Worship services at Christ Church are held on Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., and on Tuesdays at 12:00 p.m. The following points may be helpful to you if you are unfamiliar with the Episcopal service.
Communion
Christ Church welcomes persons of all backgrounds and religious traditions at the Lord’s Table for the Holy Eucharist. We encourage you to come forward to the communion rail at the appropriate time to receive the bread and wine. Young children are welcome; it is your decision as to whether they are to receive the elements.
The Common Cup
This church uses wine in the celebration of the Eucharist. Many parishioners drink directly from the common cup, but some prefer to hold the bread in their hand until the communion cup comes to them, and then dip the edge of the bread in the wine before consuming. This practice is called intinction. You may use whichever method you prefer. It is also acceptable to not receive wine by either method, but to leave the communion rail immediately after consuming the bread. The communion is considered to be complete with consumption of only one of the elements.
The Order of Service
The Episcopal Church is a liturgical church. The order of service is outlined in the Sunday bulletin, and the specific form can be found in the Book of Common Prayer (the red book in the pew racks). If you get lost, a neighbor will be glad to help you.
Exchange of the Peace
This is an ancient sacramental greeting of the faithful in the Eucharist. It occurs after the Prayers of the People and the Confession. After the celebrant and congregation exchange the wish that “the peace of the Lord be always with them,” the members of the congregation stand and greet those immediately around them. This can be done with a handshake or embrace.
Stand, Sit or Kneel?
Episcopalians do a lot of all three – it’s a part of our tradition! Just follow the congregation if you need help keeping up. Normally, we stand for hymns, the Gospel reading and to affirm our faith. We sit to learn from the sermon and scripture readings. We kneel or stand to pray, although any reverent posture is appropriate, and if you prefer, you can remain in a seated position. We also kneel to receive communion, but it is proper to receive standing as well. The most important thing is for you to feel comfortable.
