Essentials & Tips
Regular worship of God in community is central to the life of our Church. The following are brief insights into a few of the essential ideas and practices of worship in our Church. Please contact the Rev. Ted Duvall to learn more.
Liturgy and Participation – the forms our worship services follow are called liturgies, a word which comes from two ancient root words meaning “the work of the people.” Our worship is participatory! The people are involved through singing, saying the Creed, joining in the prayers, making responses, and coming forward to receive the bread and wine of communion. An old saying about our worship shows that this work of the people is more than just passively sitting – we “stand to sing, sit to listen, kneel to pray.” So how do you know what to do when? Two easy ways: follow the service in the bulletin, and watch and copy others.
Eucharist – for us the central act of worship on Sunday is a Communion service. Some call this the Mass, others the Lord’s Supper. We generally call it Eucharist because that word means “thanksgiving,” and we believe that the gift of Jesus’ presence to us in the form of blessed bread and wine is a gift for which the most appropriate response is thanksgiving. Thus, our Sunday Eucharist services are referred to as “celebrations” and “feasts.” Who can receive the bread and wine of communion? Any baptized Christian (whether a member of this church or not) is welcome. And everyone is welcome to come forward to receive a prayer blessing until you are ready to be baptized and receive communion.
The Book of Common Prayer – this book contains all of our worship services, from Eucharist services, to Baptism, Marriage, and funeral services, as well other special services and prayers. Though there can be adaptations and variety from church to church, using this Prayer Book connects us in worship across time and space to fellow Anglicans around the nation and the world.
A few tips:
Liturgy and Participation – the forms our worship services follow are called liturgies, a word which comes from two ancient root words meaning “the work of the people.” Our worship is participatory! The people are involved through singing, saying the Creed, joining in the prayers, making responses, and coming forward to receive the bread and wine of communion. An old saying about our worship shows that this work of the people is more than just passively sitting – we “stand to sing, sit to listen, kneel to pray.” So how do you know what to do when? Two easy ways: follow the service in the bulletin, and watch and copy others.
Eucharist – for us the central act of worship on Sunday is a Communion service. Some call this the Mass, others the Lord’s Supper. We generally call it Eucharist because that word means “thanksgiving,” and we believe that the gift of Jesus’ presence to us in the form of blessed bread and wine is a gift for which the most appropriate response is thanksgiving. Thus, our Sunday Eucharist services are referred to as “celebrations” and “feasts.” Who can receive the bread and wine of communion? Any baptized Christian (whether a member of this church or not) is welcome. And everyone is welcome to come forward to receive a prayer blessing until you are ready to be baptized and receive communion.
The Book of Common Prayer – this book contains all of our worship services, from Eucharist services, to Baptism, Marriage, and funeral services, as well other special services and prayers. Though there can be adaptations and variety from church to church, using this Prayer Book connects us in worship across time and space to fellow Anglicans around the nation and the world.
A few tips:
- let the usher hand you a bulletin: it has so much helpful information;
- grab a stick-on nametag on the way in: the friendliness you’re hoping to find is made easier as we are able to call each other by name;
- use the time just before the service for quiet reflection, to prepare yourself for worship;
- finally, think of worship as a journey: the best things in life rarely happen all at once, in a flash – instead, let the words, songs, and prayers of worship shape and bless you over time.