About St Paul's Milagiriya
There are five services conducted in the church on Sundays. Three in English and one each in Sinhala and Tamil. Apart from the two vicarages in the premises for the Vicar and Assistant, there is a large Hall and fully equipped seminar Hall, both of which are hired out to other organizations for religious or acceptable social activities to supplement the financial needs of the church. The prime location and space for ample parking is an added attraction to the facilities that are offered.
Several Home groups meet weekly in different homes and this serves to strengthen and nuture the spiritual growth of all parishioners. St. Paul’s is blessed with many able parishioners who are strong in their Christian faith and hence there is much lay participation at the Services. Some of the laity are Worship leaders, others assist with the Chalice at Holy Communion and yet others preach the Sermon regularly with great acceptance. On St Paul’s day the 25th of January, a special Service is held every year to observe the day of the Patron Saint of the Church.
St. Paul’s has for many years borne its social responsibility to the area in an admirable manner. Up until the pandemic, it conducted a free English class for children of the neighbourhood and a free Medical clinic on 2 days of the week. When the school year begins, children in need in the area are given stationery items, books and clothing. The main out-reach programme is with St. Paul’s, Kilinochchi who run Karuna Nilayam and Dharmapuram. This involves regular visits by the Vicar and parishioners to Kilinochchi to support the war widows and single mothers in self-employment ventures and the orphan children in their schooling. Funding is also obtained from the International Committee for the Least Coin. The church also finances the needs of a student at Mowbray College, Kandy and supports the salaries of NCC volunteer Christianity teachers in government schools. Annual financial assistance is also given to several needy churches and to a range of Christian charitable organizations.
Dev Siri Sevana, the Home for Elders in Welisara was built by Rev.Padmasiri Bhareti the Vicar of St. Paul’s and a committee of parishioners in 1993. Today it is a shining example of a well-run Home under the Diocese of Colombo. Another project of the church is a Day-care centre for children with intellectual disabilities, which was set up at Mayura Place, Colombo 6, by the Vicar Rev. Sunil Ferdinando and his Committee.