What to Expect as a Visitor at Epiphany
Welcome! As enter the church you will notice an atmosphere of warmth and preparation. You will be greeted and handed a pamphlet with the directions and readings for worship that day as well as any announcements. Prior to entering the sanctuary, it is necessary to pick up a red book called the Book of Common Prayer and a blue Hymnal. Please feel free to sit any where you would like in the church.
The Act of Worship
Worship in the Episcopal Church is said to be “liturgical,” meaning that the congregation follows service forms and prays from texts that don’t change greatly from week to week during a season of the year. This sameness from week to week gives worship a rhythm that becomes comforting and familiar to the worshipers. In the BCP, the large print is the actual service. The smaller print gives directions to ministers and people for conduct of the service.
You may wonder when to stand or kneel. Practices vary even among individual Episcopalians. The general rule is to stand to sing hymns (found in the blue Hymnal) and other songs (many of them from the Holy Bible) called canticles or chants and printed as part of the service. We stand to say our Affirmation of Faith, the Creed and for the reading of the Gospel in the Holy Eucharist. Psalms are sung or said sitting or standing. We sit during readings from the Old Testament or New Testament Letters, the sermon and the choir anthems. We stand or kneel for prayer to show our gratefulness to God for accepting us as children or as an act of humility before God.
The Regular Services
The principal service is the Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion). In some Episcopal churches it is celebrated quite simply, without music, early on Sunday morning (8:00am). Weekday celebrations also are frequently without music and without sermon. When celebrated at a later hour on Sundays (10am), or on other great Christian days such as Christmas, music and a sermon are customary.
All Christians - no matter age or denomination - are welcome to "receive communion." Should you choose not to take the sacrements Christians are welcome to come forward during the Communion to receive a blessing from the presider. You may do this by crossing your arms across your chest.
The service is concluded with a hymn and then a dismissal by the deacon. It is customary for the attending priest to greet everyone as they leave. We invite you to stay after the service for some refreshments and to meet other parishioners. |
