Dear Friends:
I love the coming of fall each year. Each year, this is a season of renewal for our parish community: Sunday School classes resume, adult education offerings return, and many of our ministries, small groups, and service opportunities come alive again after the slower pace of summer. Each fall, God gives us the gift of a new beginning.
At its heart, the life of the Church is about community. We are not meant to walk the journey of faith alone. Scripture reminds us that we are “members one of another” (Romans 12:5), bound together in Christ’s body. When we worship, learn, and serve together, we strengthen those bonds, and something remarkable happens—we discover that community itself becomes a source of life and health.
In fact, research consistently shows that being part of a faith community is good for your health. People who participate regularly in worship, prayer, fellowship, and service experience deeper joy, stronger relationships, greater resilience in times of challenge, and even measurable improvements in physical well-being. God created us for connection—to one another and to the divine—and when we live into that truth, we flourish in body, mind, and spirit.
This year at St. Paul’s, there are many ways to connect, grow, and give. I encourage you to take a fresh look at the programs, classes, and groups being offered. Consider trying something new—a Bible study, an adult forum, a supper club, or joining an Outreach ministry team. These opportunities are not only about learning or serving; they are about discovering how God is at work in your life, and about building relationships that will sustain you in faith and in health.
So as we begin this new season, I invite you to step into it with joy and openness. Bring your questions, your gifts, and your hopes. Make room for learning, for prayer, for fellowship, and for service. Trust that the Spirit will be at work among us, shaping us into a community of love, renewal, and healing.
Thank you for being part of the life we share at St. Paul’s. Together, may we discover anew the blessings of belonging—to God and to one another. Please take a look at our fall page on our website for all of the offerings this season.
Peace,
The Rev. Noah H. Evans
Rector
Register for children and youth programs for Fall 2025
Children and Youth programs begin on Sunday, September 7. For questions regarding Children’s Programming (6th grade and below) please contact The Rev. Laura Di Panfilo at [email protected] and for questions about Youth (7th grade and above) programs, please contact our Youth Minister Bob Melvin at [email protected].
Important Dates for 2025-2026:
- September 7 – Sunday School and Youth Forum begin at 9:45 AM with breakfast for all children and their families
- September 7- Confirmation class begins at 5 PM with an informational gathering and cookout for parents and students
- September 14 – Youth Potluck resumes at 6:15PM and High School Youth Group resumes at 7 PM.
- September 28 – Blessing of Animals – No Sunday School
- Sunday, December 21 at 4 PM – Christmas pageant with potluck dinner to follow
- May 17 – Sunday School concludes for the year
Register for children and youth programs for Fall 2025
Children and Youth programs begin on Sunday, September 7. For questions regarding Children’s Programming (6th grade and below) please contact The Rev. Laura Di Panfilo at [email protected] and for questions about Youth (7th grade and above) programs, please contact our Youth Minister Bob Melvin at [email protected].
Click here to register.
Important Dates for 2025-2026:
- September 7 – Sunday School and Youth Forum begin at 9:45 AM with breakfast for all children and their families
- September 7- Confirmation class begins at 5 PM with an informational gathering and cookout for parents and students
- September 14 – Youth Potluck resumes at 6:15PM and High School Youth Group resumes at 7 PM.
- September 28 – Blessing of Animals – No Sunday School
- Sunday, December 21 at 4 PM – Christmas pageant with potluck dinner to follow
- May 17 – Sunday School concludes for the year
St. Paul’s Small Groups
Begin the week of September 7th
Our small group book this fall will be God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us: 40 Devotions to Liberate Your Faith from Fear and Reconnect with Joy by the Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail. Countless Christians are deconstructing the fear- based faith they were handed, but many don’t want to give up on God—they want to love and be loved by Jesus without hateful or abusive theology. With this book, move beyond rigid religion and reconnect with the undeniable truth that predates and will outlive all the toxic theology in the world: God made you to love you.
St. Paul’s Small Groups meet at various times throughout the week to read and discuss a common text or prayer. Small groups provide mutual support. Each has its own leader and meeting location. You are welcome to join a small group at any time. Many people stay with their same group throughout the year, and some join just because they are interested in a book or topic being discussed at a certain time. For more information, or if you would like to start or help lead a small group, please contact the Rev. Laura Di Panfilo [email protected] or call (412) 531-7153×12.
Small Groups for “God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us” begin the week of September 7th and run through mid October.
Small Group Time and Leaders:
- Thursday at 12:00PM on Zoom- Led by Erin Morey [email protected]
- Sunday at 12:00PM Hybrid in person in Library and on Zoom – Led by Theodore Somes [email protected] and Phoenix Poppendeck [email protected]
- Tuesday at 9:00AM Hybrid in person in Library and on Zoom– Led by Noah Evans [email protected]
- Tuesday at 6:00PM at St. Paul’s – In Person in Library – Led by Laura Di Panfilo [email protected]
- Wednesday at 7:00PM on Zoom – Led by Eileen Sharbaugh [email protected]
Guy’s Night Out: Bible and Beer
- Sunday, September 14 at 5pm (After Steelers Game)
- Sunday, October 5 at 4pm
- Sunday November 9 at 4pm
At Caliente Pizza & Drafthouse, 329 Castle Shannon Blvd.
