Trinity - Our Worship

Worship in the Episcopal Church is corporate, liturgical, and sacramental: corporate because the community of faith comes together to worship God publicly; liturgical because our rituals and ceremonies are not wholly spontaneous but ordered and derived from early Christian rites; sacramental because we believe God acts in history and touches our lives through physical creation.

The primary worship books of the Church are the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, with its lectionary of Scripture readings appointed for daily use, and The Hymnal 1982. (Although it includes prayers for individual use, the Prayer book is called common because it is used for the worship of the gathered community.) The supplementary hymnal, Lift Every Voice and Sing II, a hymnal of African American church music, is also used periodically at services at Trinity. We praise God with gestures as well as word, and employ all our senses with such things as flowers, music, colored vestments, and incense on festival days.

Liturgical practices at Trinity include a wide variety of customs. During worship, some people make the sign of the cross, bow and kneel at various points, others do not. Feel free to do what feels comfortable and appropriate for you. The congregation is encouraged to be silent and prepare for worship during the musical preludes. If you must leave the church during a service, try to do so during a hymn or the exchange of the peace.

Services are held:

Sundays at 8:00 a.m.

Holy Eucharist with sermon and hymns

Sundays at 10:00 a.m.

Holy Eucharist with sermon and choirs

Sundays at 9:30 a.m. (June 17 through September 2, 2007)

Holy Eucharist with sermon, hymns and summer choir

Wednesdays at 7:00 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, followed by breakfast and Bible study

for those who can stay

Wednesdays at 12:10 p.m.

Holy Eucharist

Sunday worship is held in the church. The choir sings from September to June. Services of Choral Evensong are also held on the first Sunday of the month during the program year, October - June.

Weekday services, held in the Chapel during warm weather months and in the Library during heating season.

On Sunday mornings, offerings of nonperishable food may be placed in the baskets near the back and side doors to the sanctuary. These contributions are brought to the altar at the Offertory and then distributed to area food pantries.