On a tree-lined block of Chattanooga's downtown, just steps from the riverfront, St. Paul's Episcopal Church has been a fixture of the city for more than a century. From its home at 305 West 7th Street, the parish sustains one of the most ambitious musical and outreach programs of any church in the region, drawing a Sunday attendance that regularly pushes toward five hundred. Three clergy, a full-time music staff, and a deep bench of lay ministers organize a life that includes daily worship, multiple choirs, parish-wide formation, and a year-round shelter for homeless women that has operated from the church grounds for thirty years.
Worship on Sunday and Throughout the Week
Three Sunday services anchor the parish's worship life. At 8:00 am, Holy Eucharist: Rite I is offered as a spoken service in the older, more traditional language of the prayer book, with a contemplative feel that has long suited the early-morning crowd. At 10:30 am, the principal parish service, Holy Eucharist: Rite II, is sung with choir and organ in the nave, using the more contemporary language of the prayer book. Between those services, at 9:15 am, formation classes for all ages fill the parish house from September through May; during the summer months, the same hour gathers for Summer Special, a more casual worship service in Key-Andrews Hall.
Beyond Sunday, the rhythm of daily prayer continues. A brief Holy Eucharist is celebrated in St. George's Chapel Monday through Friday at 12:05 pm, giving downtown workers and neighbors a place to step out of the day and into prayer. The parish also keeps the church's musical calendar lively: Choral Evensong is sung several times a year, the third Sunday of each month from September through May brings Compline at 7:00 pm in the candlelit nave, and a series of major choral services - including a Requiem Eucharist on the Eve of All Souls' Day, Lessons and Carols in Advent, and a Choral Eucharist for Ascension Day - round out the liturgical year.
The Sunday bulletin is available each week, services are livestreamed on the church's video page, and a two-week archive lets those who travel or are homebound keep up with the music and preaching.
A Mission Rooted in Welcome, Worship, and Inclusion
St. Paul's mission statement - "Empowering disciples of Jesus for Chattanooga and the world." - is supported by six core values that shape every corner of parish life: Worship, Welcome, Inclusion, Formation, Service, and Tradition. In the parish's own words, the community worships God together, welcomes all, makes room for every person, grows in the understanding of God, reaches out in loving service, and stewards the Anglican tradition as a foundation for future growth.
The parish's statement of belief is brief and clear. St. Paul's confesses one God revealed in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and teaches that God lovingly created the world and calls it good. When human brokenness led people away from God's purposes, God came in human flesh as Jesus the Christ to save and reunite the world with God and with one another. The Holy Spirit, the parish teaches, continues to live in believers and to teach them how to be God's people in the world. The sacraments of grace - baptism, communion, marriage, and ordination - are available to all, and people of every race, gender, and sexual orientation are welcomed at God's table and into the life of the church.
The diocese is the Diocese of East Tennessee, part of The Episcopal Church. The diocesan bishop, the Right Reverend Brian Cole, makes an annual visitation to St. Paul's each winter for confirmations, receptions, and reaffirmations.
A Music Program That Sings the City
If there is one thing St. Paul's is known for beyond the pews, it is music. Director of Music Christian Crocker - previously at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Huntsville and a former adjunct professor of voice at the University of Alabama in Huntsville - leads a Senior Choir that is a multigenerational ensemble of volunteers supported by staff singers. The choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings during the academic year and sings year-round on Sunday mornings and at special services, drawing from plainsong through twenty-first-century repertoire with a special emphasis on the Anglican and Episcopal choral tradition. Assistant Director of Music and Organist Nicholas Stigall accompanies the choir and presents organ recitals throughout the year.
Children who love to sing find a home in the Choristers program, which trains singers in grades 3 through 12 through the Royal School of Church Music's Voice for Life curriculum. Choristers rehearse on Wednesdays from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, sing in church about once a month, and have opportunities to attend local and regional chorister festivals and summer RSCM courses; scholarships and small stipends are offered for steady attendance and advancement. The Adult Handbell Choir rehearses on Monday evenings during the academic year, and Tower Bell Ringers play before worship services and at special events.
