St. Paul's Lutheran Church sits on East 19th Street in downtown Cheyenne, Wyoming, a few blocks from the heart of the capital city. The congregation is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and its mission is to walk with one another in worship, service, and community while being rooted in the Word of God and the Lutheran faith. Worship takes place at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings and is livestreamed on the congregation's YouTube channel, so those at home or traveling can join in.
An Old Building Made Open to Everyone
Few things set St. Paul's apart as strongly as the work the congregation has done to make its aging downtown facility welcoming to worshippers with mobility and hearing needs. A dedicated accessibility team has spent years reshaping the building, and the effort shows from the moment someone approaches the front door.
Automatic opening doors provide easy street-level access to the main entrance, and an elevator carries visitors to both the upper level, where the sanctuary, classrooms, and offices are located, and the lower level, where the fellowship hall, kitchen, and handicap-accessible restrooms sit. The sanctuary floor plan was reworked in the summer of 2013; pews were removed and re-spaced so that multiple wheelchair stations are paired with pews for family members sitting together. Wheelchair access to the altar allows every worshipper to come forward for communion.
For those with hearing needs, the church lends a Sound Mate SR-50 assistive listening device that works with personal headphones or earbuds through a standard 3.5 mm jack and provides its own volume control. Ushers hand out the units and instructions on Sunday mornings. Large print worship materials are also available from the ushers. Old doorknobs have been replaced with easy lever handles, and the downstairs restrooms have been reworked into family restrooms with taller stools, room to maneuver wheelchairs and walkers, and sink counters that allow a wheelchair to pull up. Handicap parking is available both in the church lot and curbside on House Avenue. For members who are unable to leave home, a pastor can arrange a sacramental visit.
Sunday Morning at 9:30
Sunday is the heart of life at St. Paul's. Worship begins at 9:30 a.m. and is shaped by the liturgy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Holy Communion is offered every Sunday, and the Worship and Music Committee recruits and trains ushers, lay readers, and communion assistants so that each service is supported by members of the congregation. Children hear a children's sermon during the service, and rides are organized for older members who are no longer able to drive.
At 10:30 a.m., the sanctuary empties into the fellowship hall for a coffee hour and social time that gives the congregation a chance to catch up, welcome visitors, and roll into Sunday. Sunday School for children runs at 10:45 a.m. each week during the program year, which runs September through May. For those who cannot attend in person, the entire worship service is livestreamed on YouTube, and bulletins for each Sunday are posted so worshippers can follow along from home.
Choirs: Cantate and Handbells
Music is a point of pride at St. Paul's. The Cantate Choir sings one or two Sundays a month and is open to anyone who loves to sing. After a period on hiatus, the choir resumed rehearsals in the fall of 2023 with a renewed invitation to add voices. Those interested in joining can contact Brenda Lyttle.
The Handbell Choir restarted in January 2024. Rehearsals are held Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and the group performs one to two times a month from October through May. New members are always welcome; basic note-reading skills are helpful, and prior handbell experience is not required. Over the summer the ensemble sometimes shifts into duets, trios, or small ensembles that play as the schedule allows.
Community Outreach Across Cheyenne
St. Paul's describes itself as far more than an internal-service church. A long list of outreach efforts extends the congregation's ministry into the wider Cheyenne community throughout the year.
The Little Free Pantry sits on the southwest corner of the church property, in three repurposed newspaper boxes that now hold food, hygiene supplies, and clothing for anyone who stops. A regular contributor named Art helps fill the pantry weekly, and the congregation has found that members, neighborhood churches, and nearby businesses all pitch in. As he writes about the ministry, the pantry has become a way to meet "many beautiful children of God" in the neighborhood, and it echoes Jesus's teaching to care for the poor and needy.
Other ongoing partnerships include:
- Needs, Inc. An ongoing collection of macaroni and cheese supports the food pantry at Needs, Inc. The congregation also hosts a Toilet Paper Mountain drive, a school supplies collection, and a Christmas gift effort for the families served by the agency.
- Family Promise. The congregation partners with Family Promise to provide meals for homeless families with minor children throughout the year. Volunteers can sign up through the church office.
- Adopt-a-Highway. St. Paul's is responsible for cleaning a flat, narrow section of US-85 between mileposts 31 and 33. Brian Rentner coordinates volunteers, and the church supplies bags, gloves, safety vests, snacks, and water.
