Hearts wide open

The opportunities to serve others, express faith, and actively live out St. Paul core values are many, ever-changing, and growing.

Greeting, welcoming, and guiding guests through the main doors are essential to creating that radical hospitality that makes St. Paul such a welcoming place to all. Feeding the community through various opportunities throughout the year exemplifies that courageous service. Sharing time and talents with others is an act of extravagant generosity that St. Paul volunteers give so freely.

When Dee and Darrell Hillyer joined St. Paul four years ago, it was difficult to meet others. Services were still being streamed online so they found other ways to plug in: by volunteering.

“St. Paul had raised garden beds so, during the times we couldn’t be together with others in church, we started helping out in the garden. The produce grown in the garden went to provide fresh food to Madison Market families & Café on Vine guests. That’s what initially brought us into volunteering,” Dee said. “Planting, weeding, and picking the produce was familiar to us as we’ve always had a garden.”

Since then, their service to others continues to grow in many beautifully generous ways.

“We both donate blood twice a year to support an organization that makes a difference in other lives. Being a retired laboratory technician, I understand the need,” Dee said. “We volunteer for ushering and donut duty to meet people and because it’s fun to greet the kids and folks of all ages. The hosts – Joe, Matt, Paul, and others – make serving as easy as they can for us. We are grateful to be members of a loving community and enjoy serving when possible.”

As we head back into the school year, consider engaging your natural talents and passions through a volunteer opportunity. Or learn something new by volunteering outside of the box! Find a variety of ways to serve by going to stpaulqc.org/signups. You can also grab a bright green servant sheet at the Info Center with more ways to get involved.

Hearts Wide Open
Volunteer Appreciation Celebration
Inspired by the slogan from this year’s Paris Summer Olympics (Games Wide Open) we’re hosting a volunteer appreciation celebration on Saturday, Aug. 24, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Since most of us won’t make it to Paris for the summer games, we’re bringing Paris and some fun games right here to St. Paul to say merci and show our love and appreciation for everyone who lends a hand, extends gestures of love, and opens their hearts wide to wrap others in love. Will your team have what it takes to win gold in fun and silly games? Will you discover a hidden talent you never realized you had? These games are designed to spark joy and laughter rather than competition!

Ushering, greeting, feeding others, spending time, providing rides, and teaching, St. Paul is a congregationally-led church because of you! Open to anyone who has volunteered in the past year AND to those who are interested in learning more about available volunteer opportunities. New technology training will also be available. Sign up online at stpaulqc.org/signups.