WELCOME !
Welcome to Trinity Episcopal Church!
It can be intimidating to enter an unfamiliar church. But, at Trinity Church, you are our respected and welcomed guest and we hope you feel as comfortable in God's house as you would in that of a friend. Don't hesitate to ask questions of our clergy, ushers or congregation members, if you need help managing the Book of Common Prayer (red books in the kneelers), Hymnals (blue books in the kneelers) or Sunday Service Bulletins handed out at the door before the services. We hope the following information gives you an understanding of the way we worship so you feel at home.
Our Place of Worship
As you enter Trinity Church, you will notice an atmosphere of quiet reverence in the few minutes prior to worship. Most of our worshippers cherish that time to make the transition from the world outside into the spirit of God's house. The architecture of Trinity Church, as it is for all Episcopal churches, carries your eye to the altar and then to the cross and Christ whom we hope to encounter, and to God, whose house this is. The candles around the altar remind us that Christ is the "Light of the World."[John 8:11] They also symbolize the illumination of the word of God we hear through scripture, preaching, and Jesus' presence. The flowers on the altar beautify God's house and recall Jesus' resurrection.
The Book of Common Prayer (BCP)
All worship is drawn from the Book of Common Prayer. The sameness from week to week gives the worship a rhythm that becomes comforting and familiar to worshippers. Some people wonder at the wisdom of this approach -- it seems rote to them. Yet the reality is that memorization by repetition is very freeing. Because we are thoroughly familiar with the words, we are freed spiritually to go where the words take us -- whether it is to a place of penitence, of deep searching or of joy. Like icons and sacraments, the BCP is a window into God's world -- where we see our own world and lives differently. It might take a little getting used to, but once the BCP becomes familiar it is a springboard, not a brick wall.
Stand? Sit? Kneel?
Worship in the Episcopal Church is said to be "liturgical," meaning that the congregation follows the same service and prays from texts. Everything you need for the service is contained in the Service Bulletin and the Hymnal. At your seat, you will find the red-covered Book of Common Prayer (BCP) which enables the congregation to share fully in every service. You will also find a copy of the Episcopal Hymnal (blue book). As you worship, you may wonder when to stand, sit or kneel. Please feel free to participate by simply listening and being a part of the congregation. But the general rule is to stand when we sing. We stand also to say our affirmation of the faith (The Creed) and for the reading of The Gospel. Some parishioners stand during the Eucharistic Prayer while others kneel -- either is appropriate. We sit during readings from the Bible, the sermon, the announcements and the choir anthems. We generally kneel, though some stand, during prayers to show our gratefulness to God for accepting us as his children, or as an act of humility.
Holy Eucharist
Central to worship at Trinity Church is the Holy Eucharist, the remembrance of Christ's death and resurrection made concrete in the bread and the wine. We begin by listening to scripture and reflecting on its meaning in our lives, move through prayer, confession and forgiveness, and then to becoming the family of God gathered around the table of God. We're living -- ever so briefly -- the life of heaven before we return again to the world, hopefully transformed and renewed to live life differently. Whoever you are and wherever you are on your faith journey, you are welcome to receive Communion. It's God's table, not ours. You are also welcome to simply come forward during Communion to receive a blessing from the priest.
At Trinity Church, there are variations on the Eucharist. The form of Eucharist celebrated at the 8 a.m. service Sundays is conducted in traditional language dating to the original, 16th-century Anglican prayer book. The 10:30 a.m. service is a more formal Choral Eucharist. In addition, we have several services throughout the week.
Vestments
The wearing of vestments (ceremonial garments) reminds us that a church service is set aside from the world of ordinary experience. Vestments also add to the beauty and festivity of the services and also signify special ministries of the clergy and other service leaders. Acolytes, young people and adults who assist with worship, wear muslin albs. The priests wear albs — a white tunic with sleeves that covers the body from neck to ankles -- as well. Over them, the priests also wear stoles, bands of colored fabric reflecting the church season. The priest, who is the Celebrant (celebrates the Eucharist), wears a chasuble, a garment that circles the body, over the alb. Like the stole, this garment reflects the color of the church season. The Master of Ceremonies is the Verger who is idenitified by a baton or "verge"
There are other service leaders, including those who read scripture and lead prayers, who wear ordinary clothes and sit in the pews with the rest of the congregation. These lay people remind us that everything we do must simultaneously be connected with the world we live in on a daily basis.
The Church Year
The Episcopal Church observes the traditional Christian calendar which begins with the season of Advent. We move through the life of Christ in the course of a calendar year. The season of Advent, during which we prepare for the birth of Christ at Christmas, begins on the Sunday closest to November 30. Christmas itself lasts 12 days, after which we celebrate the Epiphany (January 6) in which the light of Christ breaks out into the world.
Lent, the 40 days of penitential preparation for Easter, begins on Ash Wednesday. The most deeply spiritual services of the year take place during the week before Easter when we commemorate the last days of Christ's life. During the Easter season, we focus on the experiences of the risen Christ in the early Church. The season of Pentecost begins 50 days after Easter, when the disciples are sent into the world.
During the seasons, the Bible readings are selected for their relevance to the events being commemorated. During the rest of the year in the long season after Pentecost, the New Testament is read sequentially so the congregation can experience the teachings of Christ, the apostle Paul and other authors of New Testament letters. Old Testament lessons are selected to correspond with the theme of the day's Gospel.
Colors of the Church Year
The colors of the church season can be seen in the vestments, the altar cloths and other banners and decorations.
Green -- Symbolizes life, growth and hope and is worn during Ordinary Time.
Purple -- Symbolizes penance and expiation and is worn during Lent.
Blue -- Associated with the Virgin Mary, it's worn during Advent.
White, Gold -- Symbolizes purity, holiness, joy and triumph and is worn during Christmas and Easter seasons.
Red -- Symbolizes fire and blood and worn at Pentecost (for the tongues of fire descending upon the apostles); Palm Sunday; Good Friday; and festival days as a reminder of the Holy Spirit.
Where do you go from here?
To church, we hope! As you experience worship at Trinity Church, please feel free to ask any questions that come to mind. Our Rector (870-534-3832) is happy to schedulea time to visit with you. (Adapted from Christ's Church Cathedral, St. Louis , Missouri)