- Angel Tree. Members buy gifts at Christmas on behalf of children with an incarcerated parent through the Angel Tree Prison Ministry organization.
- God's Work, Our Hands. St. Paul's joins the wider ELCA in this annual day of service, celebrating what it means to be one church freed in Christ to love and serve the neighbor.
The Teddy Bear Ministry
One of the congregation's gentlest outreach projects is the Teddy Bear Ministry, run by the Social Ministry Committee under the motto "Sharing God's Love One Bear at a Time." Stuffed bears attend Sunday services, hear the prayers and readings, and receive a blessing before being sent out into the community. Anyone who spots a bear in the pews is invited to take it along to brighten someone else's day, or to keep it if they could use a hug themselves. Donated bears are gathered in a storage tub in the narthex and welcomed into the ministry at any size.
Naomi and Mary Circles
Two women's Bible study circles meet at St. Paul's as part of the Women of the ELCA. Both use the Gather magazine Bible study, share refreshments, and contribute to ministries beyond the congregation.
Naomi Circle gathers at 9:30 a.m. on the last Tuesday of the month in the Fellowship Hall. The group is made up largely of retired and semi-retired women and is affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Synod Women's Organization, through which members can attend gatherings and conferences with neighboring states. The circle's offering is split between the synod and Mosaic, a home for developmentally challenged individuals, and the group also chooses one community organization to support each year. Naomi Circle does not meet in July and closes the year with a Christmas party.
Mary Circle meets at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month in the Fellowship Hall. Most current members are in their sixties and above, and the group would welcome a wider age range. Members take turns reading the Gather lesson and sharing reflections, occasionally meeting at a home for a shared supper. Contributions flow either to St. Paul's Women of the ELCA or to a special need the circle chooses. Regina Pacheco can be reached at 307-214-9344 for more information.
The Quilting Group
St. Paul's quilting group has been at work for many years, drawing on a deep closet of donated fabric. During the school year, the group meets on the second and third Mondays at noon in the basement to cut, measure, sew, and mostly tie quilts of any size. In the fall the finished quilts are given to local agencies helping youth and adults in Cheyenne, and many more are sent to Lutheran World Relief. A recent shipment included forty-two quilts to Haiti and five to Nepal. Every quilt is stitched with a prayer that the recipient will know God's love and blessing.
An Active Prayer Chain
The congregation maintains an active prayer chain rooted in the words of Philippians 4:6: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Prayer requests for members, regular attendees, and their families and friends can be sent through the church office or directly to the pastor.
Weddings and the Use of the Building
Weddings at St. Paul's are understood first and foremost as worship. The congregation welcomes couples who want to be married in a setting that recognizes God's presence in their lives and seeks God's blessing from the very first moment of the marriage. The sanctuary, fellowship hall, classrooms, and meeting rooms can also be reserved for outside events; non-member organizations using the kitchen or sanctuary pay a fee, while member use is free. Arrangements are scheduled through the church office.
How the Building Runs
The work behind the scenes is carried by a long list of committees. The Grace In Action Team looks after hospitality and outreach. The Finance Committee oversees the budget and the forwarding of synod benevolence. The Fellowship Committee plans activities for all ages and backgrounds. The Worship and Music Committee prepares services using the ELCA liturgy and supervises the choirs. The Altar Ministry, a sub-committee of Worship and Music, takes care of paraments, communion, and the chancel. The Building and Grounds Committee protects and maintains the property. The Mutual Ministry Committee supports the partnership of pastor, staff, and congregation. The Education Committee oversees learning for every age, and the Stewardship Committee teaches the Christian use of money and leads the annual giving effort.
Visiting and Getting Connected
Anyone in Cheyenne is invited to stop by and worship with the congregation on Sunday morning. Worship is at 9:30 a.m., with coffee and conversation at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday School at 10:45 a.m. during the program months. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and can be reached at 307-632-9212 or at splccheyenne@gmail.com. Pastoral emergencies are handled through 307-632-9213. The address is 218 East 19th Street, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001.
Giving can be set up online through the congregation's e-giving page, and a separate link directs gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response. Members manage their giving and contact information through Breeze, the congregation's database. Shoppers who use King Soopers can link their Shopper's Card to St. Paul's through the Community Rewards program, and online shoppers can register through Goodshop so that a portion of each purchase supports the church. A livestream of Sunday worship and recordings of recent services are posted on the congregation's YouTube channel.