The Artist Series brings professional musicians to Chattanooga for concerts of the highest caliber. The current season features soprano Maya Osuga and pianist Aimee Fincher opening the year with songs by female poets and composers; a December Advent Candlelight Concert pairing Britten's "Ceremony of Carols" with harpist Kate Rogers; Ensemble Altera, a Providence-based professional chamber choir, presenting "Psalms for the Soul" in February; and harpist Parker Ramsey performing Nico Muhly's "The Street" in March. A free Advent Concert Series takes place on Wednesdays in Advent at 12:05 pm, with each concert followed by Holy Eucharist and a soup lunch. Friends of Music support the series with annual donations.
Formation for Every Age and Stage
Sunday morning formation at St. Paul's is built around the 9:15 am hour and runs through the program year. Adult Formation meets in Huckabay Hall after breakfast in Key-Andrews Hall and offers short series from the clergy and visiting speakers on topics from stewardship of creation to the saints of the church. Recent fall offerings have included a three-week series with Father Eric, Mother Elizabeth, and Father Murdock on the call to be stewards of creation; a visit from U.S. Navy Commander (Retired) Frank Weisser, a two-time Blue Angels pilot and lifelong Episcopalian; and a 50+ Year Member Forum in which longtime parishioners shared stories of faith and community.
Wednesday nights add another layer. From 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm a catered dinner is served in Huckabay Hall, and from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm three concurrent offerings are available: a Lectionary Bible Study that wrestles with the upcoming Sunday's Scripture, a long-running book study that chooses titles by group consensus, and Image + Word, a pilgrimage in writing the Prayers of the People and encountering the Holy in art. The Wednesday night program runs from mid-September through mid-November and resumes in January.
For deeper study during Lent, the Thorne Sparkman School of Religion gathers Christians and seekers from across the city on Tuesday evenings for lectures, worship, and fellowship, with first-class scholars and teachers and a light soup dinner before each session. Past lecturers have included Barbara Brown Taylor; the next series culminates with a visit from Bishop Wright of Atlanta.
The Journey to Confirmation: Adult Inquirers' Class meets after the 10:30 am service over a series of Sundays and concludes with Bishop Cole's visitation.
Children, Youth, and Families
Children from six weeks old through high school have a place at St. Paul's. The Nursery, located downstairs in the Hart Building, is open during Sunday school and the 10:30 am Eucharist and is staffed by trained employees; snacks are served, and parents are asked to note any allergies. Children's Chapel takes children upstairs to the Hart Building during the sermon and prayers of the people at the 10:30 service, where they sing, hear a lectionary-based Bible story, and pray before rejoining their families in the nave at the Peace.
Sunday School meets at 9:15 am and is staffed by experienced teachers. The Preschool and Kindergarten class hears Bible stories, sings, creates artwork, and has a snack. The 1st through 5th grade Children's Sunday School class uses The Whirl curriculum, gathers for a Bible story, shares a snack, and ends with ten minutes of prayer and reflection in Children's Chapel.
Every adult who works with children at St. Paul's completes Safeguarding God's Children training. Maddy Mahan, Minister to Children and Families, oversees the program.
For youth in grades 6 through 12, EYC (Episcopal Youth Community) meets on Sunday nights from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. The evening opens with a meal provided by parents and parishioners and continues with game nights, service projects, Bible stories, church history, and worship. Emmaus Night, the first Sunday of each month, splits the group: middle schoolers meet from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm and high schoolers from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. ChattEY (Chattanooga Episcopal Youth) gathers EYC groups from Episcopal churches across the area seasonally, and the parish's beloved diocesan camp, Grace Point in Kingston, Tennessee, offers summer camp, parish retreats, and programs like Happening and New Beginnings. On Wednesday mornings at 7:30 am, High School Breakfast (or "Brekky") gathers teens at Stone Cup Cafe for unhurried community - not a study, just a place to be together. MacKenzie Teal, Minister to Youth and Families, oversees the youth ministry.
