Frequently Asked Questions for St Paul

1)      If I come for worship, what should I wear?

Although we don’t have a formal “dress code,” most worshipers wear business informal attire.  Suits and fancy dresses are not the norm, but neither are jeans and t-shirts.  However, if you decide to come very dressed up or very causal, you will still be welcome.


2)      What is worship like? 
We gather for worship on Sunday mornings at 10:00am. We are a liturgical congregation.  This means that we use a very formal – but also very rich and historical – structure when we worship.  Musically, our worship is led by organ and piano music and the vocal talents of the choir who sing from September to May.  There is also plenty time for congregational singing of hymns from a hymnal.  The service usually lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes.  Pastor Kurt’s sermons are typically around 15-18 minutes long.  To see our latest worship bulletin, click here and then click “Go.”


3)      Where is visitor parking? 
We have 59 parking spots on the north side of our building, accessible from Dog Leg Road.  Two of those spots are designated as visitor parking.  Four of the spots are designated as handicapped parking.


4)      Where is the front door? 
Although we have an older entrance with a red door that faces Dog Leg Road, the main entrance is actually on the north side of the building right next to the parking lot.


5)      What is there for my kids? 

See Life In Person > Kids


6)      How do I join the church? 
New members’ classes take place on one Saturday morning and typically occur twice a year, once in February and once in August.  If you are interested in becoming a member of St Paul, contact Pastor Kurt


7)      What denomination is St Paul affiliated with? 
St Paul is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  To learn more about the ELCA, go to www.elca.org


8)      Why do you ______?

       a.       …celebrate communion every week?  Most congregations in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America celebrate weekly communion.  Holy Communion is one of our two sacraments. (The other is Holy Baptism).  In Holy Communion, we are fed with the body and blood of Christ.  This strengthens us to share God’s love with others.  Much like how you eat physical food often to maintain your physical strength, we believe that you should receive Holy Communion often to help maintain your spiritual strength.


       b.       …have worship leaders who wear white robes?  The white robe worn by the pastor, assisting minister, and acolytes is called an “alb.”  This is a baptismal garment, reminding us that all of us have been made clean in Christ.  (In the early days of the church, when someone was baptized, they were put into the water naked and then wrapped in a clean white robe when they came out of the water.)  Wearing this robe is also like wearing a uniform.  The emphasis is taken off of the specific person wearing it and directed more toward what they doing.


       c.      ...have a castle and a tree inside your building?  The castle and tree in our social hall were built by hand by one of our volunteers.  The castle is made from a refrigerator box and the tree is made from cardboard boxes, paper grocery bags, and other items.  These are the sets for our puppet ministry.  King the Dog lives in the castle, and Chester the Squirrel and Ollie the Owl live in the tree.  There are also a number of other puppet friends who like to join them too.  The puppet ministry is part of our children’s Christian education program.


       d.      …have an Ohio Historical Marker in your front lawn?  The Ohio History Connection is responsible for granting these markers to historically significant sites in the state of Ohio.  We received a marker as part of our 200th anniversary celebration on Sunday July 30, 2016.


       e.  ….have a memorial garden in your lawn?  In the spring of 2021, one of the youth of the congregation became and Eagle Scout and this garden was his project.  This is a place where the ashes of members of the congregation can be buried, and where loved ones can come to sit, pray, and remember those who are now in God’s eternal care.


9)      How can I rent your building? 

Outside groups that are interested in renting our building should contact the church office. Further conversation with the pastor and possibly the council will be necessary prior to any decision being made.