Worship

Sunday services

Childcare is provided from 8:45am to noon every Sunday, and children are also welcome to worship with their parents.

“Eucharist” is known by many as the Mass or Holy Communion.

7:30 am

A quiet, reflective Rite II Eucharist with plainchant and two hymns with organ, full sermon.

9:00 am

Lively Rite II Eucharist with a music ensemble and choir, contemporary and international folk hymns. Children’s Liturgy of the Word (Sunday School) takes place in classrooms, then children join parents for worship half way through the Eucharist (Children & Youth).

10:00 am

Rite II Eucharist at San Gabriel's, our West Side mission at 5220 Corrales Road NW.

10:15-11:00 am

Children’s program Godly Play, a forum for creative reflection about biblical stories (Children & Youth).

10:15-11:00 am

Adult education in the Parish Hall.

11:15 am

Traditional in style, Rite II Eucharist with classical music choir, organ, and chanted prayers. Fragrant incense is used on feast days and other times. Sign language interpretation is offered for the deaf and hearing-impaired.

Mid-week services

Thursday 9:30 am

Rite II Eucharist, quiet, simple, and usually focusing on a saint or feast day.

Monday-Friday 8 am

Morning Prayer, with scripture readings and prayers.

Monday 7-8:30 pm and Tuesday 10:30 am-12 noon

Times of contemplative prayer and discussion, always open to newcomers (link to CC page).

Quarterly Healing Eucharists: Wednesday 7 pm, as announced

Rite II with music and the opportunity to be anointed for healing of body, mind, or spirit.

The Book of Common Prayer

All worship in the Episcopal Church is governed by The Book of Common Prayer, an historic and occasionally updated book of worship dating from The Church of England, 1549. Our current BCP was last updated in 1979.

The BCP contains daily offices (prayer services) for corporate or individual home use, the Psalms, a Catechism, a schedule of scripture readings, prayers for every occasion, and forms for private confession, weddings, funerals, and other rites of the church.

The BCP is a much-used and beloved resource for personal devotion, public liturgy, and perhaps most important, the clearest expression of our theology as a church.

Preparing for Worship

Prior to attending a Sunday service, it might help to prepare yourself by reading over the scripture lessons appointed for that day. We use the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. To find the readings for upcoming Sundays, go to www.satucket.com

How you can help

Worship in the Episcopal Church is a community-run event. While we are governed by The Book of Common Prayer and the guidance of the clergy, there are literally hundreds of people who contribute to the making of worship at St. Michael’s: ushers, readers of scripture, cantors, musicians, acolytes, and altar servers. These roles are not reserved for special people; all members are encouraged to participate actively in making our worship. After all, the word liturgy means “work of the people.”

A full list of opportunities to serve in worship is found on the section Servants of Worship, under Programs, and you can inquire about any of them by contacting the office.

Our House of Worship

Design

Completed in April of 1997, our House of Worship was designed by Architect Robert Habiger and a parish design committee, and built by Klinger Construction. It is Northern New Mexican in style, with a corrugated metal roof, a high wood ceiling, use of stone and adobe, high clear-glass windows for natural light, traditional Southwestern wood altar furniture, bancos, a large bulto (statue) of St. Mary the Virgin and our beautiful stained glass windows.

The narthex (or foyer) provides a transitional gathering place. The baptismal font with running water allows baptisms either by sprinkling or partial immersion. The prayer chapel (just off the narthex) is a small quiet place for prayer and meditation. It also houses our columbarium, which is a space for members’ urns to be interred.

Sample service

The average service at St. Michael's is comprised of the following:

1. The Word of God
   1. A piece of prelude music.
   2. The gathering hymn is sung.
   3. Reading the Collect for Purity.
   4. Singing of Gloria.
   5. Reading of the collect of the day.
   6. The first reading.
   7. The singing of a Psalm.
   8. A second reading.
   9. The sequence hymn.
   10. A Gospel reading.
   11. The Sermon.
   12. Reading of the Nicene Creed.
   13. Reading o the Prayers of the People.
   14. A group confession.
   15. The children enter and join the service.
   16. We share the peace.
2. The Great Thanksgiving
   1. The Offeratory Anthem is sung.
   2. The Eucarist Prayer is read.
   3. Sanctus.
   4. Angnus Dei.
   5. All Baptized persons are welcome to recive communion.
   6. The Communion Anthem.
   7. The Post Communion Prayer.
   8. The Processional Hymn.
   9. Dismissal.
   10. Postlude.

You can also download a sample service in PDF form.