Anglican Worship

Our parish, which numbers over 500 communicants, is approaching its 200th birthday in 2011.  We have many opportunities for worship, service, and learning.  We are a varied group with many talents and interests, but we are all striving to be the Body of Christ here in this place. 

Your First Visit

As you enter, you will notice an atmosphere of  reverence and calm.  Episcopal churches are built in many architectural styles, but whether the church be small or large, elaborate or plain, the eye is drawn to the altar.  Thereby our thoughts are taken at once to the Lord God, to whom this altar and this house of worship belong.  The picture above is of the High Altar vested in the Advent Blue frontal, a part of the Fr. Hill Memorial Set of Advent (or Sarum) Blue vestments.  This set was the last High Mass set made by Philadelphia vestment manufacturers Cuthbertson's.  In the door of the tabernacle, you will see a cross.  This was the pectoral cross of Bishop Wallace E. Conkling, who was elected bishop of Chicago (1941-1953) while rector of St. Luke's (1923-1941).  The women of the parish donated their earrings and rings to be melted down to create the pectoral cross he would use as bishop.  Upon his retirement, he gave that cross to St. Luke's, and it is now enshrined in the tabernacle door.

On the altar are candles to remind us that Christ is the “Light of the World” (John 8: 2).
Often there are flowers, to beautify God’s house and to help us recall the great glory of the resurrection of Jesus.

The area immediately surrounding the altar, inside the communion rail, is called the sanctuary.  Here, many of the altar servers are seated during the service, and much of the action in the second half of the service takes place.  The credence table, against the wall to the right of the altar, holds the various sacred vessels that will be used during communion.

Just outside the communion rail is the chancel.  This is the area where the choir sits, along with the eucharistic ministers and asssiting clergy who will be administering communion.

Just outside the rood screen (the elaborately carved wooden "screen" that forms the gateway into the chancel) is the sedilia, or the seats where the celebrant and other ministers sit.  To the right is the lectern, or stand, from which the Word of God is proclaimed.  On the left is the pulpit where the sermon is preached each Sunday.

Our services are "Anglo-Catholic" in expression.  Anglo-Catholic is a term used to describe Episcopal churches and services that reflect some traditional elements of catholic worship.  In other words, you will hear chanting and bells ringing, you will see movement and color among the ministers and their vestments, and you will smell incense.  In Anglo-Catholic services, all the worshiper's senses are utilized and all means at our disposal are employed to "worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness" (Ps. 96:9).  In order to accomplish this, you will notice a number of (primarily) young people playing various roles in the liturgy.  These are altar servers, and their assistance enables our worship to be the best it can be.

Our worship services are congregational.  In the pews you will find the Book of Common Prayer.  This enables the congregation to share fully in every service.  You will also find there the various hymnals we use.  St. Augustine of Hippo, an African saint of the 4th century said, "He who sings prays twice."  We try to take that to heart and sing with as much vigor as we can muster.

You may wonder when to stand or kneel.  Practices vary among congregations.  The general rule is to stand to sing; for the reading of the Gospel; and at the affirmation of our faith, known as the Nicene Creed.  Psalms are said or sung while seated.  We sit during readings from the Old Testament and during New Testament readings that are not from the gospel, as well as for the sermon, and the choir anthems.  We stand or kneel for prayer to show our gratefulness to God for accepting us, and as an act of humility before the Godhead.

It is the custom upon entering the church to kneel in one’s pew for a prayer of personal preparation for worship.  It is also the custom to bow or genuflect to the altar upon entering and leaving your pew, to acknowledge the presence of our Lord under the form of Bread in the tabernacle.  We try not to talk to each other in church prior to the service to allow others around us to use this time to prepare for worship.  At the end of the service some persons kneel for private prayer before leaving the church as an act of devotion.

The ushers and greeters will welcome you, and may escort you to a pew.  If you desire, they will answer your questions about the service.

When you visit us, you will be our respected and welcomed guest. And, although we might ask you to indicate by some means that you are a visitor, you will not be forced to stand before the congregation nor come forward.  You will worship God with us.

Should you wish to know more about our church, or how one becomes a member, our clergy will gladly answer your questions and suggest the way to membership.