A group of musicians practicing in a church sanctuary, including a young girl on an organ, and five adults playing brass and wind instruments, with music stands in front of them.

Worship

 Jesus said, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)

Worship in the Episcopal Church is a liturgy. The readings we hear every week follow a seasonal and annual rhythm not determined by the priest but by a standard liturgical calendar.  The purpose of the worship service, the liturgy, in the Episcopal Church is to imitate God’s deepest desire and vision of God’s world. From the way we begin the service, to the different parts and their timing, to how we end it.  After our worship, when we are fully attentive to it and the liturgy, we receive an embodied experience of how God wants the world to be.

Why is liturgy and our liturgical worship critical to our life with God? Why is it much more than praise? Because when we step out of worship and into the world, our senses become better attuned to how different the world is in our day-to-day functions. And as we become attuned to that, our presence and ministry in the world transform! Our hearts transform! And to inform our actions in the world – with each other close and those far away – physically, in thought, in experience, in talent.

What does it take to offer liturgical worship here at Epiphany? We have many ministries within worship:

Altar Guild: The people in this ministry help the worshiping ministry access a sense of God’s vision and hope for us by preparing and caring for our sacred elements and space. They prepare our altar and sanctuary for worship: the bread and wine, the altar hangings, banners, chalices, patens, candles, oil for candles, baptism vessels, altar linens, flowers, and the liturgical season arts that give us a sense of rhythm.

Music: Ever heard the adage, “the one who sings prays twice,” attributed to St. Augustine of Hippo? He may not have said those actual words, but he likely communicated the sentiment in his work! Our music strives to be accessible, intergenerational, and a chance to move God’s Spirit through us in song.

Altar Servers: Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEV), Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEM), Acolytes. Across generations, people come together to serve at the altar and be God’s presence to those who cannot join us. They are part of the team that leads worship together in front of the people week to week.

Stream & Sound: This ministry brings worship into the homes of those who, for myriad reasons, cannot attend worship in person. It also gives people who are searching for a church home a sense of who we are and how we worship.

A large congregation of people gathered inside a church for a service, with many standing and some seated, facing the altar area. The church has wooden beams and modern pendant lighting, with a large screen and altar at the front.
A person with grey hair kneels on the wooden floor, praying or meditating, beside a large dog with a brindle coat. They are in front of an altar covered with a red cloth embroidered with gold symbols, in what appears to be a church or chapel. Green potted plants are placed around them.
A priest and a young boy dressed in white robes participating in a religious ceremony inside a church, with candles and floral arrangements in the background.

Come make a joyful noise with one of our musical offerings!

Epiphany Choir
The Epiphany Choir regularly leads worship at the 10 a.m. Sunday service and on special occasions throughout the year. We welcome volunteer singers of all abilities from middle school and beyond. Join us on Sunday mornings at 9:15 AM to review the hymns for the day as well as hear a little history about them.

Joyful Noise Children’s Choir
Joyful Noise Children’s Choir helps lead worship at services throughout the year and is open to all children and youth in Pre-K – 6th grade. We meet every Sunday immediately following the worship service at 11:15 AM in room 120. 

For more information on any of our music programs, please contact Cathy Lard.