Total Ministry formerly at St. Paul's

On August 27, 2006, following the desires of St. John's to terminate the cluster covenant known as the East Range Episcopal Churches, members of St. Paul's voted to move to Total Ministry starting in January 2007. In March 2007, the Rev. Douglas Morrison-Cleary was hired as the Total Ministry Mentor and the LifeCycles training program.

On June 3, 2009, after the Vestry expressed its desire in word and action not to have the Team participate as a team or individuals at St. Paul's, Bishop Jelinek told the Total Ministry Team that he would be formally disbanding the Team. Thus the Total Ministry Team discerned at St. Paul's is no longer active at St. Paul's

The Total Ministry Team discerned from St. Paul's has been using the LifeCycles curriculum for the formation of the Team and individual ministries. LifeCycles is a series of study units on various topics which the Total Ministry Team will be studying over the next several years. This study program was created by the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan for its Total Ministry Team formation and is now available for use in our diocese.

Study units generally cover 3-4 months of study. The Team extends an invitation to members and friends of St. Paul’s, St. John's (Eveleth), or St. James' (Hibing) to participate in each study unit. In order for the Team to better obtain meaningful training, the Team asks that participants commit to attend all sessions of a given unit.

Each study session will have a break about 2 hours into the session. Following each study session the Team will continue with an administrative meeting.

Where the Total Ministry Team discerned from St. Paul's is in this Training?

The Total Ministry Team discerned from St. Paul's has completed LifeCycles Year I, Units 1 (Encountering Our Story), 2 (Gathered by the Spirit), 3 (Sent by the Spirit), and 4 (Washed and Renewed).

The Team began Year I, Unit 5 (Fed, with Thanksgiving) on Sunday, January 10, 2010 and will meet on an approximately monthly schedule. Locations move among members' residences and public meeting facilities.

The Team hopes to begin Year I, Unit 6 sometime in the late Summer. Check back here in June for details.

The Total Ministry Team discerned at St. Paul's does more than study

Members of the Total Ministry Team discerned from St. Paul's are active at other congregations as preachers and lay readers and in the community. We also sing hymns with residents at Edgewood Vista (Virginia, MN).

On June 3, 2009, after the Vestry expressed its desire in word and action not to have the Team participate as a team or individuals at St. Paul's, Bishop Jelinek told the Total Ministry Team that he would be sending a letter to the congregation formally telling them that the Team was disbanded and that the Vestry needed to reorganize. That letter has never come. The Team withdrew from activity at St. Paul's. The Vestry did not reorganize.

Of the seven individuals originally discerned to be on the Total Ministry Team, only has returned to worship at St. Paul's. The other six members have either moved their membership to other Episcopal Churches in the area or found homes in other non-Episcopalian congregations.

The Team continues its spiritual growth through study with the LifeCycles program. The Team has invited members of St. Paul's to attend; however, nobody from St. Paul's has come to participate in a study session.

For some photos of the Team doing community activities, click here.