Each time I met with the rector or other members of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Coffeyville, it was obvious in an instant that the congregation had vital mission and ministry. The congregation calls itself: "A Welcoming Community of Christian Love Proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ."

Coffeyville has a population of about 11,500. The primary industries are farming and small businesses, including an oil refinery. It is also home to Coffeyville Community College. One of the town's "claims to fame" is that the infamous Dalton Gang was killed by local citizens while attempting to rob two local banks.

Coffeyville recently experienced the devastation of a flood and refinery oil spill. St. Paul's sense of mission and ministry remained strong as its members responded to this crisis.

Why do some congregations seem to decline or remain stagnate? I have noticed that some seem to dwell on why "we can't" rather than on how "we can." They fail to recognize the vitality that is present in every small congregation.

Keys to success
Three main factors contributed to the vitality within St. Paul's. They are: the members' active involvement in outreach and community affairs; a mission-oriented parish budget; and a very spiritual and biblically based congregation.

The parish gave up its food bank to help form Genesis Inc. of Coffeyville. This ecumenical Christian organization provides food, utility, medical, gasoline and rental assistance to those in need.

The church thrift shop makes clothing and household items available at practically no cost to those less fortunate. Its outreach ministry is never-ending and is a major positive factor toward the high level of vitality. Each year, the parish provides Christmas food baskets for the needy in the community. Recently, the vestry decided to sponsor two semesters of training for a female ordinand in Uganda at Buwere Divinity College.

Members are very willing to become involved in community activities, including the PINCH Board, an ecumenical group concerned with racial harmony within the greater Coffeyville community.

A Tithe Fund for outreach
Generosity abounds in this congregation's monetary outreach, providing money for Genesis Inc. and to disaster victims such those in the Greensburg tornado and now responding to the town's own crisis, the Coffeyville flood and oil spill. The parish has established a Tithe Fund, which grows by tithing each large unrestricted gift given to the church. The money from the Tithe Fund is used for needs outside the parish.

Rector Jerry Adinolfi says that St. Paul's is a traditional parish, yet it attempts to "push the envelope" in certain areas for the cause of evangelism. The parish Evangelism Committee, called "The Fishers," recently arranged for the parish to host three community revivals. They featured personal witnessing, including one by diocesan Bishop Dean Wolfe.

When the local National Guard returned from a year in Iraq, the parish hosted a luncheon at the armory for the unit and its families. A weekly service of prayer, praise and healing takes place each Wednesday at 7 p.m. and is open to the entire community.

Recently, a student from Japan who attends Coffeyville Community College was baptized at St. Paul's. For the first time in its history, the parish has an African-American family, whose mother is the parish secretary.

Members of this congregation have been involved in the Episcopal Church at all levels. One member has served on the Executive Council. The congregation also has sent elected deputies and alternates to General Convention.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church is an inclusive parish with evangelical Christian values in the Anglican tradition. It recognizes the current tensions in the Episcopal Church but chooses to focus on the vitality found in the mission and ministry of a small congregation.

Vital Statistics
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Coffeyville, Kansas - Province V11
Average Sunday Attendance: 65
Founded: 1872
Current leadership structure/staff: Vestry, full-time rector, part-time parish secretary,     part-time youth director, organist
Website: www.episcopal-ks.org/stpaulsc

Resources
For further reading, check out the resources found on the Episcopal Church's small congregation development webpage: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/smallchurch.htm

[The third in a 12-month series offered by Episcopal Life, the Office of Congregational Development and the Standing Commission for Small Congregations, sharing best practices, fresh ideas and resources.]