What to expect if you visit |
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What you can expect on a given Sunday depends a great deal on time of the year and what time of the day you visit, but we hope you always find a warm welcome. Holy CommunionAll baptized Christians are encouraged to receive communion at any of our services. In the Episcopal Church communion bread is offered in the form of wafer and optionally wine which may be received by intinction (carefully dipping the wafer into the cup of wine) or by a sip from the common cup. To receive communion go down the center aisle and return to your pew by the side aisles. Visitors who are not baptized in the Christian faith are always encouraged to come forward to receive a prayer of blessing. Our Worship7:45 a.m. The first service of the day is a traditional, simple Holy Communion liturgy and sermon without choir or hymns. (At this hour the nursery is not staffed.) 9:00 a.m. The middle service is our informal worship gathering that typically lasts an hour. There is a strong focus on lively praise music by the Arise music team. The clergy do not wear vestments and there is no procession at the beginning or at end of the service as found in our more formal worship. 10:30 a.m. Tthe third worship hour is a Holy Communion service with traditional organ music, adult and sometimes children’s choir, and processions with clergy, priests and other ministers in traditional vestments. ChildrenYou will see that children and infants are welcome at all services, and that if an infant begins to fuss, they are walked out to the lobby to settle. Optional nursery care for infants through kindergarden age children is offered from 8:45 until 11:45 a.m. every Sunday year round. Ask an Usher for the location of the Sunday Nursery. Service leafletsService leaflets for our worship services are available from an usher at the sanctuary entrance, which will help you follow the service. After all our worship, you will see that some people like to greet the clergy at the central door to the lobby, while others depart by the side doors. There will also be greeters in the lobby, identified by red lanyards, that will be happy to tell you more about St. Matthews. DressYou will note that people wear anything from “business casual attire” to coat and tie. |
Entrances and ParkingThere are two main entrances and parking lots giving access to the church buildings. The upper lot, visible from Tennis Avenue and to your right as you enter the drive, provides handicapped access and is the most immediate way to the Sanctuary and Parish Hall. The lower lot at the bottom of the main drive also provides direct access to the Sanctuary and our weekday Nursery School. Sunday School and ForumFrom September to June education for all ages is offered during the 9:00 a.m. worship hour and a second adult Forum is offered during the 10:30 a.m. worship hour. A time for visiting and refreshments is offered in the Parish Hall between worship beginning at 10 a.m. every Sunday from September through mid-June. |