A Guide to Sundays at St. James 

Welcome! We are delighted that you are considering joining us for worship. We know that visiting a new church can be a little intimidating, so we prepared this to help you feel more at home when you visit.

What is the service like? 

Regardless of the Christian tradition you were raised in, you will find some familiar elements in the Episcopal service. If you were raised in the Roman Catholic or Lutheran traditions, the Episcopal service will be more familiar. The service consists of two parts: the Liturgy of the Word and Holy Communion. The Liturgy of the Word includes prayers, readings from the Old Testament, the New Testament letters and one of the Gospels, a sermon, the Nicene Creed, and a general confession and absolution. Holy Communion includes the preparation of the table, the consecration of the bread and wine, receiving communion, prayers after receiving, and a final blessing by the priest.

The service at 8:00 a.m is Rite I which is the traditional language of "thee and thou." There is no music at the 8:00 service. The 10:30 service is Rite II with more relaxed, contemporary language and hymns. The 10:30 service is a sung service with a full choir (September through May), hymns, and portions of the service are chanted. 

How do I follow along in the service?

An usher will give you a bulletin as you enter. This bulletin will direct you to pages in the Book of Common Prayer or the hymnal 1982 which contain the service and the hymns. The Book of Common Prayer (also known as the BCP) is the red book with the cross on the front found in your pew rack. All the hymns are found in the blue book with “Hymnal 1982” on the front, also found in your pew rack. Hymn numbers that begin with an “S” refer to service music which is found at the front of the blue hymnal. 

Do Episcopalians stand, sit or kneel?

Episcopalians sometimes stand, sit or kneel during the service – in fact, different Episcopalians do things differently! The Book of Common Prayer will suggest standing, sitting or kneeling during different places in the service, but do what you are most comfortable with and what your physical condition allows. We guarantee that someone else will be doing it too!

Are children welcome in the service?

Children are always welcome in all our services and we mean it! Activity bags are available in the narthex to help keep our younger children engaged during the service. Don’t worry about your children making noise – they are children and we expect this! Should you choose, the narthex and foyer are available for our children to work off some energy during the service.

Is nursery care available during the service?

While children are always welcome at our services, those who choose to do so can utilize our nursery care for infant - Pre-K children on the lower level on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. However, parents are encouraged to collect their children and bring them to the altar rail with them to receive the sacrament as a family.

May I receive communion?

All baptized Christians, regardless of their religious tradition, are welcome to receive communion in the Episcopal Church, including divorced persons and children of all ages.

How do I receive communion?

To receive communion, come forward down the center aisle when the usher invites you to. To receive the bread, lay one hand over the other, forming a cross. The priest will place the bread in your hand. Consume the bread and when the chalice is presented, grasp the chalice lightly at the foot and guide it to your lips to drink the wine. Another option is to dip the bread in the wine and then consume it. Return to your pew by the side aisle after you have received.

What if I am unbaptized or uncomfortable receiving communion?

All are welcome at God's altar. If you aren’t a baptized Christian or if you are uncomfortable receiving communion for any reason, you are encouraged to come to God’s altar for a blessing. Simply come forward and cross your arms over your chest. This lets the priest know that you would like to receive a blessing rather than the sacrament. 

I want to be somewhat anonymous when I visit. Is that okay?

We believe in giving visitors plenty of room to experience St. James with no pressure to identify yourself publicly as a visitor. You will not be asked to wear a special name tag or stand up and introduce yourself or anything like that. It is not uncommon for one of our greeters or our Rector to ask if you are visiting before or after the service, just to make sure you feel welcomed. When you are ready, we ask that you fill out a visitor's card or sign our guestbook so that we can add you to our mailing list and begin a discussion of how you can become more involved in the St. James community.

I am hearing impaired. Will I be able to hear?

We have assisted listening devices for those who are hearing impaired. Just ask an usher and they will bring you a device.