Worship in the Episcopal Church
Episcopalians follow ancient worship patterns dating back to the first disciples of Jesus.
Our primary gathering of the community is on Sunday for Holy Eucharist, where God's Word is proclaimed and we celebrate Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper. Another name for this service is the Mass. The structure of the Eucharist is an ecumenical and ancient pattern, and you will feel comfortable in our services, especially if you are familiar with liturgical worship.
We begin our worship by praising God in song and prayer;
then we hear God's Word in Scripture (three readings and a psalm) and then in the preached Word (or sermon);
we respond with ancient creeds, prayers for ourselves and others, and confess our sins and ask God for forgiveness;
and then we share Christ's reconciling love in the Peace.
Then the Lord invites all baptized persons to share in the Sacrament of His Body and Blood as we gather around his table and give further praise and thanksgiving to God for all that God has done for us.
Finally, after receiving the Sacrament,we are sent into the world to love and serve the Lord and to share the Good News we have just received.
It's a predictable pattern, but you will find that no one Sunday is like another. We sing a rich variety of music from various traditions which reflect the diverse backgrounds of our members. We also try out newer music written in the last couple of decades as we seek to expand our musical tradition. This richness gives a texture to the basic pattern of Eucharistic worship which we cherish and celebrate.
We believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Sacrament, although you will find that we hold differing views on the nature of that presence.
We also celebrate Mass on weekdays. Please see our homepage for the current schedule.
It is also an ancient tradition for the community to gather either in church or at home at the beginning and end of the day for prayer. At St. Paul's, we currently gather each weekday morning for Morning Prayer, a brief service of psalms, readings from scripture, and intercession for ourselves and the wider world. The service lasts no more than 20 minutes and helps to consecrate the day to our Lord.
There are a variety of resources available to help with your devotional life, including the Rector's website Oremus, which has been promoting daily prayer since 1993.
