St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church

Mary, Mother of Our Lord
2025-08-15 - 2025-08-16
The Feast of the Assumption of Mary was retained by the Lutheran Church after the Reformation. Evangelical Lutheran Worship designates August 15 as a lesser festival named “Mary, Mother of Our Lors: while the current Lutheran Service Book formally calls it “St. Mary, Mother of our Lord”.

Feast Day of St. Peter and St. Paul
2025-06-29 - 2025-06-30
Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul are likely one of the oldest feast days celebrated in the Christian calendar. Paintings of Peter and Paul were discovered on the wall of catacombs in 2010. The images on the walls date back to the fourth century A.D. The holiday is dedicated to two saints in the Christian belief. Peter was the head of the apostles and the first pope. Paul, formerly called Saul, was a persecutor of the Christian faith but converted to Christianity on the road to Damascus.
.Emperor Nero ordered the martyrdom of St Peter and St Paul. This event was thought to have occurred between 64 and 68 A.D. St Peter was crucified head down because he did not believe he was worthy of being crucified alongside Jesus. The cause of Paul’s death was unknown, but it was widely assumed that he was decapitated in Rome.
In Rome, Ticino, Switzerland, and Malta, Saint Peter and Saint Paul Day is a public holiday. The Latin Church, England, Scotland, and Wales observe it as a holy day of obligation, while the United States and Canada do not.
In 2021 the pandemic led to the cancellation of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Day public celebrations. Catholics were advised to celebrate at home while adhering to covid restrictions.
On June 29, Christians in coastal and island communities adorn their boats and docks to honor St. Peter, who was the patron saint of fishermen.

Feast of St. John the Baptist
2025-06-24 - 2025-06-25
John the Baptist was a contemporary of Christ who was known for evangelization and his baptizing of Jesus Christ.
John the Baptist was born through the intercession of God to Zachariah and Elizabeth, who was otherwise too old to bear children. According to scriptures, the Angel Gabriel visited Elizabeth and Zachariah to tell them they would have a son and that they should name him John. Zachariah was skeptical and for this he was rendered mute until the time his son was born and named John, in fulfillment of God’s will.
When Elizabeth was pregnant with John, she was visited by Mary, and John leapt in her womb. This revealed to Elizabeth that the child Mary carried was to be the Son of God.
John began public ministry around 30 AD, and was known for attracting large crowds across the province of Judaea and around the Jordan River. When Jesus came to him to be baptized, John recognized him and said, “It is I who need baptism from you.”
Jesus told John to baptize Him anyway, which he did, whereupon the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God was seen like a dove. The voice of God spoke, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
John instructed his followers to turn to Christ, calling Him the “Lamb of God” and these people were among the first Christians.
Following his baptism of Christ, John’s popularity grew so much that he alarmed King Herod. Herod ordered him arrested and imprisoned.
John spoke with Herod on several occasions and condemned his marriage to his half-brother’s wife.
This condemnation would be his downfall as King Herod promised to grant a wish to his daughter. In revenge for John the Baptist’s condemnation of her mother’s scandalous marriage to Herod, she asked for John’s head. King Herod reluctantly obliged. John the Baptist died sometime between 33 and 36 AD.
John the Baptist’s feast day is June 24, and the anniversary of his death is August 29 and is sometimes celebrated with a second feast. John the Baptist is the patron saint of Jordan, Puerto Rico, French Canada and many other places.

Phyl Kauffman Funeral
2025-06-24 10:00 - 12:30 (America/Denver) | St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1450 5th St., Calhan, CO, 80808, United States
A viewing will take place on Monday, June 23, from 5:00–7:00 PM.
A celebration of Phyllis’s life will be held on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Calhan, Colorado.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saint Paul Lutheran Church, in her memory.
Phyl Kauffman_Funeral and Music
Phyllis Marie Kauffman passed away peacefully on June 17, 2025, at the age of 91, surrounded by her loved ones.
She was born March 16, 1934, in Decatur, Nebraska to William and Gertrude
Richards.
Phyllis attended Craig High School in 1951. She married James Kauffman on May 9, 1963, in Raton, New Mexico. To this union, two daughters were born. Phyllis worked for the Coming Courthouse in West Point, Nebraska. After moving to Colorado, she worked for KKTV 11 News, ENT Air Force Base as a secretary for a colonel and for Mervyn’s Department store. Phyllis also attended Blair Business College during that time where she earned secretarial skills.
Phyllis was a long-term member of the VFW post 4051 Ladies Auxiliary in Colorado Springs and a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church since 1995.
Her gentle spirit, infectious laughter, and unwavering love left a lasting impression on her family, friends, and community. Always ready with a comforting word or a helping hand—and never one to shy away from an adventure—Phyllis embodied grace and generosity. Her home was always filled with the aroma of her homemade treats—especially her famous pumpkin rolls, which she lovingly shared with everyone she knew. Phyllis found joy in the simple things—birdwatching, exercising, puzzles, cards, bowling, attending Bible study and church, reading and hosting book club, playing games like Rummikub, and spending time with friends and family.

