Sunday Worship Experience

Three Sundays a month, we gather for our customary liturgy – that’s a word that means the “work of the people,” and it is how we shape our service. The first part of the service consists of readings from Holy Scripture, a sermon responding to the readings, a confession of what we believe, and prayers for the Church and the world. The last prayer is a confession of our sins: we pray together, after a period of silence in which each person speaks to God about what wrongs they have committed, or what good they have left undone. Then the priest pronounces absolution of everyone gathered. Although provision is made for personal confession by arrangement with the priest, normally Episcopalians pray the general confession instead.

Holy Communion follows, with the priest calling on the Holy Spirit to consecrate the bread and wine, so that for the believer they are the Body and Blood of Christ. Anyone who has been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is welcome to receive Communion. This includes children. Others may receive a blessing and are invited to speak to the priest after the service about how to become baptized. At the end of the service, we are sent out into the world. Church is not complete without carrying our refreshed souls out the Church doors to love God and neighbor.