Pastoral Care: St. Paul's Cares
Pastoral care at St. Paul's is a team ministry carried out by both clergy and laity. Lay Pastoral Minister Janet Hale oversees a network of more than fifty trained parishioners who walk alongside the congregation through births, hospitalizations, deaths, and the long middle of life. Shepherds are assigned by last name and are in constant contact with the clergy; parishioners are encouraged to reach out to their designated shepherd when they need pastoral care. Eucharistic Visitors are trained and licensed to take communion to those who are homebound, hospitalized, or otherwise unable to attend. Other ministries within St. Paul's Cares write cards to people on the prayer list and to those in care facilities; divide the weekly altar flowers into smaller bouquets that are delivered to hospitals and homes; bake and deliver bread to parishioners who are homebound or in care at Easter and Christmas; visit those who cannot easily leave their homes; knit prayer afghans through St. Anne's Guild for those who are grieving or ill; and help coordinate simple receptions for funerals and visitations.
St. Catherine's Shelter: Thirty Years on the Grounds
For three decades, the parish has run St. Catherine's Shelter, a year-round residential program for up to eight homeless women who are enrolled in assistance programs coordinated by the CHATT Foundation. The shelter provides a safe place for women to begin making positive changes in their lives, and the parish commits significant funding and volunteer hours to keep it operating. Members of the congregation donate household items such as cleaning products, snacks, and linens; prepare or pick up evening meals for residents; and serve as overnight hosts. The shelter's thirtieth anniversary was marked in April 2026.
Community Engagement Across Chattanooga
Outreach at St. Paul's reaches well beyond the parish grounds. A team from the church serves lunch at the CHATT Foundation each Monday. Volunteers also serve with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga one Saturday each quarter - no special skills needed - and donate household items to the ReStore at 1201 Main Street. St. Paul's is a community partner with Orchard Knob Elementary School and Orchard Knob Middle School, providing teachers, students, and their families with educational resources and social advocacy through volunteering at the mobile food pantry, donating uniforms and classroom supplies, and mentoring and tutoring.
Other partnerships include the Chattanooga Area Food Bank (office support, donation sorting, food drives), La Paz Chattanooga (translation and interpretation, the Community Circles program, and childcare for women's services), Metropolitan Ministries (snack drives, recycling transportation, children's activity packs, light remodeling), and Welcome Home of Chattanooga, which provides a supportive community for those facing serious illness or death and welcomes volunteers for its Dining Club.
The Social Justice Book Group meets on the fourth Sunday of each month at 12:00 pm in the Miller Conference Room to discuss a book that contributes to the conversation on social justice. Each month a different parishioner hosts the discussion; titles have ranged from Jane Addams: Spirit in Action to Sundown Towns by James Loewen. Through its Outreach Grants ministry, the parish also supports organizations making a meaningful impact in the community and beyond; grants typically do not exceed $2,000 per annual cycle.
Fellowship and the Wider Parish Life
Beyond its programs, St. Paul's sustains a busy calendar of fellowship. Sunday Morning Breakfast is served after the 8:00 service during the program year. Coffee Hour gathers after the 10:30 service in Key-Andrews Hall or, weather permitting, the Memorial Garden. Great Expectations, the senior adult ministry for those 55 and older, meets on the first Wednesday of each month during the program year for engaging programs and an $8 lunch. YAMS (Young Adults) gathers once a month for liturgically oriented Bible studies, brunches, or church "Open Houses." Ladies Night takes the women of the parish out once a month for fellowship and food. Small Groups of ten to fourteen people form three times a year, meeting for brunch to deepen friendships. The Quilters meet weekly to finish beautiful pieces, and St. Clare's Needlework Guild works on needlepoint kneelers for the high altar. Every fall the parish gathers at Grace Point Camp and Retreat Center for a weekend of fellowship, formation, and fun for all generations.
The Liturgical Ministries
A parish of St. Paul's size draws on dozens of trained lay ministers each Sunday. Acolytes in grades 6 through 12 serve at the 10:30 service and at special services after training. The Altar Guild cleans the silver and brass, prepares for every service, and changes the hangings to mark the seasons. The Flower Guild provides flowers for Sunday altars, weddings, Christmas Eve, Easter, and All Saints' Sunday. Eucharistic Ministers are trained and licensed to assist at the altar; Lectors read Scripture and lead the prayers; Ushers and Greeters extend a friendly welcome, help seat worshipers, distribute bulletins, pass the alms basins, and help newcomers find their way around. Vergers, trained through the Vergers' Guild of the Episcopal Church, direct and coordinate those involved in the worship services. The Wedding Guild assists clergy and couples with the choreography of wedding rehearsals and the liturgy of marriage.
The Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by The Rev. Eric Long, Rector. Two associate rectors, The Rev. Elizabeth Farr and The Rev. Murdock Jones, share in the work of ministry; Father Murdock grew up in Little Rock, attended the School of Theology at the University of the South, and was ordained in December 2020. The Rev. Beth Foster Janney serves as Deacon; she was baptized, confirmed, and married at the Church of the Good Shepherd on Lookout Mountain, completed her seminary studies at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, and was ordained in September 2024.
Carly Woodfin serves as Executive Director of Operations. Christian Crocker directs the music program and Nicholas Stigall serves as Assistant Director of Music and Organist. Maddy Mahan is Minister to Children and Families, and MacKenzie Teal is Minister to Youth and Families. Janet Hale leads pastoral care as Lay Pastoral Minister. Will Jeffrey is Director of Stewardship and Planned Giving, Karen Hash is Director of Finance, Kimberly Arterburn is Communications Coordinator, David Cate is AV Coordinator, Patty Brigham is Facilities Coordinator, and Jade Ravelo-Holguin is Nursery Coordinator. Gabriel Rice serves as Administrative Assistant and Membership Coordinator.
Becoming a Member and Getting Involved
Baptism makes a person a member of the universal Christian Church, and the Episcopal Church recognizes all baptisms performed with water and in the name of the Holy Trinity. St. Paul's encourages baptized members to be confirmed when they reach maturity, or to be received by a bishop of the Episcopal Church if they were confirmed in another denomination. Confirmed members in good standing may vote at the annual meeting and run for the Vestry. Members of another Episcopal parish can transfer their letter by contacting Carly Woodfin.
Those curious about the parish are invited to St. Paul's 101, a welcome gathering held in the Miller Room on select Sunday mornings at 9:15 am. Newcomers can also fill out a Get Involved form to begin a conversation about how their gifts might fit the parish's ministries.
Sacraments and Pastoral Services
Holy Baptism is the full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's Body, the Church, and is offered to people of any age. Baptisms are celebrated on appointed Sundays throughout the Church Year as part of the Sunday morning Eucharists; older children and adults affirm the baptismal covenant for themselves, while infants have sponsors or godparents who speak on their behalf. Confirmation is a sacramental rite in which a person makes a mature commitment to Christ and receives strength from the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands by a bishop; preparation classes are offered for both youth (eighth grade and up) and adults. Christian marriage is a solemn and public covenant; members of the parish are given priority for weddings, though other couples are invited to inquire. Funerals for baptized Christians are an integral part of the parish's work as a community of faith, and parishioners are encouraged to discuss their burial plans with a member of the clergy at any time.
The Building and the Building Blocks of Parish Life
The parish campus includes the main church, where the principal Sunday services and major choral events are held; St. George's Chapel, where the weekday midday Eucharist is celebrated; Key-Andrews Hall, the gathering place for breakfast, Summer Special, and many fellowship events; Huckabay Hall, home to Wednesday Night Dinners and many Adult Formation offerings; the Hart Building, which houses the Nursery downstairs and Children's Chapel and Sunday School classrooms upstairs; the Miller Conference Room, where the Social Justice Book Group meets; the Memorial Garden, a Coffee Hour gathering spot in good weather; and the Ava Wright and Strang Rooms. The tower bells ring before worship services and special events, and the Exum Gallery hosts art exhibits in partnership with the Civic Arts League.
Office and Practical Details
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and on Fridays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Giving is accepted online through Realm. The weekly newsletter, The Epistle, and the youth newsletter, the Paul-ette, keep parishioners informed of the life of the parish. The parish's online directory, Realm, holds member contact information, giving records, and group sign-ups; members control their own privacy settings. Parish records are kept on Realm and the church is supported by ACS Technologies.
St. Paul's is governed by a fifteen-member Vestry chaired by the Rector and led by the Wardens; five new members are elected to three-year terms each year at the Parish Meeting in November. The current Senior Warden is Jeremy Weldon and the Junior Warden is Katherine Betts.