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On many afternoons as a second-grader, our daughter Rachel resituated the chairs from around our kitchen table and formed them into a semi-circle. That’s how she converted the family room into a choir room. Some of the greatest sacred music ever sung…
Every year, St. Paul gathers a team of people to participate in the annual NAMIWalk. The congregation gives $5,000 to support the work of NAMI in the Quad Cities, and the team gathers to walk together. The walk promotes awareness of mental health, ra…
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Editor’s note: Ninth-grade confirmation students are sharing their faith stories on Sunday mornings, as they wrap up their two-year confirmation journey. Hannah Turner is a ninth-grader at Davenport Central High School. When I think about faith or Go…
Are you a veteran from any era? A new group is forming at St. Paul. Led by Lyle Peterson, this group will connect in a variety of ways to serve fellow veterans and offer camaraderie and support. Lyle, a Vietnam-era veteran, is involved in a variety o…
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Just after I graduated from college, I worked with homeless youth in Denver. I would spend every afternoon out on the 16th Street Mall, handing out granola bars and socks. I’d listen, troubleshoot, and provide resources. I had amazing conversations a…
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Ann McGlynn, who has served as St. Paul’s director of communication for nearly eight years, will be stepping away from her staff position in order to devote more time to an organization she founded. Tapestry Farms is a nonprofit urban farm tha…
“To everything there is a season….” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) The Preacher, as the author of Ecclesiastes is known, penned a hymn to the truth of natural cycles: a time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, a time to harvest; etc. As we enter fall,…
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I’m not sure we can overestimate the value of stories in our lives. “How was your day?” “What’s new?” “How are your kids?” If we give more than one or two word answers to these questions, they come in the form of short stories. We pick a place to sta…
Online and in-person, children’s ministries leaders are looking forward to engaging kids and families in their lives of faith this fall. Outdoor worship for kids and families Third Saturdays of the month, 4 p.m., starting Sept. 19 Bring a blanket and…
Miss St. Paul donuts and coffee? On Sunday, Sept. 13, 8-11:30 a.m., St. Paul pastors and staff will be outside in the south parking lot for a donut driveup event. We will have your favorite donuts, a special St. Paul blend of coffee, a Connections fl…
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A dear friend dropped a lovely gift on my doorstep last week for my 39th (Yes. Thirty. Ninth.) birthday. Two of its thoughtful contents included a brand new sketchbook with perforated, thick blank pages and a pack of colorful, double-sided doodle pen…
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The lunch tables in the mid-1980s at my suburban elementary school were everything you would imagine them to be. They were covered with metal lunch boxes featuring the A-Team, Fraggle Rock and Care Bears; bags with ham and cheese sandwiches, carrot s…