Phyllis is survived by her brother Roland (Mary Ann) Richards; daughters – Jeanette (Blair) Bartling of Calhan, Colorado and Michele (Todd) Hushka of Westminster, Colorado;
grandchildren – Jacob (Jennifer) Bartling, Kyle (Courtney) Bartling, Hanna and Logan Hushka;
and great-grandchildren – Khloe, Kennedy, Kacie and Karson Bartling, and Matteo Bartling; and
numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband James; her parents William and Gertrude Richards; sisters – Ruby Uman and Loretta Roudon; and brother Gerald Richards.
A devoted mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Phyllis will be missed by all.

Phyl Kauffman Viewing
2025-06-23 17:00 - 19:00 | St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1450 5th St., Calhan, CO, 80808, United States
A viewing will take place on Monday, June 23, from 5:00–7:00 PM.

A celebration of Phyllis’s life will be held on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Calhan, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saint Paul Lutheran Church, in her memory.

Phyllis Marie Kauffman passed away peacefully on June 17, 2025, at the age of 91, surrounded by her loved ones.
She was born March 16, 1934, in Decatur, Nebraska to William and Gertrude
Richards.
Phyllis attended Craig High School in 1951. She married James Kauffman on May 9, 1963, in Raton, New Mexico. To this union, two daughters were born. Phyllis worked for the Coming Courthouse in West Point, Nebraska. After moving to Colorado, she worked for KKTV 11 News, ENT Air Force Base as a secretary for a colonel and for Mervyn’s Department store. Phyllis also attended Blair Business College during that time where she earned secretarial skills.
Phyllis was a long-term member of the VFW post 4051 Ladies Auxiliary in Colorado Springs and a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church since 1995.
Her gentle spirit, infectious laughter, and unwavering love left a lasting impression on her family, friends, and community. Always ready with a comforting word or a helping hand—and never one to shy away from an adventure—Phyllis embodied grace and generosity. Her home was always filled with the aroma of her homemade treats—especially her famous pumpkin rolls, which she lovingly shared with everyone she knew. Phyllis found joy in the simple things—birdwatching, exercising, puzzles, cards, bowling, attending Bible study and church, reading and hosting book club, playing games like Rummikub, and spending time with friends and family.

Phyllis is survived by her brother Roland (Mary Ann) Richards; daughters – Jeanette (Blair) Bartling of Calhan, Colorado and Michele (Todd) Hushka of Westminster, Colorado;
grandchildren – Jacob (Jennifer) Bartling, Kyle (Courtney) Bartling, Hanna and Logan Hushka;
and great-grandchildren – Khloe, Kennedy, Kacie and Karson Bartling, and Matteo Bartling; and
numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband James; her parents William and Gertrude Richards; sisters – Ruby Uman and Loretta Roudon; and brother Gerald Richards.
A devoted mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Phyllis will be missed by all.

Holy Trinity Sunday
2025-06-15 - 2025-06-16
In the early Church, no special Office or day was assigned for the Holy Trinity. When the Arian heresy was spreading, the Fathers prepared an Office with canticles, responses, a Preface, and hymns, to be recited on Sundays. In the Sacramentary of Gregory the Great there are prayers and the Preface of the Trinity. During the Middle Ages, especially during the Carolingian period, devotion to the Blessed Trinity was a highly important feature of private devotion and inspired several liturgical expressions.[8] Sundays are traditionally dedicated to the Holy Trinity.[9]
The Micrologies written during the pontificate of Gregory VII list no special Office for the Sunday after Pentecost, but add that in some places they recited the Office of the Holy Trinity composed by Bishop Stephen of Liège (903–920). By others the Office was said on the Sunday before Advent. Alexander II (1061–1073), refused a petition for a special feast on the grounds that such a feast was not customary in the Roman Church which daily honoured the Holy Trinity by the Gloria Patri, etc., but he did not forbid the celebration where it already existed. A new Office had been made by the Franciscan John Peckham, Canon of Lyons, later Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1292).[10]
John XXII (1316–1334) ordered the feast for the entire Church on the first Sunday after Pentecost and established it as a Double of the Second Class.[10] It was raised to the dignity of a primary of the first class, 24 July 1911, by Pope Pius X (Acta Ap. Sedis, III, 351). Since it was after the first great Pentecost that the doctrine of the Trinity was proclaimed to the world, the feast becomingly follows that of Pentecost.
-Wikipedia

