Welcome
Visiting St. Benedict’s.
If you’ve ever worshipped in a liturgical church, either Roman or Lutheran, a Sunday morning at St. Benedict’s will feel familiar. Our main Sunday morning worship service is the Holy Eucharist, also called the Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper, the Divine Liturgy, or the Mass. The words in our worship services are found written in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, which is our guide for liturgical worship. The word “liturgy” comes from a Greek word meaning “a work of the people,” so you can expect to be involved!
When you visit you will be respected as our guest. As you enter the church, you will immediately notice an atmosphere of reverence and quiet. Many people kneel for a few moments of silent prayer to prepare the heart, mind, and will for worship. Generally, we stand to sing, sit to listen, and kneel to pray. And, you will notice some who cross themselves and bow at various times of service, thereby engaging the whole person in the act of worshipping God. Don’t let the books, gestures, and corporate prayers… things which may seem different or strange at first… make you uncomfortable! Simply enter into the presence of God and worship. Like any good habit, becoming comfortable in liturgical worship takes time, patience, and intention.
The Holy Communion service is comprised of two main parts. The first is the Liturgy of the Word, which is centered around the reading and preaching of God’s Word. The second part is centered around the altar and the partaking of the most blessed body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Visitors who are baptized Christians are warmly invited to come forward to receive the bread and the cup. We hope you will visit St. Benedict’s as our guest to worship God in the beauty of holiness!
Learn More About Anglican Worship.
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
- Psalm 96:6