EVENTS
Taking the Love of Christ Into the World
We believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that God loves you, just as you are, and you are welcome at St. Pat's, just as you are. Bring your past, your present, your questions, and your hopes and fears. Bring your partner, your spouse, your children. All are welcome here.
A bit of history about the Episcopal church: Episcopalians are constituent members of the Anglican Communion in the United States, and we are descendants of and partners with the Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church. We are part of the third largest group of Christians in the world. We believe in following the radical teachings of Jesus Christ, and we embrace his life, death, and resurrection, which bring hope, healing, and peace to a hurting world and hurting hearts.
We are inclusive, open, and affirming, and we aspire to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being. Women and men serve as bishops, priests, and deacons in our church. Laypeople and clergy cooperate as leaders at all levels of our church. Leadership is a gift from God and is inclusive of all people in our church, regardless of gender, sexual identity, or orientation.
We believe that God loves you – no exceptions.
WE SERVE TOGETHER
At St. Pat's, there are many opportunities to serve each other and the Lebanon community, and many of our members chip in regularly. When there is work to be done, we roll up our sleeves and get to it.
We serve our community through the Good Shepherd Preschool, volunteering at the Lebanon Food Pantry and clothing closet, hosting families through Family Promise of Warren County, tutoring at homework club, hosting an annual rummage sale, providing space for Lebanon Family Montessori, and providing transitional housing through Greenhouse, Inc. We serve during worship as acolytes, lay readers, altar guild members, ushers, greeters, and tellers. We serve each other through in-reach coordination and vestry, and we serve further afield by supporting Hogar Miguel Magone in Guatemala through local nonprofit Infinite Chance.
WE CELEBRATE TOGETHER
St. Patrick's is a place of celebration. Our congregation is full of people with many gifts: artists, musicians, growers, mathematicians, teachers, healers... and cooks. Really good cooks. Even if food is not planned at an event, it tends to arrive anyway.
We celebrate every Sunday with breakfast after the 8 am service, with hymns and an anthem sung by the choir during the 10:30 service, and with coffee hour afterward.
We celebrate Creation through yoga, tending the church's gardens, and the annual Animal Blessing in October. We turn fundraising into celebration through 100,000 Welcomes, Feast-n-Fall-y, and Mardi-Gras. We celebrate with our neighbors through monthly men's and women’s dinners, Christmas caroling, our Carriage Parade open house, and the Thursday Tidings newsletter.
WE SEEK TOGETHER
St. Patrick's is a good place to ask questions and help each other to find the answers. Not only do we seek God during our regular and holiday worship services, but we also find many occasions for seeking the Kingdom in contemplation and prayer, in study, and in action.
We seek God's truth through talks and discussions during Lenten study, Quest, youth group, Sunday school, Bible study, through quiet listening during Silent Saturday and Lectio Divina, and through action via involvement in the MLK Coalition and Becoming Beloved Community.
SUNDAY SERVICES
Everyone is welcome at St. Patrick’s!
Summer Schedule, beginning May 26, 2024
We will have one service at 9:30am.
The third Sunday of every month will be a quiet, contemplative service without music.
Clover Patch, our all ages family service will also continue during the summer - every 3rd Sunday at 5pm, with a light, kid-friendly dinner to follow.
Fall-Spring Schedule
8:00 AM (also live-streamed through our Facebook page):
At 8:00am we have a contemplative service, meaning there is no music. This leaves time for reflection in the silent pauses of the service.
Both services follow the same order: Prayer, reading of scripture, sermon, holy communion. Holy Communion is sometimes called Eucharist in the Episcopal Church. This is our time to remember Christ’s sacrifice for us and to receive the bread and wine.
Breakfast to follow.
10:30 AM
At 10:30am, we have our musical service. The vast majority of our songs are played on either the organ or the piano, but we are happy to expand our repertoire if you have a musical gift you’d like to share. Our songs are pulled from both a traditional hymnal and some more modern sources.
Coffee/social hour to follow.
5:00 PM (3rd Sunday of every month): Clover Patch
On the 3rd Sunday of every month, we hold a special family service, designed with our youngest members in mind. Extra noise and child participation is not just tolerated — it is expected and celebrated! All ages are warmly invited.
Followed by a light, kid-friendly dinner.
About our services
Our worship service is called a liturgy, which means the work of the people for the people. It is carefully constructed and has a rhythm that corresponds to a life of faith.
The principal service of worship in the Episcopal Church is found in The Book of Common Prayer — a rich collection of scripture and prayers that has been used throughout the world since 1549. Over the years, the language has been updated and new services incorporated.
Both services follow the same order: Prayer, reading of scripture, sermon, holy communion (sometimes called Eucharist in the Episcopal Church).
Both Sunday worship services are Eucharistic, which means that during our Eucharistic prayer, the congregation is invited to gather at the Lord’s table to share in the gift of bread and wine. This is our time to remember Christ’s sacrifice for us and to receive the bread and wine.
If you are familiar with the Episcopal Church, we use Rite II with the exception of Lent, when we use the more penitential Rite I.
You are welcome here.