Sunday Worship at Grace Church
Sunday services at Grace Church are scheduled at 9:30 am throughout the year and are usually Eucharistic rites (Holy Communion) following The Book of Common Prayer The service includes congregational singing and pipe organ music. Ordinarily, we use the more contemporary language of Rite II. On occasion (as in Lent), the more traditional language of Rite I is used.
Throughout the year we observe the full variety of different liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. We undertake worship in a spirit of reverence and dignity. We try to open the Word of God to human hearts by including four readings from the Bible followed by a sermon related to one or more of these texts. The beauty and fullness of our liturgy is supported by a full cast of ministers that includes a priest-celebrant, deacon, lay assistant/chalice bearer, acolytes, lay lectors, and those responding within the assembled congregation. We make intentional and frequent use of periods of silence to allow time for the Spirit to work within each of us. Our worship style is influenced by the Anglo-Catholic tradition, preserving many of the aspects of traditional Christian liturgy which has served Christ's Church so well through the millennium, with the freshness of contemporary Scriptural scholarship.
At the same time, we seek to preserve a certain atmosphere of warmth. As a small congregation, we are able to maintain a comfortable setting where most of the congregation knows each other by name. We also offer childcare and Christian education for young people during the Liturgy of the Word; our children join us at the Lord's Table for Holy Communion. Following the service, there is a coffee hour in Martin Hall, the parish hall next door, giving the community a chance to greet not only each other but also newcomers who frequently join us!
Please also check the "Events Calendar" on the Home page for information about special services or changes in this liturgical schedule.
Throughout the year we observe the full variety of different liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. We undertake worship in a spirit of reverence and dignity. We try to open the Word of God to human hearts by including four readings from the Bible followed by a sermon related to one or more of these texts. The beauty and fullness of our liturgy is supported by a full cast of ministers that includes a priest-celebrant, deacon, lay assistant/chalice bearer, acolytes, lay lectors, and those responding within the assembled congregation. We make intentional and frequent use of periods of silence to allow time for the Spirit to work within each of us. Our worship style is influenced by the Anglo-Catholic tradition, preserving many of the aspects of traditional Christian liturgy which has served Christ's Church so well through the millennium, with the freshness of contemporary Scriptural scholarship.
At the same time, we seek to preserve a certain atmosphere of warmth. As a small congregation, we are able to maintain a comfortable setting where most of the congregation knows each other by name. We also offer childcare and Christian education for young people during the Liturgy of the Word; our children join us at the Lord's Table for Holy Communion. Following the service, there is a coffee hour in Martin Hall, the parish hall next door, giving the community a chance to greet not only each other but also newcomers who frequently join us!
Please also check the "Events Calendar" on the Home page for information about special services or changes in this liturgical schedule.