For this reason they are before the throne of God,    & worship him day and night within his temple,    & the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.

worship schedule

Sunday

7:30 am - Nursery (open until after 10:30 am service)

8 am - Holy Eucharist, Rite 1

9 am - Breakfast, first Sunday

9:30 am - Brunch, third Sunday

9:30 am - Sunday School (all ages)

10:30 am - Children's Church

10:30 am - Holy Eucharist, Rite 2

Wednesday

5:30 pm - Community Dinner

5:30 pm - Youth Group

6 pm - Children's Program

6 pm - Adult Study

7 pm - Eucharist

What is Liturgy?

The liturgy of the Episcopal Church is one highlighted by use of the Prayer Book and structured liturgical form.  Liturgy is, simply, the public worship of God.  Derived from two Greek words meaning "people" and "work," liturgy is quite literally the work of the people of God.  The life of Christ active in the church by the Spirit is expressed through our liturgy.

The common worship found throughout the Episcopal Church reflects the unity of members and expresses the church's identity and mission, including the church's calling to invite others and to serve with concern for the needs of the world.  Whether the liturgy is done by many or few, it is the corporate liturgy of the whole church.

Liturgy is sacramental.  Outward and visible realities are used to express the inward and spiritual realities of God's presence in our lives. Liturgy reflects the belief of incarnational theology that tangible and finite things may reveal divine grace and glory. By the Spirit, through liturgy, the church manifests the love of God and the unity we share in Christ. This loving unity was shared by the Father and the Son, and it is offered to all Christian believers. Liturgy is a public and social event. It engages our lives and faith, our thoughts, feelings, hopes, and needs-especially our need for salvation in Christ. Liturgy includes actions and words, symbols and ritual, scriptures and liturgical texts, gestures and vestments, prayers that are spoken or sung. It is also shaped by the seasons, feasts, and fasts of the calendar of the church year and the lectionaries for the Holy Eucharist and the Daily Office. Liturgy is to involve the various members and ministries of the church so that all are drawn together into one living expression of divine worship. It expresses what we believe and know about God, including belief and knowledge that cannot be completely stated in words.

what is the book of common prayer?

The official book of worship of the Episcopal Church, the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) provides liturgical forms, prayers, and instructions so that all members and orders of the Episcopal Church may appropriately share in common worship. Anglican liturgical piety has been rooted in the Prayer Book tradition since the publication of the first English Prayer Book in 1549. The first American BCP was ratified by the first General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 1789. It was based on the Proposed Book of 1786, and the 1662 English Book of Common Prayer, as well as the Scottish eucharistic rite of 1764. The BCP is ratified by General Convention, with alterations or additions requiring the approval of two successive General Conventions. The General Convention may also authorize services for trial use. The process of Prayer Book revision led to publication of editions of the BCP for the Episcopal Church in 1789, 1892, 1928, and 1979.

The BCP notes that The Holy Eucharist, the principal act of Christian worship on the Lord's Day and other major Feasts, and Daily Morning and Evening Prayer, as set forth in this Book, are the regular services appointed for public worship in this Church (p 13). The BCP includes the calendar of the church year, and it provides forms for the Daily Office, the Great Litany, the Collects, Proper Liturgies for Special Days, Holy Baptism, the Holy Eucharist, Pastoral Offices, and Episcopal Services. In addition to many forms for corporate worship, the BCP also provides forms for Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families (pp. 136-140). The BCP includes both contemporary language (Rite 2) and traditional language (Rite 1) versions of the forms for Morning and Evening Prayer, the Collects, the Eucharist, and the Burial of the Dead. The BCP also includes the Psalter, or Psalms of David; Prayers and Thanksgivings; An Outline of the Faith, or Catechism; Historical Documents of the Church (including the Articles of Religion); Tables for Finding the Date of Easter and other Holy Days; and lectionaries for the Holy Eucharist and the Daily Office.