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WEEKLY UPDATE
October 26, 2025
New Member Class Postponed
We are going to have our next new member class in the spring and we look forward to meeting/seeing you there!
Ministry Fair
There will be a ministry fair on Sunday, November 2nd from 8:30am-11:00am where there will be tables in the Fellowship Hall with information about the different ministries of the congregation and organizations in our building. This is an opportunity to learn more about what happens at St. Paul's and the impact that we seek to make as a church community.
Annual Appreciation Lunch
This years appreciation lunch will be held on Sunday, November 9th at 11:30am in the fellowship hall. Please sign up in the blue folders. St. Paul’s appreciates you!
Columbarium Dedication
Please join us on November 9th following the 10:30 service as we dedicate the new columbarium in the St. Paul's Cemetery. This project was funded through the Mabel Schleif estate gift and is a great reminder of her love for this church and it's people.
A Good Ending: End of Life Panel Discussion
On Sunday, November 16 from 2:00pm-3:30pm, we will have a panel discussion on end of life planning. The panelists will include a Funeral Home Director, Head of Nursing from Engle Haus, and a Hospice Social Worker. More information will be in the November Communicator.
Adopt a Family this Holiday Season
As the holidays approach, Caring For Kids is working to bring joy and hope to local families in need and the Hanover Area Food Shelf needs your help! Please email hafscaringforkids@gmail.com for more information or to adopt a local family. Thank you!
Let’s Support Ukraine
There is a box located outside the Sanctuary to collect new blankets to send to Ukraine for families in need this winter. Thank you for helping us share warmth and care across the world!
Poinsettia & Greenery Sale
Children’s Country Preschool is once again offering poinsettias, wreaths, spruce tips, etc. as a fundraiser. The order form is in the blue folders or sent out in Thursday’s email. If you are interested in ordering a RED poinsettia to decorate the sanctuary in December, please fill out the separate order form in the bulletin to indicate “In honor of …” or “In Memory of…” and place the payment and form in the offering plate or on Staci’s desk. Make checks payable to “Children’s Country Preschool”. All orders need to be prepaid. We will be taking orders until Sunday, October 26, 2025. Personal orders will arrive at the preschool Monday, December 1, 2025 and a phone call will be made to let you know they have arrived. The church poinsettias will arrive later. Thank you for supporting CCP!
Last Week’s Worship Attendance
8:00am: 86
9:15am: 105
10:30am: 49
Online: 58
Total: 298
Last Week’s Offering:
Online Giving: $5,341
Offering: $9,046
Haiti: $ 795
Building: $60
Good Samaritan Fund: $20
Total: $15,262
PASTOR'S MESSAGE
PASTOR'S MESSAGE
October 2025
October 2025
Making a Real Connection
It's a familiar Sunday morning scene: you walk through the doors, exchange a quick "good morning" with the person at the entrance, grab a bulletin, and find a seat in church. It's a pleasant and necessary routine, but what if we could make it something more? What if that simple moment had the power to change someone's entire Sunday experience?
This is the vision behind our new host training for the people of St. Paul’s. Our goal is to equip our folks with the tools to transform what could be an intimidating new experience – visiting a new church - into a relational one, where they feel genuinely seen, welcomed, and like part of the family.
The first impression is everything, and we have about 30 seconds to make it count. That's the window to share a sense of welcome and belonging. This isn't just about a task; it's about being the first face of our church. It's about showing someone that they aren't just a visitor but are a fellow child of God walking through our doors.
At our first host training in September, we practiced:
Body Language: A genuine smile, open posture, and confident eye contact are the most welcoming gestures. They say, "I'm so glad you're here."
The Art of Conversation: We learned to move past a simple "good morning" with engaging greetings like, "We're so glad you're here today." The goal is to open the door to a real conversation, using open-ended questions like, "What brought you here today?" to get to know someone on a deeper level. A perfect intro is, “Hi, I’m Luke, I’m not sure we’ve met before.” Whether they are new or have been here 30 years, it’s a great way to say hi.
Active Listening: A key part of making someone feel seen is truly listening to them. We practiced listening for their name and using it to make the interaction personal.
Ultimately, this ministry of welcoming is about connecting people to our community. It’s not about being a one-person welcoming committee. It’s about building a bridge to the rest of the family by introducing a newcomer to someone with similar interests or pointing them to the right ministry for their family. This training is helping us create a culture where everyone feels they have a place and a purpose.
"Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."
—Romans 15:7
-Pastor Luke
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