Worship

If you want to know who we are, you have to worship with us. That's not a ploy to get you to come to church, it's true! Episcopalians are defined by our worship. You can find out the most about us by joining us for the Holy Eucharist, our principal worship event. You may know this service by other names, the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion, or Mass. We worship from the Book of Common Prayer, our calling card, if you will. You can see exactly how we worship by viewing the latest service bulletin. Because our services may be different from what you are used to (a little more formal and more participation from the congregation) we print every single word of our service in a 12-page bulletin (except for the sermon, of course). You can't get lost. Our bulletins say when to stand, when to sit, when to kneel, when to speak, etc. It's easy. For a great online glossary of worship terms, go here.

Take a look at some Frequently Asked Questions about our worship.

Why are you so formal?
Do you have Holy Communion every week?
Why do certain people wear funny robes?
Why do you make the sign of the cross?
Why does the priest kiss the book, isn't that idolatry?
Do you really believe the bread and wine are the Body and Blood of Jesus?
Do you use real wine?
Some people call the priest "Father," didn't Jesus say not to call anyone Father except God?
Can I take communion?
What about my kids?
Is there a nursery?
How long does the service last?
Why is the service so aerobic (sitting, standing, and kneeling)?
Will I be single out as a visitor?
Am I expected to give money?

Why are you so formal?
Many people assume that formal, or liturgical, worship is stiff, cold, and distant. We would disagree. Our worship is liturgical, it follows an ancient pattern, but it isn't stiff, cold, or distant. A young man getting down on one knee to ask his beloved to marry him is a formal act, but who would say it is cold and distant? Certainly not the bride-to-be. St Paul spoke out against disorderly worship saying that "all things should be done decently and in order" (I Cor. 14:40). For us, our worship is a fortaste of heaven and our worship reflects that. In Isaiah 6, we get a glimpse of what worship in heaven is like, angels hovering around the throne of God singing "Holy, holy, holy" which is something we do every week. We see the same thing again in Revelation 4 where angels are singing and elders sing and incense is offered and the whole bit. Certainly we aren't angels or elders offering our crowns, but we seek to offer God the same worship that He receives in heaven. Everything we do that seems "formal" is done for a reason. By using an ancient pattern, we know that our worship is not dependent on the priest or worship team. Our worship is theologically sound, having been used for centuries by millions all over the globe.

Do you have Communion every week?
Yes! The Holy Eucharist (Communion, Lord's Supper, Mass) has been the center of Christian worship from the beginning. The Body and Blood of Christ is the sustenance from which we receive our strength. Christ told us to "do this in the remembrance of me," so why would we only want to celebrate Christ's presence and mighty acts of salvation every now and then?

Why do certain people wear funny robes?
The funny robes are called vestments and they help us to ensure that our worship is decent and orderly. Do you ever catch the televangelists on tv and notice their yellow or purple suits? I do and I can't help but focus on it. By wearing vestments, the gathered assembly is not focused on what suit or dress (be it nice or not) the leaders are wearing. It doesn't matter how rich or poor a person is, when they serve in worship, they are all clothed the same. Acolytes wear special clothing, choir members do as well, Lay Ministers too, and the priest.

Why do you make the sign of the cross?
An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church says this about the sign of the cross: “This ancient Christian gesture traces the cross on oneself, on objects, or other people. Depending on the context, the gesture may express personal Christian devotion or identity, blessing, absolution, exorcism, consecration to holy use, or the conclusion of something done to the honor of God.” It is usually done at the name of the Trinity, at a blessing of God (Father, Son, or Holy Spirit), or other times when personal piety moves one to do so. Simply put, making the sign of the cross is a manual prayer, it reminds us of who we are and to whom be belong, and it reminds us of our baptism. Think of it this way, making the sign of the cross is not that different from wearing a gold cross as jewerly, it identifies us as Christians.

