Welcome!
We are a church in The Episcopal tradition, practicing the Way of Jesus that goes back to the earliest days of the Church. Read on for some basics about our church. For a condensed version, you can refer to the Visitor Information Guide by clicking the button below.
Holy Eucharist, our weekly worship
On the night before Jesus died, he gave his disciples the gift of his Body and Blood in a liturgical celebration with Bread and Wine.
He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." (Luke 22:19-20)
From the earliest times, the Church kept Jesus's command to "Do this for the remembrance of me", finding Jesus present to them in "the breaking of bread" (Acts 20:7; Luke 24:13-35). Sharing the Bread and Wine was a part of Christian worship, as was reading from the Prophets and the Apostles (the Bible), and prayers. These three elements still make up our weekly worship, which we call Holy Eucharist.
Eucharist is a word that means "Thanksgiving", because the main part of the service is a long prayer of thanksgiving over the bread and wine, thanking God for our creation and redemption.
All - everyone! - is invited to sing the hymns, listen to the readings, take part in the prayers, and be present for the Eucharist. When it comes time to share the Bread and Wine, those who are baptized come forward to eat the Bread and drink the Wine. Those who are not baptized are also welcome to come forward to receive a special blessing from our priests.
* See our homepage for details on special services, such as Christmas, Holy Week, and Easter
How will I know what to say?
In each of the seats is an Order of Holy Eucharist and a hymnal, so that you are able to follow along.
What do I wear?
The important question is not what to wear, but the state of your heart when you come. We all come imperfect, but we come to seek God, seek answers, seek prayer, seek forgiveness or grace or mercy, and seek understanding. (But if you still wonder: people wear everything from shorts and t-shirts to dresses and collared shirts and ties. The most important thing is just wearing something that is modest.)
Do I have to give money?
No.
From the earliest days of the church, Christians have shared some of the money we have to support the work of the church and to help those who are in need. We continue this practice today by collecting money, and also non-perishable food each week for Storehouse West, a local food pantry. This is called the Offering. If you are visiting us, we don't expect any Offering from you. But we'd love if you filled out a Visitor Card and put that in the Offering basket, so that we can be in touch and connect with you!
From the earliest days of the church, Christians have shared some of the money we have to support the work of the church and to help those who are in need. We continue this practice today by collecting money, and also non-perishable food each week for Storehouse West, a local food pantry. This is called the Offering. If you are visiting us, we don't expect any Offering from you. But we'd love if you filled out a Visitor Card and put that in the Offering basket, so that we can be in touch and connect with you!
After worship: building community
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We build community in many ways, through service, times of prayer, times just to hang out and have fun together, retreats, and other ways. On Sundays in particular, each Holy Eucharist is followed by a time to share tea/coffee/snacks as we talk together and get to know one another. Kids in particular like playing together during this time.
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For other ways in which we build community check out our Visitor Information Guide by clicking the button below.
