Worship and Fellowship

Holy Eucharist

Services are held three times most weeks:
Sunday, 8:00 a.m.
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. (with music and nursery) Thursday, 12 noon
(a Eucharist and healing service with anointing for those in need of any kind of healing, spiritual, emotional, or physical).
All baptized Christians are invited to receive the Eucharist at Epiphany; you need not be Episcopalian.

In any month with five Sundays, we hold one Sunday service at 9:00 am on the fifth Sunday, to give us an opportunity to get to know each other better. Watch the bulletins for reminders as these dates arise.

Coffee Hour

Following each Sunday service, coffee and refreshments are provided in the Parish Hall. All members and visitors are encouraged to attend this important time of fellowship.

Epiphany's members take turns providing coffee and refreshments. A sheet is located in the Parish Hall on which you can sign up for the date of your choice. Everyone who partakes of the coffee hour is encouraged to take an occasional turn at providing for this enjoyable and rejuvenating time in our church life that is so crucial to the fellowship we enjoy.

Nursery

Epiphany provides a nursery for young children during the 10:00 am Sunday Service and sometimes during other special services.

Tuesday Morning Meditation

Each Tuesday morning at 7:30 a.m., worshipers gather for a twenty minute meditation service in the Chapel behind the altar end of the church. The service is led by laity. All are welcome; enter through the side door of the church closest to the Parish Hall. Coffee and conversation follow the service.

Special Services

At certain times of the year, such as Lent, special services may be scheduled. They will be announced in the Sunday bulletin.

Lay Participation

Eucharistic Ministers (EMs) are members of the Epiphany congregation licensed to assist in the celebration of the Eucharist.

Their role is not limited to serving during a church service, but includes a responsibility for spiritual leadership. Some Eucharistic Ministers are specially licensed to carry the Sacrament to baptized persons who are unable to attend church services.

The EMs meet regularly to concentrate on their ministry and personal spiritual development and to discuss ways to enrich the liturgy. Mature, confirmed Episcopalians are welcomed to explore becoming Eucharistic Ministers. Contact Fr. Pete for more information.

The following Epiphany members are licensed as Eucharistic Ministers: Jan Butaud, Palmyre Dupré, Julie Edwards, Sharlotte Finley, Dottie Kostmayer, Susan Litton, and Jan Smith.

Lectors (or "Lay Readers") are members of the laity who read the lessons during most services. A rotating schedule is made for the Lectors, and those not able to attend on their appointed day are responsible for securing a substitute. If you would like to be added to the list of Lectors, see Fr. Pete.

Acolytes assist the Eucharistic Celebrant in preparing the host and wine for the participants, and they fulfill other functions during the service as well. Generally, these young people are between the ages of 10 and 18, and they are trained by Fr. Pete and others. Each Acolyte has an adult sponsor (usually a parent or god-parent) to assist in their training and development.

A rotating schedule is made for Acolytes (usually two per service), and those not able to attend on their appointed day are responsible for securing a substitute. If you would like to become an Acolyte, see Fr. Pete. Current Acolytes include: Lauren Finley, Allison
Morrow, Will Morrow, Grant Dahl, and Frankie Dahl.

Bulletins and Liturgy

Sunday services are accompanied by a bulletin including the order of service, names of lay participants, and various announcements. Although verbal cues are offered throughout the service, you can refer to the bulletin for the page numbers of the Book of Common Prayer on which various parts of the service can be found.

Copies of the Book of Common Prayer ("Common" in the sense of communal, corporate, or shared) can be found in the racks in each pew. Most of the priest's words and the congregation's responses can be found in this book.

Hymn numbers are posted on either side of the altar, and most hymns will be found in The Hymnal, also located in the pew racks. Some songs come from the red book in the racks, called Songs for Celebration.

If you have never worshiped in an Episcopal church before, do not be concerned about "doing the right thing" and following every bit of the service in the Book of Common Prayer. At first, feel free simply to listen and appreciate the prayers, music, readings, and other activities. If you do wish to follow along with the written liturgy, ask anyone near you for assistance. Everyone at Epiphany is happy to have you with us and anxious for you to be comfortable.

It is our tradition to stand, sit, or kneel during various elements of the liturgy. The option to stand, sit, or kneel is, for the most part, a matter of personal choice and participants are invited to exercise their preference. However, those who are able to stand will always do so to show proper respect during certain parts of the service, including the entrance or exit of the Cross, the reading of the Gospel, and the bringing forth of the elements (bread and the wine) prior to the Eucharist.

All baptized Christians are welcome to receive Communion at Epiphany; you need not be Episcopalian. As you kneel at the altar rail, the gifts of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (the consecrated bread and wine) will be brought to you. If you prefer not to drink from the Chalice, lightly dip your Host in it. Or, simply cover your lips with your finger and the Chalice will pass you.

Announcements

If you wish to have an announcement added to the Bulletin, please contact the church office no later than Tuesday in each week. If you need to have an announcement made during the service, contact Fr. Pete.

Prayer List

During the intercessory prayers, Fr. Pete will offer names of those in special need. Contact him to add a name to this list.