Why We Worship This Way
Honest answers to the questions visitors ask most about Anglican worship.
Why is Your Worship So Formal?
Corporate worship is a formal occasion because in it the congregation enters the court of the King of kings.
What is the Order of the Service?
Holy Communion follows the shape of the Gospel itself: confession, grace, and the response of faith.
What is the Order of Morning Prayer?
A walk through the three Gospel cycles of Morning Prayer, from the opening confession to the closing Grace.
What is the Order of Holy Communion?
How the Communion service moves through confession, grace, and response until the church is fed at the Lord's Table.
Why do you read prayers and repeat so much?
The prayer book trains the whole congregation for its priestly work, and we repeat what we love.
Why do you sit, kneel, and stand in worship?
Kneeling to pray, sitting to listen, standing to respond: the body itself is offered in worship.
Why Do You Sing Chants, Psalms, and Traditional Music?
Our music joins the church across twenty centuries, chosen for the worship of God rather than for entertainment.
Why Do You Use Symbols Such as Candles and the Cross?
Candles, the cross, and the furnishings of the church teach biblical truth and set apart a sacred place.
Why do the ministers wear special clothing?
Vestments point away from the minister and toward Christ, whose servant he is.
Why is the Pulpit Off to the Side?
The Lord's Table stands at the center because Christ, not the preacher, is the center of worship.
Why do you observe the Church calendar?
The seasons of the church year, from Advent to Trinity, order our time around the life of Christ.
The best answer is a Sunday
Reading about the liturgy is one thing; praying it with a congregation is another. Come and see.