Sunday Worship at the Heart of St. Paul's
On a quiet block a short walk from the Lake Michigan shoreline in St. Joseph, Michigan, St. Paul's Episcopal Church gathers each Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for its principal service. The congregation describes itself as "a loving and affirming faith community" that seeks "to serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves and respecting the dignity of every human being." The welcome is plain and immediate: "Come as you are."
Worship at St. Paul's follows a traditional Episcopal order, alternating between Holy Eucharist and Morning Prayer. The congregation incorporates gender-neutral language in its prayers, and the Eucharist is offered to everyone who comes to the Table. Members of all ages sit, stand, and pray together, and the parish makes a point of being multi-generational. Children serve alongside adults every Sunday as acolytes, lectors, greeters, and Eucharistic ministers, so the liturgy is shaped by the whole congregation rather than by clergy alone.
Father Erik Broeren, Rector
The parish is led by the Rev. Erik Broeren, who joined St. Paul's in July 2024. Father Erik was born and raised in the Netherlands and lived in Central Europe before moving to the United States in 2005 with his husband, Mark, who is from this country. Together they had started a digital marketing agency in 1997; after relocating, Father Erik pursued his call to ordained ministry.
He earned a Master of Divinity at Vanderbilt University in 2010 and a Diploma of Anglican Studies at the University of the South, Sewanee, in 2017. Before ordination, he served for six years as the Associate for Pastoral Care at Grace Church in Chattanooga, preaching regularly and overseeing youth ministry and adult Christian formation. He then spent seven years as Priest in Charge at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Copperhill, Tennessee, and two additional years as Vicar of Southside Abbey, a worship community in downtown Chattanooga that brings together housed and unhoused neighbors. In addition to St. Paul's, Father Erik also serves as Rector of St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church in Benton Harbor.
Serving as "the Hands and Feet of Christ"
Sharing faith through service is central to the parish's identity. A favorite saying around St. Paul's is the Mother Teresa line, "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love," and the congregation takes that idea seriously. Parishioners volunteer at a local soup kitchen, and the church supports Little Dresses for Africa, a project that sews simple dresses for children in need. Seasonal collections and donations go out to neighbors through coordinated drives, and the parish partners with the food pantry at St. Augustine's in Benton Harbor.
Other ongoing efforts include a Social Justice ministry that engages issues beyond the parish walls, an Adopt-a-Road commitment to keep a stretch of local roadway clean, a partnership with United Through Motherhood that supports young families, and a presence at the regional Pride Fest. Together these activities reflect what the parish calls "the hands and feet of Christ" in the Lakeshore community.
Gathering for Fellowship and Learning
St. Paul's is also a community that enjoys spending time together. A Social Hour follows each Sunday worship, with coffee and conversation in the parish hall. A long-running Book Group meets on Tuesday mornings in the church lounge, taking a hiatus during the summer months; newcomers are always welcome. Each year the parish holds an annual Pet Blessing, in which the priest blesses animals in honor of St. Francis of Assisi and God's whole creation.
The parish connects with its wider neighborhood as well. St. Paul's is located near Lincoln Elementary, and members mark the first day back to school each year by greeting parents and children with treats and small gifts, then return for a back-to-school and Halloween celebration with neighbors.
Lakeshore Episcopal Churches
St. Paul's belongs to a cluster of Episcopal congregations along the southwestern Michigan lakeshore known as the Lakeshore Episcopal Churches. The other parishes are St. Augustine of Canterbury in Benton Harbor, the Church of the Mediator in Harbert, and Trinity Episcopal Church in Niles. Members of two or more of these congregations often gather together for special events, including an annual Sandy Mass held on the shore of Lake Michigan, Lenten Soup Suppers with programming during Lent, services during Holy Week, and an Advent Study leading into Christmas.
Members from the four parishes assist one another's ministries and are studying together in the College for Congregational Development. The Ladies Lunch Brunch meets at Papa Vino's in St. Joseph at 11:30 on the first Thursday of every month for fellowship across the Lakeshore churches. St. Paul's also hosts a joint Sudanese Grace Service and Supper with members of Sudanese Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids, who prepare and serve a Sudanese dinner after the service.
Part of the Diocese of the Great Lakes
St. Paul's is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes. The diocese links this small congregation in St. Joseph with Episcopalians across the region and supports the parish's ministry, formation, and shared life with neighboring Episcopal churches.
Getting in Touch
The church office is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and can be reached at 269-983-4761 or at stpaulstjoe@gmail.com. Sunday sermons are available as a running archive, and online giving through Tithe.ly supports the parish's General Fund. Sunday worship begins at 10:00 a.m. at 914 Lane Drive in St. Joseph, with all who come welcomed at the Table.
The parish also acknowledges that its building sits on land once inhabited by the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi Tribe, a quiet reminder of the long history that precedes and surrounds the present congregation.