At the heart of the congregation is our active devotion to serving Christ by serving others.  Demostrated by the many outreach programs we support.  Below is a list of our current ministries.

• Christians Feed the Hungry 
• Chili Cook-Off Fundraiser
• Education = Hope 
• Pilgrims’ Inn 
• Meatloaf for the Masses — On the 3rd Sat. of each month, we feed the homeless at Pathways Community Center.
• Little Street Pantry: Our community pantry, located in front of the church.
• Ebenezer Elementary School: Collecting classroom supplies, back-to-school supplies, and teacher appreciation treats. 
• Sunday Basket Offerings: We rotate the basket each week for Education = Hope, the Rector’s Discretionary Fund, Local Hunger Missions: Pilgrims’ Inn, The Haven Men’s Shelter, Christians Feed the Hungry, and Episcopal Day School. 
• Little Free Library: Our Parish is proud to support and care for the little free library at Piedmont Medical Center Emergency Room. 
• Episcopal Relief and Development

Liturgy begins and ends with the work of the Altar Guild. Caring for the sacred vessels, the bread and wine, the fair linens and hangings, and the candles and torches used for worship in the Sanctuary is far more than a task; it is a true ministry. We are told that all things must be done “properly and in good order.” The work of the Altar Guild makes it possible to do so.

Each Altar Guild member’s contribution is essential; together, those contributions are a devotion to the greater glory of God. I, and all the parish family of the Church of Our Saviour, thank the Altar Guild for its passion and dedication. 

ECOOS has a long history of solid music. Supported by the congregation’s fine Austin Organ, the adult choir provides leadership for the people of God each Sunday and offers special music presentations throughout the year.

The church offers opportunities to sing in the choir and lead through music. If you are new to town or the church, this smaller “faith family” within our larger church family is an excellent starting point. We are proud of our music program and eager for you to join us! 

A Vestry is the legal representative of the parish concerning all matters about corporate property and the relations of the parish to its clergy (Title I, Canon 14 of the Episcopal Church). The basic responsibilities of the Vestry are to help define and articulate the mission of the congregation, support the church’s mission by word and deed, select the rector, ensure effective organization and planning, and manage resources and finances. 

• 2024 – Ben Boyles, Jimmy Fitzpatrick* Senior Warden, Karen Hill, Jeff Couick
• 2025 – Randy Hart, Julia McCallum* Junior Warden, Stephen McGill, Robert Carter
• 2026 – Steve Dawson, Christy Dutra, Karen Lambruschi, Jim Russell

Acolyte means an attendant or follower, and Samuel is one of the first examples of an assistant to a priest. Your job as an acolyte is to assist the celebrant (the priest in charge of a worship service) and enhance the worship service to help glorify God.

You are a minister of the church who is called to serve God. Therefore, every action you take should be done respectfully and dignifiedly; the goal is for the congregation’s attention to be on the liturgy and not on the ministers. Serving as an acolyte is a commitment of your time and talent to the Lord’s service, which is greatly appreciated. 

Pastoral Care: Pastoral Care supports parishioners and their families during times of need—births, illnesses, deaths, etc.

Finance Committee: Finance takes care of stewardship and capital campaigns.

Foundation (The Our Saviour Foundation) – The church foundation supervises three separate accounts: one, for maintenance and repair of the London window and general needs of the altar area; second, for mission and outreach purposes; and third, to support both mission and outreach as well as capital needs. All undesignated memorials are placed in this account.

Facilities (Buildings and Grounds): The Junior Warden and this committee are in charge of overseeing the upkeep and improvements to the overall beauty and structural/operational integrity of the church campus’s buildings and grounds.

Social Media Committee: The SMC oversees all social media accounts for the church and regularly posts about upcoming news and events.

Eucharistic Ministers: EMs are licensed by the Bishop to administer the elements of the Eucharist during worship services and lead the Prayers of the People.

Eucharistic Visitors (EVs): EVs are licensed by the Bishop to administer the elements of the Eucharist and share the Sacrament with members of the congregation who cannot be present at services.

Lectors: Lectors are lay readers who read the scripture lessons of the day during services.

Nursery Volunteers: Nursery volunteers serve during the Sunday Service, typically from September to May. They care for children, infants through five years old.

Greeters: Greeters greet parishioners and welcome visitors before every Sunday worship service.

Ushers and Jr. Ushers: Ushers hand out bulletins and assist with seating, procession, offering, and communion. After the worship service, ushers clean and secure the church.

Coffee Hour Hosts: Providers of coffee and snacks after the worship service in the Parish Hall.

Christian Formation Leaders: A class teacher/leader for children, youth, or adults.

Various Special Event Committees as needed

• Women’s Retreat: A spring weekend retreat for the church’s women.
• St. Anne’s Guild: All women of the church are welcome. St. Anne’s meets monthly for lunch and participates in service to the church and community.
• St. Junia Guild: All women of the church are welcome. St Junia’s meets once a month in the evenings at the church for fun adn fellowship.
• Divine Diners: Groups of couples and singles that meet once a month for dinner.
• Coffee Hour: Everyone is invited to Coffee Hour immediately after the service each Sunday in Parish Hall to meet and mingle with fellow parishioners and visitors. Different individuals and church groups host the Coffee Hour each week. 

The Christian Formation offers classes for children, young adults, and adults. Children and Youth Classes meet in the fall and spring and are held after the 9:30 a.m. service. Our priest in charge teaches adult programming and offers it after the 9:30 a.m. service as well. Special formation events for all ages are held during Advent and Lent. 

The Adult Forum meets every Sunday immediately after the service in the Adult Classroom upstairs from the Parish Hall. We are a group of inquirers on a journey of faith. We read together and discuss books in contemporary theology and religious studies. Based on the readings, our discussions are open, robust, and honest.

The group is religiously diverse and committed to reflecting on and deeply exploring religious and faith issues.  We are currently discussing Robert Wright’s The Evolution of God.  The class has existed for more than 20 years and welcomes new members. “Perhaps the secret of living well is not in having all the answers but in pursuing unanswerable questions in good company.”

– Rachel Naomi Remen

Every baptized person is called to ministry. The Education for Ministry (EfM) program gives people the education to carry out that ministry. During the Service of Confirmation, we ask God to “Renew in these your servants the covenant you made with them at Baptism. Send them forth in the power of the Spirit to perform the service you set before them.”

EfM offers an opportunity to discover how to respond to the call to Christian service. At ECOOS, the EfM meets on Monday evenings. Visit the EfM website to learn more.