St. Paul & the Redeemer, Chicago featured in third video of healthy Episcopal congregational practic

From <publicaffairs@episcopalchurch.org>
Date Fri, 1 Apr 2011 12:10:20 -0400

>The Episcopal Church

>Office of Public Affairs

St. Paul & the Redeemer, Chicago featured in third video

of healthy Episcopal congregational practices 

>Transforming Churches, Changing the World

[April 1, 2011] Music spanning the globe and the ages. Flexible space for 
multi-uses. Wide diversity in membership. Welcoming in spirit. Children 
participating prominently in the liturgy. 

St Paul & the Redeemer in Chicago has transformed itself  from a church once 
described as conflicted to a vibrant worshiping and social community. A product 
of a 1968 merger of two churches in the Hyde Park area of Chicago, near 
University of Chicago, the transformation at St Paul & the Redeemer was 
initiated by one rector, and then continued by the next, with ongoing support 
from the congregation.

St. Paul & the Redeemer is the focus of the third of five videos in the 
groundbreaking series, Transforming Churches, Changing the World. Produced by 
the Episcopal Church Office of Communication, the video is available on the 
home page of the Episcopal Church website www.episcopalchurch.org 
<http://www.episcopalchurch.org/>  the Congregational Vitality page 
www.episcopalchurch.org/vitality <http://www.episcopalchurch.org/vitality>  
<http://www.episcopalchurch.org/vitality>  and on the Church's Facebook page  
www.facebook.com/episcopalian <http://www.facebook.com/episcopalian> 

"St. Paul & the Redeemer is located in a really vibrant culture because of the 
University of Chicago's environs," noted the Rev. Bob Honeychruch, Episcopal 
Church Officer for Congregational Vitality.  "The neighborhood is eclectic - 
mixed race, mixed age.  And the congregation more and more reflects its 
neighborhood."

To Honeychurch, St Paul & the Redeemer "exemplifies transformative work."

Honeychurch added, "This congregation sees its primary point of contact with 
the wider community through its Sunday morning experience. The worship becomes 
its witness to the world."

"What we do is the Episcopal liturgy," the Rev. Peter Lane, rector, explains in 
the video.  "We just do it in creative ways."

During its transformation, the first major change was the music. "That was a 
signal to the people" that change was here, notes former rector, the Very Rev. 
James Steen

Under the direction of Dent Davidson, Associate for Music and Liturgy, three 
different services reflect a variety of worship needs in the community, which 
Honeychurch called "one of the real cornerstones of their worship. Period of 
composition, style of composition, origin of composition. Jazz with Gregorian 
chant. It's an incredibly rich and diverse music environment."

The church boasts two children's choirs which fully participate in the worship. 

In addition to musical alterations,  the building itself was transformed, 
reflecting more open space that can be utilized for many purposes. This change 
was another important signal, notes Steen. "The space reflects a community that 
gathers around the table."

>Transforming Churches, Changing the World

The purpose of the Transforming Churches, Changing the World video project is 
to present identifying characteristics of healthy churches with a focus on 
ministry and outreach.

A new video in the Transforming Churches, Changing the World series will be 
presented each month through May 2011.  

Previous videos featured Christ Church, Philadelphia, PA (Diocese of 
Pennsylvania) and Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix AZ (Diocese of Arizona) and are 
available here: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/vitality 
<http://www.episcopalchurch.org/vitality> 

The Episcopal Church welcomes all who worship Jesus Christ in 109 dioceses and 
three regional areas in 16 nations.  The Episcopal Church is a member province 
of the worldwide Anglican Communion. 

St. Paul & the Redeemer: www.Sp-R.org <http://www.sp-r.org/> 

Diocese of Chicago: www.episcopalchicago.org/ 
<http://www.episcopalchicago.org/> 

The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org <http://www.episcopalchurch.org/> 

>Facebook: www.facebook.com/episcopalian

Twitter: http://twitter.com/iamepiscopalian 
<http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fiamepiscopalian&h=61363ece26486364538f948b8d6a6688>
 

YouTube: /www.youtube.com/TECtube <http://www.youtube.com/TECtube> 

># # # #

>For more info contact:

>Neva Rae Fox

>Public Affairs Officer

>The Episcopal Church

publicaffairs@episcopalchurch.org <mailto:publicaffairs@episcopalchurch.org> 

>212-716-6080  Mobile: 917-478-5659

> 

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