What to Expect
Join us as we gather to worship God, made known in Jesus Christ. Listen with us to God’s story through the reading of the Bible and hear what the Spirit is saying to us. Be encouraged with us as we hear God’s word proclaimed through the sermon. Pray with us for our community as we offer prayers of petition and thanksgiving. Be fed with us by receiving Christ’s body and blood in the Eucharist.
“We are a caring and committed church where people of all ages gather to worship God, grow in our faith and enjoy each other’s company. ”
If you are new to the Episcopal church, you may wonder where our liturgy comes from. As Episcopalians, our worship is rooted in the Book of Common Prayer. The BCP is a collection of prayers and rituals steeped in Bible verses and that date back to worship services from the early church, with some dating back to the time of Christ. As a church, we have received our grandma’s faith so to speak, and we treasure how these ancient prayers and rituals continue to speak to our lives today.
We also treasure the opportunity to worship with a diverse group of ages, backgrounds, political persuasions, races, and denominational upbringings, knowing that we all are loved by God and known as God’s children.
We are a caring and committed church where people of all ages gather to worship God, grow in our faith and enjoy each other's company. Gathering together in community to seek God – drawing near to God and to each other – is the heart of what we do as Christians. We hope you’ll join us!If you are new to the Episcopal Church, our worship can seem like calisthenics. We stand, sit, kneel and bow. And our service draws from three books: The Bible, Book of Common Prayer, and The Hymnal 1982.
Below is an outline of four movements within our one worship service, called liturgy. We hope that it helps you as you worship with us for the first time.
We gather
Liturgy has often been translated as the work of the people. This means that our worship begins when the people gather: in person and virtually.
Whether you join us in-person or virtually for worship, it helps to give yourself some time to get settled where ever you join us from.
Liturgy of the word
While the liturgy is considered as one service, there are two major sections: the liturgy of the Word and the liturgy of the table/altar.
During the liturgy of the Word, we listen to the reading of Holy Scripture, a Sermon, offer a statement of faith, and offer prayers for ourselves and the wider community.
liturgy of the altar
The Eucharist is the source and summit of the liturgy.
Just before the priest offers thanks for the greatest gift that God has given, Jesus Christ, our gifts are collected and offered back to God in what is called the offertory. The congregation then prepares to receive the Eucharist by “lifting up their hearts” and offers sacred prayers over the bread and wine. These prayers date back to the time of Christ and to some of the earliest liturgies in house churches.
After the priest consecrates the bread and wine, they become Christ’s body and blood and are shared with the gathered. All baptized Christians, regardless of their tradition, are invited to receive the Eucharist. After the Eucharist is received, the congregation offers a prayer of thanksgiving.
We are sent out
After the candles are extinguished, the priest and liturgical ministers walk to the back of the church in what is called a procession.
The deacon or priest will dismiss the congregation by encouraging them to take all that they have received from the service — Christ’s love, joy, comfort, generosity — and to share it with others.
During the 10:00 a.m. service, there will be a postlude. A postlude is a final piece of sacred music played by the Minister of Music. Typically, the postlude would includes the organ. You are invited to sit and listen during the postlude.
