Welcome to St. Timothy’s!

We invite you to enjoy the beauty and tradition of the Anglican Church, surrounded by the sacred symbols of the ancient faith.

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A Place of Worship

As you enter the sanctuary, you will hear traditional organ music and notice an atmosphere of prayerful worship and reverence. Your vision is drawn to the altar, or holy table, and to the cross.

• On the altar are candles, to remind us that Christ is the Light of the world, according to John 8:12.

• Often there are flowers or greenery to beautify God’s house and to recall the resurrection of Jesus.

• On opposite sides of the altar are two wooden stands: the lectern, where the Scriptures are read for the proclamation of the Word, and the pulpit, where the sermon is preached.

• At the rear of the church is the baptismal font, which contains some water that has been blessed. You may want to dip your finger into the font and anoint yourself with a blessing as you leave.

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An Act of Worship

In Anglican churches, the congregation actively participates in worship.

• Upon entering, you will receive a service bulletin that enables you to share fully in the service.

• It is customary before entering and leaving the pew to kneel or bow toward the cross as an act of reverence for Jesus Christ. 

• In the pews you will find the Book of Common Prayer (order of worship in various services) and the Book of Common Praise (hymnal).

• When the service begins, the cross will process to the front of the church during the opening hymn.

 

You may be wondering when it is appropriate to stand or kneel. Practices vary, even among individual Anglicans. 

• The general rule is: stand to sing, sit to hear, and kneel to pray.

• We stand for hymns and other congregational songs as part of the service.

• Also, we stand to affirm our faith through the Nicene and Apostle Creeds, the Psalms, and the reading of the Gospel in the Holy Eucharist.

• We sit during readings from the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the sermon.

• We kneel for confession of sin, for prayers during the service, to show our gratefulness to God for accepting us as his children, and as an act of humility before Him.

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Liturgy

‘Leitourgia’ is a Greek composite word originally meaning ‘a public duty,’ a service to the state undertaken by a citizen. Later it came to be understood as the customary public ritual, or pattern of worship, performed by a religious group on a regular basis, especially a Christian congregation or denomination.

• There is something very special about worshiping God through a liturgy that connects the lives and voices of Christians from ages past, going back thousands of years.

• We can look back to ancient Jewish customs of worship through scripture readings, prayers, psalms, instrumental music, and teaching.

• Liturgies throughout the worldwide Anglican Communion give shape and form to all the services at St. Timothy's Anglican Church. Our current liturgical use is from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.

• While some parts of the services remain the same, others change.

  • We observe the seasons of the church calendar, including Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost.​ Each liturgical season carries its own color, reflected in the altar hangings and the vestments, reminding us of the Church’s spiritual rhythms throughout the year.

  • The Bible readings vary each week, according to a lectionary, in 3-year cycles.

  • The weekly “Collect,” or prayer of the collected worshipers, is an annual cycle.

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The Order of Service

You will find the services at St. Timothy’s to be beautiful in their ordered dignity—deeply God-centered, yet always attentive to the nature, needs, and spiritual well-being of those who come to worship.

The main service is the Holy Eucharist (also called Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper).

• The first part of the liturgy consists of prayers, readings of Holy Scripture, and a sermon or homily, followed by an affirmation of faith (the Nicene or Apostle's Creed), the prayers of the people, confession of sin, absolution, and the exchange of peace.

• The second part of the liturgy begins with the offerings of the congregation, then proceeds with the Eucharistic prayer, consecration of the elements (bread and wine), Communion, the post-communion prayer, blessing, and dismissal.

• ​At the end of the service some people kneel for a private prayer before leaving. 

• Following the service, the priest and deacon greet the people as they leave.

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The Peace

The Peace is an ancient liturgical practice: an exchange or greeting through word or gesture.

• It is a sign of reconciliation, love, and renewed relationships in the Christian community.

• The priest says, “The peace of the Lord be with you.” The response of the people is, “And with your spirit.”

• The priest greets the congregation with the sursum corda “Lift up your hearts,” and the congregation joyfully responds together, “We lift them up to the Lord!” We are worshiping the same way Christians have worshiped since the days of the Early Church.

• When you visit, you will be our respected and welcome guest!

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Receiving Communion

At the Holy Eucharist, we welcome all Christians who have been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to receive Holy Communion, regardless of church affiliation.

• You can come forward to the altar rail, where you may stand or kneel.

• Receive the bread (wafer) by making a cradle with your hands, with both palms up.

• The priest will place the bread into your open hands, saying, “The body of Christ.” You may eat.

• The chalice bearer will assist the chalice to your lips, saying, “The blood of Christ.” You may drink a small sip.

• Alternatively, if you do not wish to drink from the common cup, simply refrain from eating the wafer of bread and give it to the chalice bearer, who will dip it in the wine and place it in your mouth (intinction).

• If you would prefer to receive only the bread, you may leave the altar rail after consuming the wafer. Christ is present in both the bread and wine.

• If you would like to come forward but do not wish to partake of the Holy Eucharist, please cross your arms in front of you with one hand on each shoulder, and the priest will give you a blessing.

• If you are unable to come forward, the priest and chalice bearer will bring the bread and wine to you.

• ​Once you have communed, return to your seat. You are invited to kneel and pray, join in worship with the communion hymns, or sit silently.

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What Clergy and Layministers Wear

To add to the beauty and tradition of the service, and to signify their special ministries, the clergy and lay ministers wear vestments as worn in the ancient and early church.

• At the Holy Eucharist the priest frequently wears a chasuble (oval garment with an opening for the head) over the alb (full-length white robe with sleeves) and stole (narrow band of colored fabric).

• ​Stoles and chasubles, as well as altar coverings, are usually made of rich fabrics. Their color changes with the seasons and holy days of the church year. The most frequently used colors are white, red, violet, and green.

• ​Other ministers, such as acolytes and chalice bearers, typically wear an alb (white robe), a cassock (black robe), a surplice (shorter white tunic), and a cross.

 

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​If you have any questions—about our parish, our practices, or the Anglican faith—please feel free to ask. We are here to help in any way we can and look forward to worshiping with you on your next visit.
Godspeed.

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