On the last Saturday of each month, the Mission Center at St. Paul's is turned into a "cafeteria" as members of the parish put on a free luncheon for members of the community. This is a time of feeding the hungry, but also a wonderful opportunity to interact and share a meal with people in our community regardless of their race or socioeconomic status. At St. Paul's, everyone is welcome!

The St. Paul's Food Pantry is open on the last Saturday of each month during the St. Paul's Saturday community meal. Times are from 11:30 a.m. — 1:00 p.m. Guests are encouraged to have a hot meal while visiting the pantry.

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St. Paul's is a host-site for Angel Food Ministries. Working through the Dowagiac Ministerial Association and Penn Friends Community Church in Cassopolis, we are able to offer a pick up site at the First United Methodist Church in Dowagiac. Place your order by calling the St. Paul's office at 269-782-7033.

Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing grocery relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States.

Angel Food is available in a quantity that can fit into a medium-sized box at $30 per unit. Each month's menu is different from the previous month and consists of both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of approximately $60. Comparison-shopping has been done across the country in various communities using a wide range of retail grocery stores and has resulted in the same food items costing from between $42 and $78.

Generally, one unit of food assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month. The food is all the same high quality one could purchase at a grocery store. There are no second-hand items, no damaged or out-dated goods, no dented cans without labels, no day-old breads and no produce that is almost too ripe.

For more information about Angel Food, you may visit their website at www.angelfoodministries.com

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St. Paul's provides Sunday morning classes from 9:00-9:45 for elementary children. We use the Godly Play Sunday School curriculum, which uses story telling, and creative, active participation to engage children in learning the sacred stories of the Bible as well as church traditions.

The goal of Godly Play is to teach children the art of using religious language—parable, sacred story, silence, and liturgical action—to help them become more fully aware of the mystery of God's presence in their lives.

Classes meet October through May.

St. Pau's Episcopal Church is hosting its Second Annual Children's Summer of Fun Program. The Summer of Fun program runs from June 18th thru August 13th. St. Pau's has five fun trips planned for children ages 7 to 11. All of the Summer of Fun events are free and lunch will be provided. We will have fun filled days at Warren Dunes, Potawatomi Zoo, and horse back riding at Diamond D Ranch, as well as educational opportunities as we discover the Kalamazoo Air Zoo and the Curious Kid's Museum in St. Joseph.

For questions and to pre-register, please contact Parish Administrator Jil Hunsberger at 782-7033, Tuesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursday 9 a.m. to Noon or by email at jhunsberger@stpaulsdowagiac.org.

Permission Form (PDF)

Limited Space Available — Please Resister Early!

Schedule of Events

• June 18 — Curious Kid's Museum
• June 25 — Potawatomi Zoo
• July 2 — Diamond "D" Ranch - Horseback Riding
• July 23 — Warren Dunes - Life guards will be provided
• August 13 — Kalamazoo Air Zoo

The Blankets for Babies ministry is fortunate to be the recipient of women who enjoy crocheting and knitting. They make blankets, booties, and hats for babies and we distribute them to local agencies. Some of the agencies that have benefited from this ministry are The Youth Services Bureau, South Bend and St. Joseph Homeless Shelters, Hope Mission, Lewis Cass Intermediate School District, and the Pokagon Tribe of Potawatomi Indians.

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The Haiti Nursing Foundation (HNF) was incorporated in Michigan in February, 2005, to support the advancement of nursing in the Republic of Haiti.  The focus of this support is on nursing education.

Upon request, Rt. Rev. Jean Zaché Duracin, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, made the School of Nursing part of the Episcopal University of Haiti. Upon completion of their four-year program, students receive an academic degree in nursing (BSN).

The Episcopal University of Haiti is located in Port au Prince. This school of post secondary education has programs in agronomy, education, theology, accounting and management as well as the new nursing program.

The Faculty of Nursing Science shares the University's commitment to teaching, research, and service and its recognition of the power of a Christian message in all we do. Our mission is to offer a professional program of study in nursing science, incorporating public health principles and practices, to prepare its graduates for effective health care service as clinicians, leaders and agents of change.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church and Mission Center in Dowagiac has been committed to supporting this mission for many years. Dr. James Wierman, along with Father Rick, Tom Dalton, and other members, have traveled to Haiti to show our support.

For more information on the Haiti Nursing Foundation, please visit their website at www.haitinursing.org.

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S.P.Ea.K. is an acronym for St. Paul's Earth Keepers. This ministry focuses on the environment and keeping it clean. One way of doing this is by recycling. St. Paul's recycles paper, styrofoam, plastics, etc.

Another project for S.P.Ea.K. is the cleaning of highway 51 between Pokagon Street to Edwards Street in Dowagiac. Three times a year, you will find a group of 10-15 people picking up trash along side this stretch of the road.

For more information regarding S.P.Ea.K., contact Connie Plucienik or Jan Pendergrass.

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Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States. E.R.D. supports local, long-term initiatives that address poverty, hunger, disease, economic development and disaster response where the need is greatest.

Used as a framework for guiding the relief efforts, E.R.D. has made an "unyielding commitment toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals."

In 2000, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were established to reduce, by the year 2015, the number of people who live in extreme poverty. Developed by the international community including leaders from 191 countries, the eight goals were endorsed by development institutions and religious bodies, and have galvanized unprecedented energy and effort.
Each goal works toward alleviating poverty and disease by establishing targets that will directly improve people's lives.  The goals are to:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

St. Paul's Church and Mission Center supports E.R.D. in several different ways. For example, this past Christmas, an alternative giving campaign sent shares of a cow, a pig, a flock of chickens, and water to those in need.

Members have traveled to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans to assist with Hurricane Katrina rebuilding.

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One of the questions on the newcomer page talks about getting involved at St. Paul's. As a newcomer, you don't have to get involved right away. We want you to feel comfortable and become involved when you are ready. However, there are many opportunities to become involved.

Worship Lector Chalice Bearer Usher Acolyte Altar Guild Choir	Events Hospitality Host Adopt-a-Highway Haiti Mission New Orleans Rebuild Miss Gulf Coast Rebuild Grubby Sunday Crop Walk St. Paul's Saturdays Food Pantry Workers Angel Food Ministries Pie Fest / Picnic
Education & Groups Bible Study Sunday School Vestry Welcome Team Music Team Stewardship Team Garden Team Grounds Team

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St. Paul's offers our Mission Center to Alcohol Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) group meetings.

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