Worship Life

EPISCOPAL WORSHIP

Episcopalians worship in many different styles—ranging from very formal, ancient, and multi-sensory rites with lots of singing, music, fancy clothes (called vestments), and incense, to informal services with contemporary music. Yet, all worship in the Episcopal Church comes from The Book of Common Prayer, which gives worship a familiar feel, no matter where you go. On a typical Sunday morning at St. Mary’s, our worship is not too formal and not too informal. On special occasions, however, we might include more formal elements in worship, such as incense and chanting.

THE HOLY EUCHARIST

The central act of worship in the Episcopal Church is The Holy Eucharist (also known as the Mass, Holy Communion, or the Lord's Supper). Eucharist is a Greek word, which means, "thanksgiving." We come together each week to experience the love of God in Christ through Word and Sacrament. We believe that Christ is truly present in the bread and wine we receive during Communion and that through our participation in the Eucharist, we are renewed in our commitment to Christ and empowered to be his hands and feet in the world. At St. Mary's, all who love God and want to love God more are invited to fully participate in the Eucharist, including those who have been baptized in other churches.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON SUNDAY MORNING

When you arrive on Sunday morning, you will be greeted by an usher and given a copy of the service bulletin. This bulletin, along with The Book of Common Prayer and the hymnals we use in worship, will be all you need to participate in the service. The Holy Eucharist is divided into two main parts: The Word of God (or Liturgy of the Word) and The Holy Communion (or Liturgy of the Table).

In the first part of the service—The Liturgy of the Word—we begin by praising God through song and prayer, and then listen to as many as four readings from the Holy Scriptures—usually one from the Old Testament, a Psalm, one from the New Testament epistles, and a reading from the Gospels. The psalm is usually sung or recited by the congregation. Next, a sermon is preached. After the sermon, the congregation recites the Nicene Creed—the Church’s statement of what we believe. Next, the congregation prays together—for the Church, the world, and those in need. We pray for the sick, thank God for all the good things in our lives, and we pray for those who have died. The Celebrant (presiding priest or bishop) concludes with a prayer that gathers the petitions into a communal offering of intercession. After the Prayers of the People, the congregation formally confesses their sins before God and one another. This is a corporate statement of what we have done and what we have left undone, followed by a pronouncement of absolution. In pronouncing absolution, the Celebrant assures the congregation that God is always ready to forgive our sins. The congregation then greets one another by passing the Peace.

The second half of the service—The Liturgy of the Table—begins with the Offertory. This is when the congregation’s offerings of money, bread, and wine are presented at the Altar. This is also when the Altar is prepared for celebrating Holy Communion. Next, the Celebrant stands at the table, which has been set with a cup of wine and a plate of bread or wafers, raises his or her hands, and greets the congregation, saying, “The Lord be With You.” Now begins the Eucharistic Prayer, in which the Celebrant tells the story of our faith—from the beginning of Creation through the choosing of Israel to be God’s people, through our continual turning away from God and God’s calling us to return. Finally, the Celebrant tells the story of the coming of Jesus and about the night before his death, on which he instituted the Eucharistic meal as a continual remembrance of him. The Celebrant blesses the bread and wine, and the congregation recites the Lord’s Prayer. Finally, the Celebrant breaks the bread and offers it to the congregation as the “gifts of God for the People of God.” The congregation then shares the consecrated bread and wine by coming forward and kneeling at the Altar rail. Those who do not wish to receive Communion are invited to come forward to receive a blessing from the priest. At the end of the Eucharist, the congregation prays once more in thanksgiving, sings a closing hymn, and is dismissed to continue the life of service to God and to the world.