Blog
Explore news, stories, events, and reflections from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Columbus, Indiana, and stay connected with our faith community.
Meet the Vestry: Jill Clotfelter
The Vestry plays an important role in the life and leadership of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. We’re excited to introduce you to the people who serve on our Vestry and help guide our church community. In this post, we’re pleased to introduce Vestry member Jill Clotfelter.
Finding a Home at St. Paul’s: Jill Clotfelter’s Story
Every parishioner has a story, and every story offers a glimpse into the heart of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. In this new series, we're sharing the experiences of the people who call our parish home and the ways God is at work in their lives and in our community.
Home has meant many places for Jill Clotfelter throughout her life. She was born and raised in Idaho before spending several years living overseas as an international educator where she met her husband, McClain. In 2022, they returned to the United States and settled in Columbus to be closer to family. However, one thing was missing: a church home.
"We didn't church-search at all. We chose St. Paul's because I love the Episcopal Church," Jill says. "Our church is a sweet church, and I've been so excited about its growth over the years."
From the Rector | September 2026
From the Rector | September 2026
by Br. Aelred Dean, Rector, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Anamnesis – To call back into the present
Every September, the old song drifts back into the air: “Try to remember the kind of September…” Even without singing the full lyrics, the tune nudges us toward a gentle truth — that remembering is not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It is a spiritual practice. It is, in the language of Scripture, anamnesis — the Greek word meaning “to call back into the present,” to remember in a way that changes us now.
In the New Testament, anamnesis is not about replaying the past like a movie. It is remembering in a way that makes the past active again. When Jesus says, “Do this in remembrance of me,” he is not asking the disciples to think fondly of him. He is inviting them to let his life, his love, and his self‑giving become present and powerful in their own lives. Anamnesis is memory with momentum.
Meet the Vestry: Nancy Morris
The Vestry plays an important role in the life and leadership of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. We’re excited to introduce you to the people who serve on our Vestry and help guide our church community. In this post, we’re pleased to introduce Vestry member Nancy Morris.
From the Rector | August 2026
From the Rector | August 2026
by Br. Aelred Dean, Rector, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Theology of Change
Change is rarely a single moment; it is a slow, holy unfolding. Thomas à Kempis, the quiet medieval voice behind The Imitation of Christ, understood transformation not as a dramatic conversion event but as a lifelong pilgrimage of becoming. In his world, growing in sanctification (to set apart for special use or purpose) was not lightning but steady fire—a daily consenting to God’s shaping love. For the church, this lens offers a way to understand change as both inner renewal and social transformation, braided together in the Spirit’s work.
Meet the Vestry: Deborah Elliott
The Vestry plays an important role in the life and leadership of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. We’re excited to introduce you to the people who serve on our Vestry and help guide our church community. In this post, we’re pleased to introduce Vestry member Deborah Elliott.
From the Rector | July 2026
From the Rector | July 2026
by Br. Aelred Dean, Rector, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
St. Paul’s at 150: Moving Forward in Faith, Strength, and Ship‑Shape Readiness
As St. Paul’s Episcopal Church celebrates 150 years of worship, service, and community in Columbus, Indiana, we find ourselves standing in that sacred space where gratitude meets responsibility. Anniversaries are never just about looking back — they’re about asking what kind of future we are preparing to hand to the next generation of disciples. And this year, your vestry has taken that question seriously.