Why does the priest kiss the Book of Gospels? Isn't that idolatry?
Have you ever kissed a picture of a loved one? What about sealing a letter with a kiss (SWAK)? If you have then you understand why the priest kisses the Book of Gospels. We do not worship the book or anything for that matter except God, but we do venerate many things that remind us of God or point us to God. When your mother told you to take your shoes off before you came inside, she didn't say that because you were to worship the carpet, but rather there are many things that we should respect and give honor. Jesus is the Word of God (see John 1). The Gospels contain the stories, actions, and teachings of Jesus - stories, actions, and teachings that give us life. When the priest kisses the book, he is honoring the words of Christ that give us life - here and hereafter. The Gospels point us to God, just as a picture of your boyfriend points you to the person you love, if you kiss the picture, you are honoring the person that picture represents, not the picture in and of itself.

Do you really believe the bread and wine are the Body and Blood of Jesus?
Yes. "The 1991 statement of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission notes, "The elements are not mere signs; Christ's body and blood become really present and are really given. But they are really present and given in order that, receiving them, believers may be united in communion with Christ the Lord." A classic Anglican statement attributed to John Donne (or to Queen Elizabeth I) and included in The Hymnal 1982 (Hymn 322) is "He was the Word that spake it, he took the bread and brake it, and what that Word did make it, I do believe and take it." In Eucharistic Prayer A of Rite 2, the celebrant prays that God the Father will sanctify the gifts of bread and wine "by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him" (BCP, p. 363). The Catechism notes that the inward and spiritual grace in the eucharist is "the Body and Blood of Christ given to his people and received by faith" (BCP, p. 859). Belief in the real presence does not imply a claim to know how Christ is present in the eucharistic elements. Belief in the real presence does not imply belief that the consecrated eucharistic elements cease to be bread and wine." (An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church)

Do you use real wine?
Yes, we use the same as Jesus.

Some people call the priest "Father," didn't Jesus say not to call anyone Father except God?
In Matthew 23:9 Jesus does say "And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father - the one in heaven," but he was speaking against the Pharisees who were saying one thing and doing another. He was saying don't call anyone a teacher or father or rabbi who perverts the faith that some of the religious leaders in Jesus' time were doing. If we took this statement by Jesus out of context then what do we call our dads or our school teachers? That's not what Jesus meant. St Paul told the Corinthians "Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel" (I Cor 14:15) and St John refers to his readers as "little children" in many places (1 John 2:1, 18; 4:4, etc.) indicating that they are spiritual fathers to the congregations. No one has to call the priest "Father," but those who do are speaking to a relationship, a spiritual leader, just as other churches call their clergy "pastor," which comes from the Latin, shepherd; a relational term speaking of the spiritual leadership of the shepherd to his/her sheep.

Can I take communion?
In the Episcopal Church, any person baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is welcome to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. If you are not baptized, you are still welcome to the altar rail where you may receive a blessing from the priest. To indicate your desire for a blessing, cross your arms over your chest.

What about my kids?
Children are invited to participate fully in the life of the church. Baptism is full initiation to the Body of Christ and they may receive communion if they have been baptized. If you do not wish for your children to receive the Body and Blood, have them cross their arms over their chest and the priest will bless them.

Is there a nursery?
Yes. We have a paid nursery staff that is present at all services and for Anglican Nights.

How long does the service last?
Most of the time the service lasts about 57 minutes.

Why is the service so aerobic (sitting, standing, and kneeling)?
We need the exercise. That's not entirely true, we do need the exercise but the main reason is we worship with our entire body. Traditional postures for prayer have been to kneel or stand, so we do both. We sit to hear the reading and proclamation of God's Word, we stand to praise (sing) and we kneel or stand to pray.

Will I be single out as a visitor?
No. You will not be asked to stand, you will not be given a special sticker or button, and we will not ask you to raise your hand. You will be welcomed by the greeter and we do hope you will join us in the courtyard for lemonade and cookies where we would love to get to know you and give you a chance to get to know us.

Am I expected to give money?
Not unless you want to!