What is Worship Like at St Mark’s?
Year round we celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday morning at 11:00am. All are welcome and all baptized persons are invited to participate in Holy Communion.
Worship is the cornerstone of our Parish Life at St. Mark’s. Our worship is drawn from the Book Of Common Prayer (BCP). Eucharist is the primary form of worship in the Episcopal Church. It is also commonly known as Holy Communion or The Lord’s Supper.
Please come as you are, there’s no dress code for Christ’s feast. When you arrive, you will receive a worship bulletin that is your guide to the liturgy, the pattern and style of worship. There are no assigned seats, so find a comfortable spot and make it your own. We have a cozy spot in the rear of the sanctuary if you have little ones who need to squirm and move a round some. We sing mostly traditional hymns, which are usually in one of our hymnals. If you are unsure what to do, don’t hesitate to ask someone near you. After the Service, we have fellowship time with plenty of delicious snacks and hot and cold beverages.
The service has four distinct elements: Gathering, Listening and responding to the Word of God, Sharing the Meal of Christ, and the Sending. This is the pattern of worship found in the ancient Christian Church, reflecting the pattern found in Jesus’ feeding of the thousands and in the Last Supper as recorded in the Gospels.
Jesus said to love the Lord, our God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds. In other words, with our whole selves. Traditionally then, Episcopal worship has sought to engage the whole body and all five senses in the act of worship. You will find that in Episcopal worship, there is a lot of movement: standing, sitting, kneeling and coming forward to receive communion. Though many people find these patterns of worship comforting, no one is required to participate in such a way as to make them uncomfortable. The Episcopal Church welcomes all baptized persons, of any age and from any Christian tradition at communion.