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Who We Are
Sa Paula Tonga’s multigenerational ministry celebrates the traditions, language, culture, and connections of Tongans living in the Bay Area through regular Tongan-language worship and music, communal meals, and cultural festivities.
Sa Paula Tonga members also nurture spiritual friendships within the wider St. Paul’s Community by participating joyfully in parish-wide celebrations, service projects, ministry activities and annual events, as well as faith formation opportunities throughout the year.
Worship Life
Sunday worship is offered at 1pm several times monthly. Services include Tongan language prayers and songs, with music led by the Tongan choir director and volunteer choir. Our rector presides at the Eucharist in English and sermons are offered in both Tongan and English, as preaching is shared by clergy and lay leaders.
Young people serve as acolytes, lectors, and preachers, too. Sacraments like Baptism and Confirmation, Nativity reenactments, and memorization of Scripture help younger Tongans grow in the Christian faith, equipped for lifelong ministry and leadership in the church.
Scripture Study
The monthly Sa Paula Tonga Bible Study began in person during summer 2024 to create space to explore Scripture more deeply together. These times for prayer, reflection, and conversation on the weekly lectionary invite participants of all ages and backgrounds to share personal experiences and listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We seek to align our attitudes and actions with Jesus’ call to let the Living Word take root and bear fruit in our lives. These opportunities to learn with one another enliven our ways of serving together in the Body of Christ.
Leadership & Service
Sa Paula Tonga is led by our rector and a dedicated team of lay leaders who organize and direct energies of the congregation to create Tongan-language worship, music, and fellowship. A Sa Paula Tonga leader often serves on the Vestry of St. Paul’s to strengthen partnerships. Joy flows in the sharing with which Sa Paula Tonga offers gifts within the wider church, when contributing to St. Paul’s festive liturgies, community coffee hours, and rummage sales, and when serving in liturgical or ministry leadership within the Diocese of California.
God is inviting us to be intentional in our relationships with youth, listening to their questions, doubts, and joys, and pointing them towards the hope found in Christ.
We are called to pray for them, mentor them, and show them the way to a deeper relationship with God.
Easter Camp April 17-20, 2025
Youth grow in their experience of faith and community during an immersive 3-day camp filled with friends, faith, and fun! Focusing on those in high school, Easter Camp is a place to ask questions, enjoy the company of teens who attend other schools, and participate in building lasting relationships. Easter Camp is about encountering the love of God in a tangible way and deepening our understanding of the Easter story.