Worship at St. Paul's

Three distinctive Eucharistic liturgies are offered at St. Paul's every Sunday in season (generally October to May). Here's how they differ:

The 8 a.m. service is Rite I. If you are attracted to traditional English language in use for the past 500 years, Rite I might be your choice. It is a quiet, sober and contemplative worship of The Transcendent God.

Rite II is used at the 10:45 service, and a newer Eucharistic prayer is used at 9:15.

At 9:15, a casual, intimate atmosphere is created through use of music and wording to bring to mind the immanence of God, the idea that God is near to us. The liturgy is from Enriching Our Worship, the most contemporary language in the Episcopal Church.

Our 10:45 service uses the language of Rite II, an English polished over our long history of worship in the venacular. Organ music and a full choir enhance the liturgy.

If you are from the Roman Catholic or Lutheran tradition, you will feel right at home here. Even if you've never been inside a church and are now discovering your spirituality, you will be welcome at St. Paul's. A printed guide, or worship bulletin, is provided to help you follow the service.

What's an Episcopalian?

How can we say we're both catholic and protestant? It's not that complicated. We walk "the middle way."

Episcopalians are a part of a world-wide association of churches called collectively, "The Anglican Communion." We share certain characteristics and modes of worship that are distinctive and share a common communion. We are liturgical and scriptural. We don't take Scriptures literally; that is a dangerous and incomplete way to view them.

One unique feature of being Anglican/Episcopalian is our polity (the churchy word for policy). We retain the ancient three-fold ministry of bishops, priests and deacons, but authority and responsibility are not functions of our clergy alone. We believe strongly in governance by the entire church, not just its leaders. No bishop may claim a superior status over another and no bishop gets to be a bishop unless elected by both clergy and laity. No priest may "rule" over his/her parish; authority is shared between the clergy and the parish council (we call it a vestry) and the same applies all the way up. In this way, all members of the Church are and may be held accountable to the others.

There are other things which mark us as different. We invite you to check us out at St. Paul's. There's room here for you, your questions and even your doubts!