Welcome to Our Services

The Church is first and foremost a worshipping community. Christians come together around the communion table week after week to worship and celebrate God through our savior Jesus the Christ. Prayer, reading of scripture, teaching, hymns and songs of praise, and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist define and shape our Sunday morning experience. Probably more than any other contemporary religious group, Episcopalians are people of a prayer book. The Book of Common Prayer guides our common worship, private devotions and is the source of most of our theology—how we speak about God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. At Christ Church – St. Michael’s Parish we have many opportunities for public worship. Holy Eucharist: Rite One (a more traditional language service); Holy Eucharist: Rite Two; Enriching Our Worship (fully inclusive trial liturgies approved by General Convention); Evensong (sung evening prayer) and various monthly and seasonal services provide meaningful opportunities for worshipping God. Each of our services is described in greater detail in this section of the website.

Sunday 8:00 AM – Traditional Eucharist

At 8:00 AM throughout the calendar year we offer the service of Holy Eucharist: Rite One, with sermon. This service appeals to those individuals who prefer an earlier service time or who prefer the more traditional language similar to what was found in the 1928 Prayer Book, nevertheless, we are inclusive in our language and the service includes piano and organ voluntaries, as well as a closing hymn. Congregation members enjoy this service’s contemplative nature. Year-round attendance averages 100 people.

Sunday 9:30 AM – Family Eucharist (Summer)

A 9:30 AM service of Holy Eucharist is offered during the summer months, beginning the Sunday after Memorial Day and ending the Sunday before Labor Day. This service is “family-friendly” and includes a children’s homily in addition to the sermon. The liturgy is either The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two, or Enriching Our Worship (supplemental liturgical resources introduced by our General Convention in 1997). If needed, Childcare is provided in the nursery from 9 AM–11:30 AM.

Sunday 10:15 AM – Holy Eucharist with Choirs (Program Year)

The 10:15 AM service on Sunday mornings features the Chancel choir, said Eucharist and sermon. Occasionally the Christ Church Bell Choir or Youth Choir are included. The language of the prayers in this service is contemporary, or common speech, again with inclusive language. This is the larger of our two Sunday morning services, with an average attendance of 150 people. (During the summer months, beginning the Sunday after Memorial Day and ending the Sunday before Labor Day, this service is held at 9:30 AM.)

Additional Sunday Services

Sunday 10:15 AM – Children’s Chapel (Program Year)

On the 2nd through 5th Sundays of the month, we offer a special age-appropriate half-hour service for children ages 4 through 8 in the Children’s Chapel located on the second floor in the Parish House. This service uses storytelling, songs and prayers to convey the Good News of Christ. Time may also be used to explore and explain aspect of the service such as the prayers, Eucharist, and baptism. Children join their parents in the church for Holy Communion.

Sunday 10:15 AM – Parish Family Eucharist (Program Year)

On the first Sunday of the month, from October through May, we offer a Parish Family Eucharist in place of our standard services of Holy Eucharist: Rite Two and separate Children’s Chapel. The Parish Family Eucharist brings the entire community of Christ Church—adults and children—together for common worship. In order to make this service more child-friendly, we read just two of the three lessons assigned for the Sunday, the Youth Choir sings an anthem in place of the Psalm and we offer a children’s homily in place of the sermon. Lastly, the sequence hymn on these Sundays is Hymn 490 – I want to walk as a child of the light, which reminds us of Jesus’ call to welcome the children in our midst.

Sunday 5:00 PM – Evening Prayer with Choir: Evensong (Program Year)

On the first Sunday of the month, from October through April, we offer the contemplative service of Evensong, or sung evening prayer. The service, or “office”, of Evening Prayer is heavily influenced by the traditions of the monasteries in which the service developed and thrived for centuries. This half-hour service, led by the clergy and choir, is followed by a simple fellowship time in the rear of the nave.

Weekday Services

Monday – Friday 9:00 AM – Morning Prayer

The Office of Morning Prayer is said in the choir of the church year-round at 9 o’clock. Lay people from the congregation lead this simple, contemplative service that begins each day.

Wednesday 10:00 AM – Service of Healing & Holy Eucharist

A public service of healing is held weekly in the Chapel of Christ Church. Using the liturgy from The Book of Occasional Services, this service allows for laying on of hands, anointing and special prayers for healing. The service concludes with the Holy Eucharist: Rite Two.

Holiday Services

Additional services are scheduled around holiday periods and feast days like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Holy week and Easter. These often include special music and ceremonies appropriate to the holiday. For more information visit our “Upcoming Activities” page, or phone the Parish Office, 410.745.9076.