing change in the church? When has it gone well? When has it
gone poorly? And what did you learn?
Change is constant, often it doesn’t generate many feelings or much feedback; other changes become “hot
buttons” with strong reactions. An example of the change process we recently used was about the Lord’s
Prayer in Eucharist. Various parishioners prefer the traditional version of the Prayer while others would like
to use the contemporary version. The Worship Committee elected to leave the choice of which version to
say up to the individual so that both versions were said simultaneously. After a trial period, a survey showed
the congregation was divided on the issue. Half of those who responded found the cacophony distracting
from worship. In response to the feedback the Worship Committee decided to alternate monthly which
version of the Lord’s Prayer is said.
Through dealing with conflicts and help from the consultant we are learning more effective ways to handle
change, listening to feedback, communicating with everyone and modifying the proposed change according
to the feedback received.
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