Spirituality

List of 3 items.

• Our Episcopal Identity

  Episcopal schools are created to be communities that honor, celebrate, and worship God as the center of life. Episcopal school worship embodies the conviction that Christian life is lived out and practiced in community; through corporate prayer and thanksgiving we are reconciled and renewed to “go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” Episcopal schools are worshipping communities that gather regularly for prayer, reflection and celebration.
  
  

  St. Paul’s has been established, however, not solely as a community for Christians but as an institution of educational and human formation for people of all faiths and backgrounds. Episcopal school worship embraces the full breadth of the human family just as Christ did when he spoke to those who crowded around him during his earthly ministry.
  
  

  St. Paul’s is called to fulfill two simultaneous commitments: to provide students an authentic experience of Christian worship; and to welcome, affirm, and support the spiritual development of students of all faiths or no faith at all.
  
  

  Taken from the National Association of Episcopal Schools.
  
  

  For more information on Episcopal schools, please see www.episcopalschools.org.

• Chapel Services

  Chapel services are the heart of our Episcopal and Christian identity. All students in PreK through 12th grade gather regularly for prayer, song, scripture, and reflection. Chapel services are rooted in the Anglican tradition in both structure and approach. Once per month, students in Grades 5–12 also worship in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where the complete Episcopal liturgy and Eucharist are celebrated.
  
  

  Student leadership is an integral part of every worship opportunity. In grades PreK-2, a different class closes worship with a group song on the red carpeted steps leading up to the altar. “Singing on the Red Steps” has become a St. Paul’s family tradition beloved by students, parents, and faculty/staff members; this is frequently cited by our alumni as their as their most cherished memory of their St. Paul’s years. In Grades 2-12, students also serve as acolytes, cross bearers, Scripture readers and prayer leaders. The student chorus and strings ensemble also contribute to church services for Grades 9-12. Parents are welcome to join us in worship and dozens do so each week.

• Grade Level Opportunities

  Motivation Monday
  Weekly student led time of prayer and devotion in Saints Square at 7:30. Students, Faculty and Families are welcome.

  
  This I Know - PreK-2

  This I Know is a weekly Bible story time for students in Grades PreK-2. It meets in the library of the lower school campus.

  
  Girls Enrichment Ministry (“GEMS”) - Grades 3-8

  St. Paul’s Episcopal School is honored to offer GEMs (Girls Enrichment Ministry), to girls in Grades 3-8. It is a monthly, parent-led, non-denominational optional Bible study. Our mission is to share the truth of Christ and to equip our girls to become women of God.
  
  Boys United in Christ (“BUCS”) – Grades 3-8

  BUCs, or Boys United in Christ, is a monthly, parent-led, non-denominational optional Bible study for boys in grades 3-8. Our mission is to share the truth of Christ and to equip our boys to become men of God.

  
  6th Grade Religion Course

  St. Paul’s offer a short religion course to students in Grade 6 as part of their history class. As an Episcopal school, this course emphasizes the core beliefs and elements of the Episcopal Church; however, we honor diversity and recognize that many of our students come from various traditions. Thus, the course also emphasized the values and truths shared across different faith traditions.

  
  The curriculum encourages students to discover what they believe for themselves in a loving, accepting, Christian environment. The course focuses on many of the Bible stories that shape the Christian community of faith as a whole.

   

  During their sixth grade year, students learn the basics of the Bible, fully understand the Episcopal worship service, and receive communion for the first time. Students of other faiths are not required to take communion and may receive a blessing instead.
  
  Campaigners - Grades 9-12 

  “Campaigners” is a weekly meeting for Upper School students who wish to learn more or grow in their faith through Bible study. There, they address life's tough questions with a group of trusted leaders and friends. Campaigner groups exist for every grade and gender; they meet in a combination of local homes or on campus at St. Paul’s. These groups operate in partnership with the local chapter of the Young Life Ministry.

   

  Community Service 

  Christ teaches us to love our neighbor as ourselves. The Episcopal tradition emphasizes this call to unity and love through ecumenical outreach and service to others. At St. Paul’s, our community service program is intertwined with our faith life and is infused throughout the school and across all grade levels. It is the most systematic community service program of any school in the region, and one of the leading programs in the nation. By our service, we seek to change lives for the better and to be the Hands of Christ in our corner of the world. For more information, please see our Community Service page.