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Mission Statement

We affirm that:  

  • God has planted us in fertile soil;

  • Unified us in the waters of baptism;

  • Nurtured us with Word and Sacraments;

  • And called us to harvest in bountiful faith.

Therefore, the mission of St. Paul's Cordova is to:

  • Be led by the Spirit of Jesus;

  • Praise and worship the Trinity;

  • Grow our membership with faith and love;

  • And share our blessings with all God's people.

Prayer

 

For the Church

  • For the Delaware-Maryland Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and its Bishop, that they might walk in God's ways

  • For the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and its Bishop that we might be gathered around the mystery of Christ crucified, and that our lives be poured out for one another and for the sake of the world

  • For all the baptized people of God: that together as Christ's church, we might be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, and that our good works may give God glory

  • For the ministries of St. Paul's: that God's welcome and hospitality may lead us to love our neighbors as ourselves

For the World

  • For all the earth and its resources, that by choosing life our decisions will honor the welfare of generations to come

  • For nations, communities, and families that are estranged by conflict or violence, and for the gift of reconciliation and mutual forgiveness

  • For government agencies, relief organizations, and advocacy groups to bring an end to injustice, hunger, oppression, and homelessness

For All Those in Need

  • For victims of sexual violence; for those affected by divorce, for those living with addiction, anger, fear, or illness, that they may know God's healing love

  • For all who grieve, that they might be comforted by God's resurrection promises

  • For those who do not yet know the love of Jesus

Tri County Ruritan

 

The Dinner Committee provides meals for the Tri County Ruritan on a monthly basis, supplies paper products, and snack for our Sunday School classes. Anyone willing to assist with the dinner committee in this worthy ministry, please contact Sue Behrens.

 

Fish Fry

Our famous Fish Fry is held the first Saturday in March.  Fresh Perch, Boneless Trout, fried potatoes, green beans, stewed tomatoes, applesauce and corn bread is on the menu.  Last year we served over 200.  We serve from 3:00-7:00pm.  It is a great time of good food and fellowship.

Blessing Box

 

The youth group of St. Paul's Lutheran Church installed a "blessing box" in front of the Cordova Volunteer Fire House.  The box is there to be used by the whole community.  A sign on the box states," Take what you need, bring what you can."  The plan of St. Paul's is to keep the box stocked with nonperishable foods, personal hygiene products and other day to day consumables.  

Soup and Sandwich Day

 

On the fourth Saturday in February our ladies prepare a lunch of chicken salad sandwiches, pie and vegetable soup. The lunches are then taken to shut-ins and senior citizens around the local area.

Youth

 

Most anyone who has been through it can testify that the teenage years are often among the most difficult in a person's life. There are many reasons for this. Physical changes, emotional changes, social changes, and cognitive changes are just some of challenges facing youth. These changes often cause a great deal of upheaval in a young person's life, as it would in anyone's life, and especially in their faith life. All of a sudden, the truths that always seemed so absolute are not so absolute, and the faith that was so blind and trusting becomes aware and questions the world and everything in it. For young people, traditional approaches to Christian education often become passé, and the lessons being taught are seen as irrelevant to life.

At St. Paul's, our approach to Christian education with youth seeks to create a space within which the tough questions of faith can be asked openly and respected, and where the answers (or lack thereof) can be explored through discussion, study of scripture, and prayer. It is our goal that youth should be able to make concrete connections between their lives outside of the church building and their lives of faith, so that they would find joy in Christ all the days of their lives.

We offer Christian education classes on Sunday mornings both for middle school youth and for high school youth taught by dedicated lay volunteers who have a heart for working with youth.

First Holy Communion

 

First Holy Communion instruction is offered to children in fifth grade and above, during the season of Lent. Children and their parents participate together in a Saturday morning class using the "Fed & Forgiven" Holy Communion curriculum published by Augsburg Fortress. In this class, children learn about what the sacrament of Holy Communion is: when it was started, why we receive it, and what God is doing through it. Students who complete the course receive their first Holy Communion at worship on Maundy Thursday during Holy Week.

How do you know if your child is ready to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion?

If you are the parent or caregiver for a child, you may be wondering when he or she is ready to begin receiving communion. Some of us may have been raised to believe that participation in holy communion requires a bit more than the generous splash of baptism. We may have received our first communion right after we were confirmed and so understood it as something of a reward for making it through those years of classes. Or, tradition may have given the impression that holy communion was a privilege enjoyed by those mature enough to understand and appreciate it.

Consider these two statements from The Use of the Means of Grace*:

"Admission to the sacrament is by invitation of the Lord, presented through the church to those who are baptized."

"There is no command from our Lord regarding the age at which people should be baptized or first communed... In all communion practices, congregations strive to avoid both reducing the Lord's Supper to an act effective by its mere performance without faith and narrowing faith to intellectual understanding of Christ's presence and gifts."

Your child's readiness is best determined by you—a parent or caregiver—in consultation with the pastor and, perhaps, your child's Sunday School teacher. Each child is different, and each will pick up on the significance of the meal at a different point. One important cue for readiness is your child showing signs of feeling excluded. Use questions like these to help you understand your child's sense of belonging in the faith community, so you can make a decision about readiness.

  • Has your child been baptized?

  • Is your child comfortable in various locations around the church, including at the altar?

  • Will your child extend his or her hands when asked to do so?

  • Does your child recognize the pastor and seem able to interact enough with him or her to receive the elements?

  • Is your child aware enough of others in the congregation and their needs to show a degree of respect for their communion experience?

  • Are you prepared to help make the process positive?

Only the first question requires a yes before your child can be considered ready. Use the others to generate discussion and to plan, with your pastor, for your child's preparation to begin receiving the sacrament and the gifts it brings. Blessings to you on this journey!

*A statement on the practice of word and sacrament that was adopted for guidance and practice by the Fifth Biennial Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, August 19, 1997.

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