Join the Rev. Noah Evans and Bob Melvin and other men from the parish for this pre-dinner gathering of fellowship and exploring some scripture together.
Please RSVP so we know how much space to reserve. Email Noah ([email protected]) or call him at (412) 317153×11, or Bob ([email protected]) or call him at (412) 531-7153×18.
Supper Clubs
Supper Club is a great way to meet or make a deeper connection with people at St. Paul’s. Supper Clubs members meet five times between September and May, gathering at each other’s homes or a local restaurant. These are relaxed gatherings, open to everyone of all ages. Members participate by bringing a dish and agreeing to host one or two dinners each year. The same group of people dines together for the year.
Please sign up with how many people will join you and ages, what your preferred day of the week is for a supper, and any dietary or mobility needs you may have using this form by Sept. 13, 2025. Please reach out to The Rev. Theodore Somes at [email protected] or (412) 531-7153×20 for questions or more information.
St. Paul’s 101
Sundays at 9:45 in October and November in the Chapel
Are you new to St. Paul’s, and trying to figure out the parish? Do you want to get connected or reconnected with the church during this time? Have you been here for a while, and want to learn more about the Episcopal Church or still find yourself wondering what’s going on? Do you have questions you want to talk about? Join us for St. Paul’s 101, an overview of our parish and the Episcopal Church. This class also would serve as preparation for adults who are interested in being formally confirmed or received in the Episcopal Church.
To register or for more information, contact the Rev. Noah Evans at [email protected] or at (412) 531- 7153x 11.
Sundays at 9:45AM in the Chapel
- October 19 Nooks and Crannies tour of St. Paul’s Building
- October 26, Episcopal History: It’s not just about a king’s divorce! and Theology Close to the Ground: Scripture, Tradition and Reason
- November 9 Worship: The Way of Prayer is the Way of Belief
- November 16 Practicing our Faith: Lay leadership in the church and the world
Fall Theology Bootcamp
Wednesdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22 in the Undercroft
- Potluck meal 6pm
- Discussion 7pm
Have you ever wondered what different Christians, in different times and places, have come to believe about God? How do we decide what we believe to true about God, and what does it mean for our relationship with God and one another? Whether you’re new to studying these questions or have thought about them before, we invite everyone to join us for these discussions this Fall. Sign up here to bring a dish for the potluck.
Contact Erin [email protected] or Theodore [email protected] with any questions.
Writing Your Life
Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., starting September 10
“Writing is a process in which we discover what lives in us. The writing itself reveals to us what is alive in us. The deepest satisfaction of writing is that it opens up new spaces within us of which we were not aware before we started to write. To write is to embark on a journey whose final destination we do not know.” – Henri Nouwen
Have you always wanted to write your life story? Or leave your family story behind for children and grandchildren? Or do you sense that Nouwen is right, and writing about your life might bring important spiritual or personal insight?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, join our Write Your Life group this fall at St. Paul’s. In each class, you will be provided with a choice of writing prompts. You can write on any or all of them, and you can choose to share with your classmates or not.
This group has been meeting for two years, and we now have room for two or three new members. We meet every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m., starting September 10. You may attend in person in the library or via Zoom. You don’t have to be a polished writer to join us. We are writing for ourselves in this group, not for publication. Contact Kathy Bashaar if you would like to join our group.
All Parish Program Year Kick-Off Brunch
Sunday, September 7 9:45 AM in the Undercroft
Kids and families and parishioners of all ages, join us after the 8:45am worship service for our annual All-Parish Program Year Kick-Off Brunch. Breakfast sandwiches will be made by our Men’s Group.
At 10:15am, all kids and their families will be dismissed to their assigned Sunday School classrooms to meet their new teachers and classmates. Parents will then return to the Undercroft for a presentation about Sunday School. This is a terrific opportunity for everyone to get to know each other and celebrate the beginning of the academic year!
There will also be an Adult Education Fair during this time where you can learn about how to get involved in spiritual formation and community at St. Paul’s.
We are looking for a few volunteers to help clean up after the breakfast. If you can help, please text Karen Viggiano at (412) 445-3260.
Abraham’s Table – save the dates!
Together with the good people of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the Turkish Cultural Center, and Temple Emanuel of South Hills, we are excited to once again convene around Abraham’s Table. We will share in a delicious meal, even better company, and a brief learning session around our shared values as adherents to the three Abrahamic faith traditions.
All Events begin at 6:30PM and will observe Halal dietary requirements.
- October 20, 2025 – Turkish Cultural Center (located at 1459 Crane Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15220)
- January 12, 2026 – St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (1066 Washington Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15228)
- April 27, 2026 – Temple Emanuel of South Hills (1250 Bower Hill Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15243)