If you visit St. Joe’s on a Sunday, what might you expect to find? At different times of the year, you might find any of these at our Sunday services:
Some preschoolers coloring at a table in the back of the sanctuary
Hymns sung loudly (or, in the evening, “Americana soaked in Appalachian rain”)
A range of attire, from “Sunday best” to sweats and sneakers
Arrangements of local wildflowers or autumnal gourds
A college student leading us in prayer
Popsicles on the lawn, or coffee and donuts in the chilly months
Eucharist brought from the service to the North Carolina Correctional Institute for Women
Long-term members sharing a pew with first-time visitors
The familiar words of the Book of Common Prayer
A retired professor reading the Old Testament lesson
Parking available in the lot behind the church, or on the street
Nursery and Children’s programming
Our church grounds are open from sunrise to sunset to anyone who would like a place to rest and renew. Feel free to take your coffee break or bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at our picnic tables or come take a stroll through the back garden and see what is in bloom!
St. Basil Romanian Orthodox Church meets upstairs in the parish hall every Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.
We are always interested in meeting our neighbors around St. Joseph’s, both new and long-time, and in learning what the needs are in our neighborhood. We look forward to meeting you!
St. Joe’s by the Numbers
Prepared for Annual Meeting of St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, Durham, NC January 2024
Services of weekday prayer said at St. Joe’s in 2023 301
Congregants between 21 and 39 in the “St. Joe’s Youth” group chat 38
Attendance on the First Sunday of Advent, 2020 27
Attendance on the First Sunday of Advent, 2021 52
Attendance on the First Sunday of Advent, 2022 64
Attendance on the First Sunday of Advent, 2023 92
Increase in Sunday Church attendance 2022-2023, as a percentage 36.8%
Number of part-time paid staff 5
Number of full-time staff 0
Average open rate for church newsletters in the United States 25.5%
Open rate for St. Joe’s newsletter, the Weekly Dispatch 74%
Active Breakfast Volunteers 51
Breakfasts served at thrice-weekly breakfasts in 2022 ~1,300
Breakfasts served at thrice-weekly Community Breakfasts in 2023 ~4,800
Largest number of attendees at a single Community Breakfast 53
Faith Communities represented among Breakfast Volunteers 10+
Gallons of water held by the shower truck at St. Joe’s on Wednesday Mornings 180
Times the vicar has quoted 19th century Anglican poet Christina Rossetti at least 6
Attendees at our St. Nick Festival 45
Percentage of pledging units that are new 42.5%
Average Sunday Attendance, 2013 33
Average Sunday Attendance, 2023 66
Sunday Evening Services held since we began 22
Candles lit at each Sunday Evening Eucharist 26
Average attendance at Sunday Evening Eucharist 31
Pieces of art appearing in 2023 bulletins ~180