Feast of St. Barnabas
2025-06-11 - 2025-06-12
Saint Barnabas, originally named Joseph, was born on the isle of Cyprus and was a Jew of the tribe of Levi (see Acts 4:36). Nothing else is known about his early life. During Jesus’ public ministry, Joseph became His fervent follower and might have been one of the seventy-two disciples whom Jesus sent out on a mission (see Luke 10:1–24). After Pentecost, as the Church in Jerusalem began to grow, the Apostles changed Joseph’s name to Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.” His name change might have occurred because Barnabas supported the Church when he “sold a piece of property that he owned, then brought the money and put it at the feet of the apostles” (Acts 4:37). This is the first mention of Barnabas in the New Testament.
Three years later, after Saint Paul had undergone his conversion to the Christian faith and spent three years fasting and praying in Arabia, he traveled to Jerusalem to consult with the Apostles. The Apostles and the Christian community were at first hesitant to receive him, for they were aware of the persecutions he had issued against the Church. Barnabas, however, “brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27). After spending a short period of time in Jerusalem, Saint Paul returned to his hometown of Tarsus to avoid persecution. He remained in Tarsus for the next several years.
During that time, some of the Christians who left Jerusalem after the martyrdom of Saint Stephen traveled north to Antioch in Syria, where many Greek Gentiles lived. In Antioch, the Greek-speaking Christians began to preach the Word of God to the Gentiles. As a result, many of the Gentiles converted and accepted the faith. When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard about this, they sent Barnabas to minister to these new converts. Barnabas was so impressed that he went to find Saint Paul in Tarsus and brought him back to Antioch to help share the Good News. It was there, in Antioch, that the word “Christian” was first used, perhaps because the new converts were Gentiles who converted not to the Jewish faith, but directly to Christ.
After a year in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas returned to Jerusalem on a relief mission to assist those suffering from a famine. They brought with them money that was raised among the Christians in Antioch. After returning to Antioch, the Holy Spirit revealed to the Christian community that Paul and Barnabas were to be “set apart” for a special mission. The two were then ordained as bishops and sent forth on a mission, bringing with them Barnabas’ relative, John Mark, the Gospel writer. Over the next year, they traveled to Seleucia, Cyprus, Salamis, Paphos, Perga of Pamphylia, Antioch of Pisidia, Lystra, Derbe, Iconium, and back to Antioch, Syria. During this journey, they won many converts; some Greeks even tried to worship the two as gods. They also encountered opposition, including an unsuccessful attempt to kill Paul by stoning. The two later returned to Jerusalem to help settle disputes about Gentile converts before being sent off on another mission. Before the second journey, Barnabas and Paul disagreed about John Mark’s involvement in the mission, since John Mark had previously abandoned them for an unknown reason while in Pamphylia. The disagreement was so severe that Paul and Barnabas parted ways. Barnabas took John Mark with him to Cyprus, and Paul took Silas with him to Syria and Cilicia.
Nothing else is known for certain about Barnabas’ missionary activity with John Mark in Cyprus. Based on Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians and his letter to the Colossians, the disagreement the two had over John Mark did not have any lasting effect on their friendship. Even John Mark is later affectionately mentioned by Paul.
The only source we have that details Barnabas’ martyrdom comes from the fifth century, which makes its historicity uncertain. According to that tradition, Barnabas was preaching the Gospel around the year 61 and was arrested, dragged out of the city, and either burned to death or stoned. One tradition states that John Mark found his remains and buried them.
Another legend holds that in the year 478, Saint Barnabas appeared to the Archbishop of Cyprus and revealed the location of his burial to him. Archbishop Anthemios then found Saint Barnabas’ body incorrupt, holding the Gospel of Matthew. The Roman emperor then erected a church at the site and buried Saint Barnabas there. Though the church was later lost to history, excavations of the site have found a tomb believed to be that of Saint Barnabas. Saint Barnabas is the patron saint of Cyprus because he was the first missionary bishop on that island.
As we honor this great apostolic bishop, ponder the impact his ministry has had over time. Although the number of converts during his lifetime might have only been in the hundreds or thousands, the effect those converts had on subsequent generations multiplied over and over again. Saint Barnabas traveled, preached, baptized, celebrated the sacraments, and founded many Christian communities. He endured rejection, hardship, violence, and martyrdom, but he pressed on. His fervor stemmed from knowing his Lord, not only through his firsthand witness of Jesus’ ministry but also through his life of prayer and his reception of the Holy Spirit. Try to see his mission as one similar to yours. You, too, are called to zealously preach the Gospel to others. Do not hesitate to do so, no matter the cost. Pray that God uses you as He wills, and offer yourself to His service in imitation of this holy Apostle.

