We Invite You to Worship

You’re invited to join us in the worship of God in the Episcopal tradition, which highlights Holy Scripture (reading the Bible) and Holy Communion in seeking to follow Jesus Christ. The service as a whole is called the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Our worship is liturgical but relaxed in form. Liturgical means that there are set and meaningful prayers and rituals. Our prayer book, The Book of Common Prayer, guides us in creating worship services for various seasons and celebrations, known as feast days, throughout the year. Visitors who are unfamiliar with our services, are encouraged to sit with a member who can answer questions and help you as needed. Below is an outline of our Sunday worship so you know what to expect.

Join us for worship Sunday’s at 10 a.m.

What to expect at Episcopal worship:

  • Holy Eucharist is the formal name for a church service where we share Jesus’ Body and Blood in the breaking of Bread and drinking of the cup of Wine. This practice is known as a sacrament, or an “outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace” (The Book of Common Prayer, pg. 857).

    Holy Eucharist is also called “the Lord's Supper, and Holy Communion; it is also known as the Divine Liturgy, the Mass, and the Great Offering” (The Book of Common Prayer, pg. 859). Informally, people may say they are going to church, worship, service, Communion, or Eucharist.

    • We begin with a procession, praise and the prayer of the day. 

    • This is followed by four readings from the Bible: An Old Testament lesson, a Psalm, a reading from the Epistles (letters from the New Testament), and one from the Gospels. 

    • Next comes the sermon by the priest or on occasion by a lay person. 

    • Then everyone stands and says the Nicene Creed together as an affirmation of our faith. The Nicene Creed is one of the oldest statements of Trinitarian Christian faith, outlining beliefs the Church holds about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

    • The Prayers of the People comes next as we pray for the world, the Church, and people in need. Prayers of the People usually include 25-35 names added by community members and others. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us here or on Facebook to add names (your’s or other’s) to our prayer list.

    • Most Sundays we also have the Confession of Sin followed by Absolution by the priest. This serves as a reminder that God has forgiven our sins.

  • As we transition to the Liturgy of the Table, we pause to share a sign of Peace to each other saying, “The Peace of the Lord be with you.” People respond by saying, “And also with you.” This is to show our love and unity with everyone sharing in the service. In a church the size of St. Bede’s, people are able to greet everyone in the center aisle. Hugs and smiles are common.

  • This part of the service is called The Great Thanksgiving in which we prayerfully give thanks to God for the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. We also ask God to send the Holy Spirit to bless and sanctify the Bread and Wine as well as our lives. Then we pass the Bread and Cup of Wine. All baptized persons are invited to receive Holy Communion  but membership is not required. If you have not been baptized, we invite you to cross your arms to receive a blessing by the priest.

  • Some people at St. Bede’s arrive early and gather for coffee and conversation in the Parish Hall before the service. Following the service, everyone is encouraged to gather again in the Parish Hall for refreshments and conversation. This is a great opportunity to get to know each other, share stories, and provide support.