 Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. Acts 20:28 Please click HERE for information about our church's official beliefs and the creeds we believe accurately describe those beliefs. What is the history of St. Patrick's Episcopal Church Please click HERE for a complete history of the church. Where are you located? St. Patrick's Episcopal Church is located in Enterprise, Oregon (population 2000). Enterprise is in Wallowa County, the northeasternmost county in the state, bordering Washington and Idaho. We are a four hour drive from Boise, Idaho, a five hour drive from Portland, and a five hour drive from Spokane, Washington. Much of Wallowa County's population resides in the Wallowa Valley, surrounded by numerous mountains including the Eaglecap Wilderness. How large is your church? We are a small, mutual-ministry church, with about twenty members. A mutual-ministry church is one in which all members of the congregation work together fulfilling a variety of roles, from taking Communion to those unable to attend, cleaning the church, and decorating the alter to leading worship services, providing the church with music, and furnishing coffee and refreshments. What style of service do you have? Our service formats are those contained in the Book of Common Prayer. Both Morning Prayer and Holy Eucharist contain a confession of sin, prayers of the people, two Bible readings or lessons, a Gospel reading or lesson, a sermon usually based on themes mentioned in the readings, and various other oportunities to hear the Word of the Lord. You will never be told what to think, but rather provided with information designed to make you think. Services are organized but not overly formal, with both casual and formal attire worn. What about the priest and his family? St. Patrick's is currently without a resident priest. We have been blessed with the leadership of the Reverend Rich Attebury since 1998. Father Attebury moved into semi-retirement at the end of 2006. We currently operate with lay leadership and occasional visiting priests. For a complete list of leadership positions at St. Patrick's please click HERE. What kind of music do you have? Currently, St. Patrick's Episcopal Church has draws upon the talents of Roxy Chestnut, clarinetist, and "Synthia", our programmed keyboard and regular musician. She has even been known to play "Frosty the Snowman". St. Patrick's also owns an organ and piano, although at this time, they are used only on special occassions. What kind of education programs do you have? Most of the education church members receive is learned during the worship services. The selection of readings ensures that in a three year period those in attendance will have heard nearly 70% of the Old Testament and 95% of the New Testament. The sermons offer additional assistance in understanding and applying these messages. In addition, St. Patrick's holds Bible Study groups throughout the year, including during the season of Lent. Return to St. Patrick's Episcopal Church Background provided by Christian Border Designs |