Weekend Services at Christ Episcopal Church

I can talk to you about being a visitor at any one of the three services at Christ Episcopal Church, because even though I’m a member there, I’ve been a visitor at all three services. Like any other community which offers several opportunities and formats for worship, there seems to be a congregation which gathers at each individual service, as well as those who travel from service to service week to week.

The Saturday evening service at 5:30 p.m. uses a “low-church”, progressive liturgy, and the piano and a song leader for music leadership. The sermon is preached not from the pulpit, but from pew-level. It is not uncommon to see people dressed in jeans (or shorts in the summertime) and like most every other community you’ll find, most people have a space in which they are comfortable to sit. This service does not have a coffee hour following worship, but once a month they share a potluck dinner featuring a virtual feast ranging from comfort foods to gourmet. The music changes from week to week. Sometimes it is from the standard hymnal, and other weeks more spirited gospel or praise hymns are used. Many who aren’t able to attend a Sunday morning service, for whatever reason, attend on Saturday night. And some, like me, attend because they prefer the “low-church” and progressive liturgy.

There are two services on Sunday morning. The early service, 8 a.m., uses Elizabethan language in its spoken liturgy. In fact, the only music at this service is the singing, unaccompanied, of the Doxology as the offering of gifts is brought to the altar. Many prefer this service because of the quiet dignity it offers. At this service, as you would expect, the sermon is preached from the pulpit. The fellowship time following this service offers coffee, juice and bakery, plus some great conversation.

The late Sunday morning service at 10:30 a.m. is the choral festival worship each week. The Chancel Choir leads the singing with organ accompaniment and all music normally comes from the hymnal, except on special occasions. On some feast days, worshipers are treated to liturgical dance, bell choir, children’s choir and offerings from the Creative Expressions group. This service has the highest attendance, so if you want to blend in to a crowd, this is the place to be! The language in the liturgy is modern English rather than Elizabethan, yet it is traditional. The coffee hour following the service also features coffee, juice and bakery. Octoberfest and the parish picnic are also held after this service, which allows an opportunity for the greatest participation. Those who attended the 5:30 p.m. or 8 a.m. service return for these fellowship events.

There is a healing emphasis at both Sunday services once each quarter, featuring the laying on of hands and anointing with oil. Prayers for healing with laying on of hands and anointing is offered each week at both the 8 and 10:30 a.m. services, and once a month at the 5:30 p.m. service. Ushers and greeters are at the front entrance to hand out worship bulletins and help you with seating arrangements if you like. Christ Church does have two “cut outs”, pews that have been shortened so that people in using wheelchairs or those with walkers can sit comfortably with family and friends. The congregation also offers hearing devices which are linked directly into the sound system and work much like an I-Pod. Christ Church also offers an elevator for easy access to all parts of the church.