Seminars
St Paul Lutheran strives to be a leader in Christian education, teaching God's truths and helping people to navigate the intersections between life and faith. Throughout the year, St. Paul hosts free community seminars on a variety of topics, from parenting and marriage, to apologetics and comparative religions. The purpose of these seminars is to serve our community, sharing the love of Jesus and developing the spiritual faith, intellectual depth, and active love of God's people.
Sunday School
St. Paul's Sunday School program teaches children and teens (ages 2-13) about God's love and his plan of salvation. Through weekly Bible activities, students discover God's Word at a level that is right for them. At the heart of these lessons is Jesus: that through Him they have been forgiven, re-made children of God—children who are loved no matter what; children who can talk to their heavenly Father about whatever, whenever; children who've got that heavenly sparkle that can't help but shine.
Sunday School runs from September-May and starts at 9am on Sunday mornings.
Children's Events
Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
St. Paul's Vacation Bible School reaches out to the greater Ottawa area, sharing God's saving Word with children and parents from many nationalities and walks of life. For one week every summer, children ages 4-12 participate in action-packed days of bible stories, crafts, music, sports, and more. The themes are always changing, but the message remains constant: Through Jesus, you are a forgiven child of God. This past year, over 20+ St. Paul volunteers taught this message to over 30 children, many of whom were attending St. Paul for the first time. St. Paul also hosts day-long children's events for Christmas and Easter. No matter what time of year it is, a children's event is not far away!
Walther League
Walther League is St. Paul's teen ministry dedicated to strengthening and uniting teens in faith.
Established in the late 19th century, the Walther League began as the Young People’s Association, a church society for young confirmands growing into adulthood. For the past 100+ years, Walther Leaguers have been gathering together, attending educational bible studies, volunteering for church-sponsored events and traveling all over North America for international youth rallies. This past year, St. Paul's Walther Leaguers attended the WELS International Youth Rally in Knoxville, TN. Monthly events include games nights, midnight bowling, late-night ice-skating and much, much more!
Illumine Campus Ministry
St. Paul is dedicated to serving the greater Ottawa university student body through Illumine and their annual University Un-Sale. Each year St. Paul members collect gently used furniture and home items that they give away to students at a rummage-sale extravaganza at the end of August. Not only do we help furnish student dorms and apartments, but we use this opportunity to promote our campus ministry program.
Illumine provides opportunities for Ottawa university students to dive into the Bible and faith-related issues. At weekly Socials students meet, hangout, and build their faith, enabling them to grow in God's Word and find support and belonging in a Christian community. Socials are designed for whoever is looking for answers to life's greatest questions and is willing to give the Bible's answers a shot. Throughout the year, Illumine Talks gather students from multiple universities and colleges for dialogue and conversation on a multitude of topics—pop culture to philosophy, comparative religions to modern science—demonstrating the relevancy of Christ in both campus life and our modern culture.
Community-Wide Events
St. Paul Lutheran Church is one of Ottawa's 120+ historical buildings that open their doors for the city's annual Doors Open Ottawa event. Each year in the beginning of June, St. Paul shares with our community in celebrating Ottawa's history, culture, and stunning architecture. Our church historian(s) and members create displays of St. Paul's rich history and provide tours of the church. They also use this opportunity to familiarize visitors with St. Paul's mission and ministry.
As a downtown church, St. Paul is located at the heart of Ottawa's homeless population. While St. Paul does not run a shelter or soup kitchen, we do see God's church as a hospital for broken sinners. And we recognize the need to minister to all people. St. Paul updates and provides information on area services to those in need. We also organize an annual food drive to assist our area shelters and food banks.
St. Paul is an active church with a multitude of programs and events. But our main purpose is to “prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:12). We want you to come to St. Paul and hear the gospel message of forgiveness through Christ so that when those doors open, you can leave with one purpose: to share God's love with your Ottawa.
Golden Age Club
St. Paul's Golden Age Club provides opportunities for members 50+ to gather together for fun, fellowship, biblical and educational seminars, and service opportunities both in the congregation and the community. Monthly gatherings are held in the St. Paul fellowship hall and include a light lunch and brief meeting.
