What to Expect

What to Expect

Worship at St. Michael and All Angels seeks to create moments of transcendence, allowing worshipers to set aside all their concerns for an hour and simply focus on God. Our services are traditional in nature and are drawn from the Book of Common Prayer.

The Liturgy of the Church is a great drama in which the priest and the choir are the prompters and the gathered congregation is the performer. Together we all perform for an audience of one – God.

We follow the Christian Calendar, observing the seasons of the Church Year – Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. The clergy wear vestments that add to the beauty and pageantry of our worship. Occasionally incense is used during particularly special celebrations such as Easter, Christmas, and All Saints Day.

When you arrive on Sunday morning, you will be greeted by an usher who will provide you with a service bulletin that includes everything you will need to participate in the service.

The Holy Eucharist

The Holy Eucharist, also known as the Lord’s Supper or Communion, is the central act of Christian worship. We celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday. All people are welcome to receive communion at St. Michael and All Angels. We receive communion by coming forward to the altar rail where you may either stand or kneel. You will receive a piece of bread followed by a chalice containing wine. Some are not comfortable receiving the Sacrament and they may choose to come forward to receive a blessing from the priest. Simply indicate that you prefer a blessing by crossing your arms over your chest when the bread or wine are offered.

Stand, Sit, Kneel?

There is a rhythm to worship. It is like a dance and it takes a few tries to learn all the moves. Your first time in an Episcopal Church you may feel unsure about when you are supposed to do what – sit, stand, kneel or make the sign of the cross. But don’t worry. It only takes a short while to learn these things, and you will never be made to feel uncomfortable while learning the service.

Standing is a posture of thanksgiving. We stand to sing hymns and as we pray. We stand when we hear the words of the Gospel and while we recite the creed. You may choose to either stand or kneel during the Eucharistic prayer.

Kneeling is the posture of penitence. We kneel during the confession of sin and as the priest pronounces the absolution. You may either kneel or stand during the Eucharistic prayer.

We sit to listen and learn. We sit as we listen to the lessons read from the Old and New Testament. We sit as we listen to the sermon, which will always be about one or more of the readings from the Bible we have just heard.