Our principal Sunday service begins at 10:00 a.m. You can find plenty of parking on the street beside the church or in the parking lot of the drugstore across the street (Sundays only, please). If you come into the parish hall prior to service time you’ll find friendly people who will give you a cup of coffee and any directions you need. If you come to the front door of the church, you’ll be greeted by folks who will welcome you and give you a service bulletin.
Once inside the church, feel free to sit anywhere - there are no reserved seats. You’ll find that people are dressed in a variety of ways; some more formally, others very casually. Come however you choose. The service bulletin you will have been given will help guide you through the service. Our worship is based on the Book of Common Prayer, and you can follow right along. Most of the hymns we sing are found in the Hymnal. Both are found in racks at your pew. People are glad to help you navigate your way through this. In the Episcopal Church, we stand, sit, and kneel at various times during the service. Some call this Episcopal aerobics. Don’t feel self-conscious about “doing it right”. If you watch carefully, you’ll find that some stand, while others kneel. Nobody judges what others do.
Our service consists of great music, readings from Scripture, a short sermon, prayers, and holy communion. Christian communion is known by a variety of names: Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper, Holy Eucharist. We ask God to bless bread and wine in remembrance of Jesus’s promise to his disciples that he would be with them in this sacred meal. When the bread and wine have been blessed, then the people come forward to receive these gifts. Everyone who has been baptized in any Christian tradition is invited to receive bread and wine by coming forward to the altar rail. You may either stand or kneel to receive. Hold out your hand to receive the bread, eat it, and then with the help of a person serving drink from the cup, or you may dip your wafer into the wine and receive both at the same time. If you would like to receive a blessing from the priest instead of communion, when you come forward, cross your hands over your chest. Finally, if you’d rather not receive communion or a blessing, you can just stay in your seat.
Following church we have a warm, friendly coffee hour in our parish hall. We hope you’ll come visit with us and enjoy coffee, soft drinks, and a variety of great snacks.
If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask anybody at St. Luke’s. Hope to see you soon!