Weekly Worship Services
Worship is one of the ways human beings open themselves to sacred mystery. We hope that the experience of God in worship—through Scripture, prayer, silence, music, sacrament, and relationship—increases our awareness of God’s action in our daily lives.
Worship Schedule
All worship is done in communion—in communion with the worldwide church and with the communion of saints through the ages. In our worship, we transcend the divisions of the world and the values of rushing, striving, achieving and accumulating, in order to enter more fully into the divine life in which all human beings are beloved children of God.
This church also seeks to help people learn how to pray. Through Third Saturdays Centering Prayer, contemplative prayer groups, Daily Morning Prayer on weekdays, the contemplative 5:30 service on Sundays, as well as through workshops, retreats with the brothers of the Society of St. John the Evangelist both here and at their monastery in Cambridge, guest speakers and small group experiences, we seek to nurture habits of the heart that further each unique soul in his or her spiritual journey.
Sundays (Summer Schedule)
Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend
*Indicates child care available through age 4
Sundays (Regular Schedule)
Sunday after Labor Day through the Sunday before Memorial Day
*Indicates child care available through age 4
Weekdays
Note: when the parish office is closed for a holiday or due to inclement weather, weekday Morning Prayer does not take place.
The Daily Office is a collection of daily prayers in the Book of Common Prayer that provide a daily rhythm of prayer and scripture reading in people’s homes, churches, cathedrals, schools, monasteries and other settings. If you are unfamiliar with the Book of Common Prayer, you may find it online.
What to Expect at a Service
Whoever you are and wherever you might be on your spiritual journey, we hope your experience at St. Stephen’s Church will encourage and strengthen you.
Every Sunday during the academic year, there are six different services of worship (8, 9 and 11:15 a.m., and 5:30 and 8 p.m.), each with its own character. At 9:00, there are two services happening simultaneously: one in the main church (the larger stone structure), and the other in the smaller brick chapel known as “Palmer Hall.” The service in Palmer Hall involves conversational instruction about the worship experience in a more intimate space. You can watch a video about this service here.
The service in the large church is intended to be equally welcoming, but without conversational instruction, and the setting feels to some more transcendent. Both of these services have important roles for children, and people of all ages are most welcome at any of our services. You might enjoy experimenting, in order to find the service that is most helpful to you.
In the summer, our Sunday schedule changes slightly, with a 10 a.m. service in place of the 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services, both in the main church, and no Sunday school or Forum. A reception follows the 10 a.m. service and we hold it outdoors when weather permits. (The summer schedule is in effect from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.)
Most of our liturgies are drawn from the Book of Common Prayer, the book used by Episcopalians worldwide, as well as supplemental materials approved for use by the Episcopal Church. The 5:30 p.m. service of Celtic Evensong and Communion uses resources from the Northumbria and Iona communities, as well as poetry and prayers from other sources. The 8 p.m. Compline service is a Prayer Book service, but the liturgy is sung by an a cappella choir.
Receiving Communion
The Sacrament of Holy Communion (also known as the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist) has been precious and life-giving to Christians for 2,000 years. All of our Sunday services except the 8 p.m. Compline service include Holy Communion. You do not have to be an Episcopalian to receive Communion at St. Stephen’s Church.
If you have not received Communion before, or have not done so in an Episcopal Church, you may wonder what is expected. Practices vary from one church to another, and there is no “right” way to receive. The only thing that matters is that God welcomes you and wants to feed and care for you. God is always with you, and Communion can be a way to awaken more completely to this amazing reality. Here’s how you will see most people receiving Communion at St. Stephen’s Church.
• We encourage you to collect yourself and pray for an open heart, anticipating that God will use this sacrament to feed or care for you in ways that you need.
• At the appropriate time, people in your row will come forward to the main altar (or the steps leading to it) or to one of the side chapel altars. Where you receive is entirely up to you. (During the evening service, Communion is served only in the center.)
• Once you have arrived at a Communion station, hold out your hands, with one hand supporting the other. If you are at one of the altars with places to kneel, you may kneel or stand; it’s up to you.
• The sacramental bread will be placed in your hands with words such as “The Body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven.” The usual response is, “Amen.”
• Having received the bread, you may consume it immediately. Please let the minister know if you need a gluten-free wafer.
• The cup of wine will then be presented to you, and you may guide the cup to your lips by gripping its base. Again, the usual response is, “Amen.”
• Some people choose to dip the bread in the wine instead of drinking. If you choose this option, please use the smaller cup of wine which is used solely for that purpose. Please take care not to let your fingers touch the wine; simply touch the tip of the bread to the surface of the wine.
After receiving, you may return to your seat.
If for any reason you choose not to receive, you are still welcome to come forward to receive a blessing. Simply cross your arms over your chest when you arrive at the altar rail to signify that you are there to receive a blessing only.
If you think you might be coming down with a cold but still wish to receive Communion, we ask that you receive the bread only, avoiding the risk of spreading illness by way of drinking from the common cup or by way of your fingers when dipping bread into wine. Receiving Communion in the bread only is an ancient practice that continues to be a wholly acceptable option and even an important one when you might be sick. Receiving bread alone is also a valid practice for those who avoid consuming alcohol.
At 5:30 p.m. each Sunday evening, St. Stephen’s Church offers a service of Celtic Evensong with Holy Communion. This service draws from the liturgical traditions of Iona and Northumbria in Scotland, and the music has a contemplative quality. In addition to congregational hymns, there are pieces from the Celtic, folk, and classical traditions, accompanied by piano and such instruments as flute, oboe, classical guitar, violin, and cello; there is no organ at this service. While the basic outline of the service will be familiar to those who have attended Holy Eucharist from the Book of Common Prayer, its rhythm is marked by spacious silences for stillness, prayer, and meditation. The service often opens with a poem, and where there would be a sermon or homily in a traditional service, there is a brief reflection, often given by a lay person. This service has been well received not only by St. Stephen’s parishioners, but includes worshipers from other churches in the area, as well as those who have been away from the church for some time, or who have little or no religious background. All find a warm welcome.
From the ancient monastic practice of ending the day in prayer and praise of God, St. Stephen’s offers a weekly Compline service Sundays at 8 p.m. This stunningly beautiful candlelit service features a small group of singers, “Sanctuary,” offering Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony. The entire half-hour service is sung; you simply sit (or recline) in a pew to pray, listen, and simply to be still.
How can we help?
Let us know how we can help you get connected at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.