What to Expect
on your first visit
On Sundays, our 9am liturgy includes music led by the choir and organ. It's followed by breakfast and coffee. Our service on Wednesdays at 6pm is simpler, quieter, and more contemplative, with a shorter homily. We often share dinner together afterwards.
If you've never been to an Anglican worship service before, we use a printed bulletin that contains the whole liturgy, word for word, and tells you when to stand, sit, or kneel (if you're able), what to say, and what hymns we sing. You will find the bulletin by a table near the door where you enter the Nave (main worship space). And if get lost, you can always ask someone near you for help. Don't be afraid of getting things wrong or not knowing everything at first. All of us were new to this at one time or another!
If you have been to an Anglican service before, you may wonder how our liturgy compares to other Anglican churches. Our music consists of hymns from the 1940 Hymnal led by a choir with organ accompaniment. Our liturgy comes from the Book of Common Prayer (2019). Our ceremonies are generally more "high church", and we use incense during the high seasons.
Every Sunday we hear 4 passages of Scripture (Old Testament, Psalm, New Testament, and Gospel). A 15-20 minute sermon follows the readings. Though our sermons might be a bit shorter than in other churches, we believe they are very important for understanding and applying God's Word to our lives.
When it comes time for communion, all baptized Christians (not just Anglicans) as young as infants are invited to receive the consecrated bread and wine. If you do not wish to receive, you can cross your arms over your chest and receive a blessing instead.
If you're visiting with kids, Jesus said to let the little children come to him, so we invite you to keep them with you in the service. Any noise they make is a joyful noise of worship unto the Lord that is a blessing to each and every one of us. However, we also have a fully staffed nursery available on the second floor of the parish hall if you require it.
As far as what to wear, we don't have a dress code! Wear whatever you believe is most appropriate for worship.
If you have other questions about visiting, please feel free to contact Fr. Jay via the contact page on the website. We know we do things a bit differently, so we want to do whatever we can to make sure your first visit is both comfortable and meaningful.