Day of Pentecost
2025-06-08 - 2025-06-09
From a historical perspective, Christianity didn’t start with Jesus’ birth, his death or even his storied ascension to heaven. It started with Pentecost — the day the “Holy Spirit” entered a room holding Jesus’ apostles and entered each of them, an event which — as my minister uncle tells me — “makes the church the church.”
Although Pentecost is chock full of religious significance, it is a holiday not widely celebrated. Sort of the opposite of Hanukkah, which is widely celebrated but not religiously important. Pentecost is a bigger deal in liturgical churches, which follow a formal, standardized order of events (like Catholics). “Non-liturgical” refers to churches whose services are unscripted (like Baptists).
Pentecost is this Sunday. Here’s the rundown:
Holiday: Pentecost
AKA: “Birthday of the Church”
Religion Represented: Christianity
Date: Fifty days after Easter. (Pentecost literally means “50”)
Celebrates: The day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, causing them to speak in tongues.
On a Scale of 1 to 10: The importance of Pentecost depends on the person. My uncle, a Presbyterian minister, put it like this: “To me personally, as religious observances go, Easter rates a 10, Pentecost a 7 and Christmas a 6. But the average member of my church would probably say Easter was a 10, Christmas an 8 and Pentecost a 3.
Stars of the Show: Jesus’ 12 apostles
Back Story: At his Last Supper, Jesus legendarily instructed his 12 disciples to go out into the world to minister and heal the sick on their own. It was at that point that they became “apostles.” Fifty days after Jesus’ death, as the story goes, the Holy Spirit (part of the Holy Trinitity — God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit ) descended onto the apostles, making them speak in foreign tongues. This “Pentecostal” experience allowed the apostles direct communication with God, which signaled a major shift in the religious landscape and laid the foundation for what would become Christianity. You’ll notice that the disciples are always depicted in artwork as regular-looking men while the apostles are depicted with halos around their heads. (Several other apostles came later — namely the famous Paul who is credited with writing much of the New Testament.)
Although all the original 12 apostles are important, some get top billing. Here’s why:

Peter (also called Simon Peter) established the first church in Antioch and is regarded as the founding pope of the Catholic church. Instrumental in the spread of early Christianity, Peter was said to have walked on water, witnessed the “Transfiguration of Jesus” and denied Jesus (for which he repented and was forgiven.) The Gospel of Mark is ascribed to Peter, as Mark was Peter’s disciple and interpreter.
John also is said to have witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus and went on to pen the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John and Book of Revelation. He died at age 94, having outlived the other apostles — all of whom, according to legend/history/whatever, were martyred. John is often described as “Jesus’ favorite” and depicted as the disciple sitting to Jesus’ right at the Last Supper.
Thomas (“Doubting Thomas”) is best known for questioning Jesus’ resurrection when first told of it. According to the Bible, Thomas saw Jesus himself several days later and proclaimed “My Lord and my God,” to which Jesus famously responded: “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:28.)

Associated Literary Passages: The Biblal Book of Acts 2:1-47
Celebrations: Pentecost, which shares roots with the Jewish holiday of Shavu’ot, isn’t associated with feasts or elaborate traditions. Generally, it is a holiday marked in liturgical churches. Because the holiday’s liturgical color is red, to symbolize the apostles “tongues of fire” and also the blood of martyrs, sometimes Christians will dress in red or decorate churches with red. Many churches hold baptisms and confirmations on that day, as well.
What’s the Deal with Speaking in Tongues?: In the Bible, “foreign tongues” referred to foreign languages (suggesting the apostles could now go into other parts of the world to preach their message.) Today’s version of “tongues,” however, is generally believed to be a type of gibberish (although some say it’s God’s language) created when the Holy Spirit enters a person. Many followers of Pentecostalism — a protestant denomination that emphasizes a direct, personal experience with God — still speak in tongues when they are baptized or “born again” into the faith. They believe that, at the moment of this second baptism, the Holy Spirit fills them, which causes them to speak in tongues.
Fun Fact: Jesus was captured and crucified because one of his apostles, Judas Iscariot, betrayed him (that’s not the fun part). Within days, Judas committed suicide out of shame (also not the fun part). That left only only 11 apostles, so the remaining 11 voted in a replacement: Matthias. Matthias was there during the Pentecost, which means he became holy without ever having been a disciple. (Okay, maybe “fun” was the wrong word.)
Conveying Meaning to Kids: This idea that, under Christian doctrine, God is able to take several “shapes” — the Holy Spirit being one of them — is sort of interesting. In this way, many Christians believe that God lives inside them because they have allowed the Holy Spirit to enter them. Pretty esoteric stuff for very young kids, though. Speaking in tongues, although far more fun/funny, may be no less difficult to grasp. As far as books go: I haven’t yet read The Very First Christians by Paul Maier, but it’s gotten good reviews on Amazon.

