MINISTRY GROUPS
To contact a group or group leader you find on this page, please click on the Ministry Group Directory for their listed details.
Connect
Wonderful Wednesdays
Wonderful Wednesdays in our St. Paul’s Fellowship Hall is open to everyone! We eat and commune together every week, and the suggested donation of $6 per person covers meal costs and a little extra. These proceeds provide fundraising support for local organizations or church groups. We are looking for groups to host! This can be any community group, church group, or individuals wanting to host a dinner.
If you are interested in hosting, please contact Keeley Kinsgsbury.
United Women In Faith
United Women in Faith (UWF) is a supportive, inclusive Christian membership organization where women grow spiritually, develop as leaders, and serve and work to create a world in which all women, children and youth thrive. Our members nurture one another in community and support U.S. and international projects and partners improving the lives of women, children and youth through prayer, Bible studies, spiritual retreats, hands-on mission, education, leadership development and training, and advocacy in social justice issues like domestic violence, immigration, racial justice, and climate change.
Contact Judy Nielsen to learn more or join.
Small Group Ministry
Small Group Ministry is an ongoing part of community life at St. Paul’s. Long-standing groups like Emmaus 4th Day / Reunion Groups, UWF circles and common interests (like the choir) are open to receiving new members. Short-term groups gathered for a particular purpose, like learning contemplative prayer or doing lectio divina and other spiritual practices, book classes, sewing/quilting classes, and other classes convene regularly throughout the year. Your life will be enriched by connecting with other members of St. Paul’s for fellowship, conversation, and prayer!
Contact Keeley Kingsbury to get involved.
Justice/Service
Ministry Central Committee
Ministry Central Committee is St. Paul’s commitment to keeping ministry programs, both at home and abroad, at the forefront of our mission. We seek to put the ministry of our congregation and community first. The role of Ministry Central is to bring people together to brainstorm service and mission ideas and then bring those ideas to life. Providing diapers and ride share, soup and firewood, Justice League (LGBTQIA+, climate change, and other social justice areas), and Family Promise are a few of our current initiatives.
Contact either John Beaver or Peggy Hollow-Phelps for more information.
Justice League
The Justice League is a group of social justice minded people who want to be sure our congregation is aware of the social justice issues in our town and state. Our goal is to collect data about issues of the day, events in our community, and needs of those around us. Then we will share with our congregation through the weekly E-blast. Please join us and help keep our social justice loving congregants informed.
You can join us by contacting Claudia Davis.
Love Boldly
Love Boldly supports the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people into all aspects of ministry and membership at St. Paul’s. We embrace a personal ministry of all siblings under the light of God, fully embracing our Humanity. Involvement includes PRIDE activities, outreach, and LGBTQIA+ fellowships. This acceptance of all people brings Jesus’ commandment to “love others as ourselves” into action.
True Colors
True Colors is a weekly gathering of young adults (18-29) in the LGBTQIA+ community and those who are allies, and is a group sponsored by the St. Paul's UMC. We meet every Monday at 7:00 pm in Room 208 of the Susanna Wesley Place building. For the first week of the month, we have a movie night; second, a potluck; third, a game night; and fourth, a craft night.
Contact Malin for more information.
Creation Care Team
Creation Care at St. Paul’s means serving God through faithful and loving stewardship of our planet, God’s Creation. Come help St. Paul’s provide ways our congregation can grow stewardship together through:
Faith – Exploring how our Christian values direct our duty to “till and keep” God's creation.
Hope – Becoming inspired by our beliefs that there is hope for a livable climate and healthy environment.
Action – Participating in activities for children, youth and adults that enable us to live out our values and beliefs, personally and in community with others, to serve God’s Creation.
Actions include improving energy savings in our building and planning for solar power, hosting a community garden, adopting recycling, forums to create climate justice awareness, and citizen lobbying through the Creation Advocacy Network.
For information contact Dave Hemion.
Caring Ministries
Caring Ministries continues at St. Paul's with Pastor Bill coordinating and supporting multiple lay-led teams. Vicki Weida leads our outreach team providing phone calls and cards to homebound and assisted living facility resident members. Teresa Bustos & Donna Miller are coordinating in person visits for anyone who wishes them. Pastor Bill is providing hospital and hospice visitation as requested. We look forward to continuing special events like Christmas gift delivery to those who cannot go out. We would love to have your participation in any of these activities!
To volunteer, contact Pastor Bill Barksdale.
Family Promise
Family Promise of Greater Helena began serving families who are unhoused in May 2011. St. Paul’s first hosted in August 2011. Churches serve as hosts, providing meals and housing for a week at a time. Volunteers provide food, set up bedrooms in the classrooms, stay overnight, take down the bedrooms at end of week, and do laundry. This has proven an invaluable mission for St. Paul’s and for Helena. During 2022 we served 91 families and 204 children from housing, case management, food, gas, and hotel vouchers.
Contact Marcia Armstrong to volunteer.
Shower Ministry
Shower Ministry is an amazing collaboration between St. Paul’s, Good Samaritan’s Street Outreach ministry and the United Way has been happening every Tuesday morning. Unsheltered neighbors, many living in their cars, make their way to St Paul’s on Tuesday mornings, where they are greeted with a smile, offered a cup of coffee and a donut, while they wait for their turn at fully equipped shower facilities. Our team provides toiletries, fresh towels and lots of support and friendly conversation for our guests. This ministry has been well received by our community and very much appreciated by our unsheltered neighbors.
To volunteer contact Jeff Buscher.
Mission
Mission Trips
Mission Trips St. Paul’s has provided the opportunity for many mission trips in the past. The work done on these trips involves a variety of things: construction, providing basic medical care, reading glasses distribution, food preparation and delivery, etc. You might get sweaty, dirty, exhausted, inspired, and amazed. You will probably laugh a lot. You may cry sometimes. You will make lifetime friends and build powerful relationships. You will find God in extraordinary places at unexpected times. There is often even time for some tourism!
While St. Paul’s does not have a mission trip planned at this time, other churches may have opportunities available. If you are interested in going on a Mission Trip, contact Debbie Stone or Don Skillman for information on how to join a team from another United Methodist church.
To check out the various missions offered, please check the following websites or contact the following individuals:
Mountain Sky Conference Mission Opportunities
United Methodist Church Volunteer Mission Opportunities
MSC Mission Engagement and Resource Strategist: Janet Mulroy
Take a look! We have put all our ministry contact details in one handy place for you.