Ministries
CHEER BASKETS
This year, 2023, we built Cheer Baskets for the 100th year in a row. Baskets of fruit, snacks, and other goodies are assembled and delivered to
shut-ins and other church family.
FELLOWSHIP
Fall activities at St. Paul included; The Sesquicentenary Anniversary of the “middle” church’s construction with the Thanksgiving at the Retirement of the Mortgage on Sunday, October 16, 2022.
St. Paul participated in the Millersville Parade on Saturday, October 22, 2022. The congregation sponsored a yard sale, bake sale, hotdogs and hot chocolate.
Loft Community Partnership
The Loft Community Partnership (Loft CP) seeks to create a network to connect needs and available resources with Penn Manor School District residents by building and supporting community connections within and between partners, service providers, and community members; and enhance resource availability to all. The agency addresses the systemic nature of poverty by attending to the specific structural needs of households within the geographic boundaries. All Penn Manor School District households (families or individuals) with food, clothing, transportation insecurities, to name a few, are connected to the service groups, nonprofit organizations and community groups that seek to meet the insecurity needs of community member households in need within the district.
After relocating to the St. Paul Lutheran Church in July of 2020, the Loft Community Partnership and the Loft Food and Clothing Pantry became a collaborative, standalone 501c3 nonprofit organization in the Spring of 2020. This facilitated fundraising efforts to sustain the Loft Community Partnership. This initiated mechanisms by which donations made by the community and grant writing could be submitted to help sustain the partnership.
The agency developed and disseminated a resource guide (online and in print) that includes all the Loft Community Partnership Providers names, contact information, and available services of local agencies. It seeks to inform individuals and families of helpful resources in the area. A social media communications system including website, Facebook, Twitter, email, telephone, and a postal address provides a multiple venue for communications, referrals and interaction with resource providers.
New Life Mission, Haiti
St Paul has supported the New Life Children’s Home of Haiti since 2015. One of our members worked with Stevie Estime when she was a physical therapy assistant. She had gone on a mission trip to Haiti and met her future husband while serving there . They heard God’s call to establish this orphanage and eventually move to Haiti. They have literally built the complex from the ground up. Zacharie and Stevie Estime have worshipped with us and attended Sunday School to provide intermittent updates on the progress of the building and the children who now live there. For the past six years, St. Paul’s spring plant sales have raised funds for the Children’s Home. Plant sale proceeds are matched from our Global Mission fund. The 2019 profits went toward the building of a medical clinic. This was important since the nearest medical care was 20 miles from the orphanage.
Memorial Garden
The Memorial Garden of St. Paul Lutheran Church provides a sanctuary for meditation, reflection, and prayer for all. It commemorates the lives of those members whose names are listed here and whose cremains are committed to St. Paul Cemetery on East Cottage Avenue between North George St. and High School Avenue.
Millersville University Campus Ministry
An independent ministry for students of any faith attending Millersville University. The congregation strives to share the love of Christ with these students through fellowship, offering community meals, options for service, study and reflection. The ministry began in 2016 when a small group of Millersville students approached Pastor Connie Mentzer asking about options for college students within the congregation.
This ministry is supported by the Lower Susquehanna Synod which provides funds to help with activities such as retreats, game nights, bowling, etc.
We will open the 2022-2023 academic year on Freshman Orientation Day with a Welcome Station on the front lawn. Weekly Student Dinners will begin on August 22, 2022 All are welcome!
Quilters
This group meets the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month from 10-2 in room 13. There is a core membership of 5 that are busy sewing on these days. They create quilts for Lutheran World Relief and baby quilts for a local charity. They have also made backpacks for school kits to be donated to LWR.
Vacation Bible School
VBS 2022
This year we welcomed VBS with a Food Truck theme. Lessons included ways that Jesus feeds us. An enthuiastic group of leaders and children participated in music, stories, crafts, games and snack time. On Thursday, the community was invited to enjoy the food trucks onsite.
