Associate Rector’s Report

THE REV. SARA MILFORD

My gratitude abounds for the ministry Suzanne Stoner cultivated at St. Paul’s and the welcome I received upon joining the staff in February of 2023. Love bears all things, including grief and hope. In all the many ways St. Paul’s has changed in recent history, a shared love of God–and how we share that love in this place–continues to guide our way forward. What follows isn’t all-inclusive but provides a glimpse of some of how we are the presence of Christ for one another. 

Our pastoral care ministries covered by clergy and laity include visiting those in the hospital, providing van rides to church, serving Eucharistic Visits to the homebound, preparing meals for those in difficult or transitional times, sending cards to parishioners, and washing feet during Holy Week and sharing Angel Baskets during Advent for our Community Meals guests. We have ten Eucharistic Visitors currently trained. The Daughters of the King have blessedly committed to keeping our pastoral meals in stock. About 100 cards have been sent throughout the year. Volunteers washed about 20 pairs of feet in Holy Week, and we prepared 137 Angel Baskets, 55 of which went to New Beginnings after all guests at Community Meals were provided a bag.

We are able to do great things at St. Paul’s because of everyone sharing their gifts; it’s certainly how we made it through Evan’s sabbatical! During the summer amidst our regular worship, we shared in the All Parish Read of Ladder to the Light, hosted the Bishop candidate Meet & Greet, baptized/renewed 12 women from the women’s prison, and began offering the Sacred Ground curriculum. In the fall and through the winter, we continued in our faithful work in our diverse ways. We began a monthly welcome to newcomers through “Let’s Get Acquainted.” It was a blessing to share in the discussion begun by Osage Nation’s Principal Chief Standing Bear in our study of Killers of the Flower Moon. I love seeing our Episcopal Church Women being renewed, kicking off with the Bake Sale fundraising for Magdalene Serenity House.

Part of our work together also includes social justice. I love participating with others in the conversations around reparations and being anti-racist, in community organizing efforts, and on the rota for the women’s prison (we certainly welcome more volunteers!). I tremendously love the work done by Justice for All and others to keep the warrant clinics going and keeping us alert to the needs of the community. 

While much of this work carries into 2024, there are always other ways Spirit weaves into our lives. We will resume Mourner’s Path in fall of 2024, and I will always look for ways to be more closely connected to one another and to serve as actively and faithfully as we can from wherever we are in our journey of faith. It’s a privilege to share my ministry with you.