There are several organisations and teams of volunteers who work at the Parish Church. These include:
- the Parochial Church Council, which meets bi-monthly
- its several sub-committees which also meet regularly, eg communications, finance, outreach, Parish Hall, social, worship, etc
- the choir who sing at services each Sunday
- sacristan and servers
- sidespeople
- the lay pastoral team, who visit and take out Home Communions
- baptismal visitors who continue to visit the families for five years from the date of baptism
- a Young Persons Group working with children at the Grange C of E Primary School
- lesson readers and intercessors
- licensed assistants to administer at Holy Communion
- lay helpers with the laying-on-of-hands
Other members help on a rota basis to clean the church, make sure the linen is washed, attend to the garden, serve coffee and arrange the flowers each week.
The parish is also represented on the governing body of both the Primary School and the Cartmel Priory Secondary School, the Team Council, the Deanery Synod, the Diocesan Synod, and Churches Together in Grange-over-Sands and District, and supports the work of the Windermere Deanery Network Youth Church.
Choir
St Paul’s is affiliated to the Royal School of Church Music, and the choir currently comprises a group of ladies who lead the singing using Hymns Ancient and Modern New Standard and New hymns and worship songs.
Young People
A lunchtime bible club is held in the Primary School on Mondays throughout term-time, with an after-school event to mark the special Christian festivals, eg Christmas, Easter, Harvest.
On Advent Sunday two travelling cribs are blessed during the morning service, and are sent off on their journey round the homes of the young families in the parish. Each crib is welcomed into the home, a candle is lit and the following prayer said:
Dear Father in Heaven,
As we welcome these crib figures into our home, help us to prepare ourselves to welcome your Son Jesus into our hearts.
Amongst all the busy-ness as we make ready for Christmas, help us to remember the real reason for the celebration.
Bless this house and all who live here.
Amen
The crib and its figures stay overnight and are then passed on to the next family. They also go into the Nursery and Reception classes at the Primary School. The cribs are received back into Church on Christmas Eve at the special children’s service at 6 pm. The crib figures have been knitted by the older members of the parish, and the children are encouraged to play with them.
End of Term Services at St Paul’s
These are held in Church, and the whole school comes together to celebrate achievements that term. Parents and grandparents are invited, and members of the congregation are there to support and encourage.