-Wendy Thomas Russell

Dinner and Board Games
2025-06-04 18:00 - 20:30
Social Ministry is hosting Wednesday dinner on June 4th with a hot dog and hamburger cookout. After dinner, for those who stick around, will be board games!
Come on out for a burger or dog, and stay to experience the thrill of competition in a riling game of Yahtzee or Taboo…or whatever board games are brought to share.

Preschool Tea Party Fundraiser
2025-05-10 12:00 - 16:00
Limited seatings available every hour beginning at 12:00 pm.
Call to reserve your spot at eithert 12, 1, 2, or 3 o’clock.
Thank you for supporting our preschool ministry as it continues into its 33rd year!

UMC Mother Daughter Banquet
2025-05-04 17:30 - 21:00
Calhan United Methodist annual mother daughter banquet. Be sure to wear a hat, as the theme is ‘many hats’
Held at the Calhan Methodist Church

Della Mussey's 90th Birthday Open House
2025-04-27 13:00 - 15:30 | Melody Living Center, 7600 Sandy Rock Point, Colorado Springs, CO, 80924, United States
Della Mussey will have an open house for her 90th Birthday on Sunday, April 27th from 1:00-3:30pm at Melody living. 7600 Sandy Rock Point (near Tutt and Woodmen)

Lent Evening Service
2025-04-09 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-04-02 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-03-26 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-03-19 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-03-12 19:00 - 20:00

Wednesday Dinner
2025-04-09 18:00 - 18:45, 2025-04-02 18:00 - 18:45, 2025-03-26 18:00 - 18:45, 2025-03-19 18:00 - 18:45, 2025-03-12 18:00 - 18:45
Soup supper, sign up is in the narthex

Ash Wednesday Service-no dinner this night
2025-03-05 19:00 - 20:00

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner
2025-03-04 18:00 - 20:00
Come join us for pancake dinner
Shrove Tuesday comes from the word shrive, meaning absolution following confession. Christians traditionally visit their church on Shrove Tuesday to confess their sins and clean their soul, thus being shriven, or absolved, before the start of Lent.

Wednesday Dinner-Italian Soup
2025-01-29 18:00 - 19:00
Wednesday dinner 6:00 pm. Bring a dish to share. Main Dish: Italian Soup with pasta, sausage, and tomato

Commissioning of our Lay Ministry Team
2025-01-26 10:00 - 12:00
January 26th Bishop Meghan will be down to commission our lay ministry team: Aaron Shaha, Kelly Fowler, George Fosha, Matthew Heitmann, Dave Slothower, Gail Bagenstos, and Jeanette Bartling. Please join us for worship at 10:00 a.m. for this special event followed by fellowship after the service

Wednesday Dinner-Chicken Pot Pie
2025-01-22 18:00 - 19:00
Wednesday dinner 6:00 pm. Bring a dish to share. Main Dish: Chicken Pot Pie

Wednesday Dinner-Hot Dogs & Brats
2025-01-15 18:00 - 19:00
Wednesday dinner 6:00 pm. Bring a dish to share. Main Dish: Hot Dogs and Brats

Red Cross Blood Drive
2025-01-13 09:00 - 14:00
Our next opportunity to donate blood is coming January 13th from 9am-2pm. You may sign up online through the Red Cross, via the Red Cross app on your phone, or just walk-in on the day of the event.
Donated blood doesn’t sit around languishing in the local area. It is sent where it will be used. The last blood drive saw local congregants’ blood shipped as far away as Michigan and Alabama!

Wednesday Dinner-Chili
2025-01-08 18:00 - 19:00
Wednesday dinner 6:00 pm. Bring a dish to share. Main Dish: Chili
