Holy Communion

Sundays at 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM

Holy Communion, sometimes called the Eucharist or the Mass, has been the Church's principal service for nearly 2,000 years. The first part of the liturgy is based upon the synagogue service which earliest Christians continued to attend after Christ's resurrection. It consists of prayers, scripture readings and sermon. The second part involves an act of self-sacrifice. Bread and wine, representing the lives of the people, are placed upon the altar. There they are joined to Christ's absolute act of self-sacrifice and offered up to God. Our lives are then returned to us, imbued with Christ's own life force. His very Body and blood. In so doing the congregation literally fulfills the word of Romans 12:1:

"I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

Please see Bishop Suttons' "An Instructional Commentary for the Order of Holy Comunion," for a more detailed explanation of this worship service.

The Typical Order of Service:

Processional

Collect

Summary of the Law

Collect of the Day

Epistle of the Day

Gospel of the Day

Nicene Creed

Announcements and Blessing

Sermon

Offertory

Doxology

Great Intercession

Confession and Absolution

Comfortable Words

Sanctus

Consecration

Invocation

Lord's Prayer

Agnus Dei

Ministration of Holy Communion

Post Communion Thanksgiving

Glory in Excelsis

Benediction

Recessional

BCP = 1928 Book of Common Prayer