At Christ Church Anglican, we follow a historical pattern of two-movement worship on Sundays emphasizing the Word of God and Holy Eucharist. Our pattern of worship, or liturgy, is rooted in Scripture and holds deep meaning; indeed, everything that we do corporately has a purpose. Stylistically, we are classical, and traditional music is prominent in our services. 

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For those unfamiliar with Anglican worship, we think the best way to understand it is to experience it. Nevertheless, you might be curious about what to expect when visiting us. The following paragraphs provide a very high-level synopsis of our liturgical pattern. 

Aides in Worship

We use the 2019 Anglican Church in North America Book of Common Prayer. Our worshipers primarily use three items in worship: the Prayer Book, Hymnal, and Bulletin. The bulletin contains references to the Prayer Book and Hymnal, as well as our service music and printed scripture readings for the day. 

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First Movement | The Word of God

You will likely hear an organ prelude at Christ Church when you enter the worship space. The music serves as a call to worship, a time to quiet yourself and center your heart on God. A church leader will welcome and greet those in attendance and give announcements. A cantor or the choir will sing a choral introit. Immediately following the introit, the congregants stand for the Processional Hymn, where the cross is processed to the front of the worship space. A series of prayers and service music are employed to highlight the Sunday, the liturgical season, and the human relationship to God. Anglican worship services contain much Scripture: on a typical Sunday, you can expect to read selections from the Old Testament, the Epistles, and the Gospels. At Christ Church, we chant the Psalm selection each Sunday. A homilist will preach a sermon, followed by the recitation of the Nicene Creed, Prayers of the People, Confession & Absolution of Sin, and the Passing of the Peace. 

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Second Movement | The Holy Eucharist

In preparation of the Holy Eucharist, an offering is taken followed by the Doxology, where we give thanks to God for all that He has provided us. The priest then leads us through a series of responses and prayers, called the Sursum Corda, Preface, Words of Institution, Consecration, and Lord's Prayer. All baptized Christians are welcome to receive Communion at Christ Church, regardless of age. Those who are unbaptized, or who would not like to receive Communion, are still invited to come forward to receive a blessing from the Priest; by crossing their arms over their chest, they can signal to the Priest their wishes to receive a blessing only. After receiving Communion, worshipers will join their voices in concluding prayers and hymns, before being sent out into the world. 

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