What to Expect
Sunday Celebration – 10:00 Sundays in the Nave
As you enter the church, you will be welcomed at the door by a greeter who will give you the printed order of service. Find a pew and have a seat–if you sit next to a regular parishioner, please feel free to say hello and to ask any questions that you might have. Worship begins with a hymn and opening prayers. These are followed by hearing four readings from the Bible, usually one each from the Hebrew Scriptures, the Psalms, the New Testament, and the Gospels. The sermon explores what the Scriptures might be saying to us today. After a time of silent reflection, we respond to the hearing of the Word by affirming the principles of our faith in the Creed, the Prayers of the People, the Confession and Absolution, and the Peace, where we greet one another in the name of the Lord.
At this time, we sing another hymn as the bread and wine to be used in the Eucharist are brought forward and the offering plate is passed to allow people to contribute from their treasure to support the work of the Church. We give thanks for the gifts and then stand while the priest prays over the bread and wine, retelling the story of salvation and saying the words that Jesus said over bread and wine at the Last Supper. We believe that, in the bread and the wine, Jesus becomes present to us in our community. At the conclusion of the Eucharistic prayers, the congregation moves to the altars for Communion and then returns to their seats to pray in silence. After Communion, we stand to pray and are blessed by the priest. We sing a final hymn and are dismissed to go out into the world, filled with grace by having shared in the Sunday Celebration with our brothers and sisters, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the work of God–but not before a quick stop in the Guild Hall for coffee hour, where we say hello to our friends and greet visitors.
Open Circle – 10:00 Sundays in the Guild Hall
As you enter the Guild Hall of the church, a greeter will say hello and show you to a seat. The Open Circle is an inclusive, interactive, and informal worshipping community. The community sits in a circle and everyone is encouraged to share their thoughts during the sermon time. Music ranges from contemporary worship songs to traditional hymns. The words and other parts of the worship service are projected on screen at either end of the hall so no books or bulletins are needed and the text is large enough to be seen by most people, including those with diminished vision. All are welcome to be a part of this community and are able to contribute in whatever way they see fit. For families with small children, a supervised nursery and Sunday School are available, though children are welcome to stay in worship and participate.
Traditional Language Holy Communion – 8:15 Sundays and 10:00 Wednesdays
On Sunday, this service is held at 8:15 a.m. in the Church. The early service has a small congregation, some of whom like to come to worship early and some of whom like the traditional English language of the Book of Common Prayer. Worship at 8:15 is very simple compared to the 10:00 Sunday Celebration. It includes organ music, two hymns, and a sermon. The order of service is always the Order for Holy Communion from the 1962 Book of Common Prayer (BCP). Following the service, a time of fellowship with refreshments happens in the Guild Hall.
On Wednesday, the service is held at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel. The congregation of between 30 and 40 people includes regular Sunday worshippers as well as those who make this service their weekly worship. Like the Sunday 8:15 service, this is a simpler service, with music and hymns accompanied on the grand piano, a sermon, and the Order for Holy Communion from the BCP. On the first Wednesday of the month, a healing service is built into the liturgy, as special prayers are offered for healing for worshipers or those for whom prayers are desired for healing of spirit, mind, or body.