MORE about Worship at Trinity Lime Rock
Questions & Answers about Worship at Trinity Lime Rock
Occasionally people who come to church at Trinity for the first time say that they had been thinking about coming to church for a while, but were worried that they would stand out or embarrass themselves.
While that's a normal human concern, we hope that you won't feel any apprehension about coming to Trinity.
The Trinity Family is a diverse, inclusive community welcoming all who are on spiritual journeys. Many -- actually, most -- of us at Trinity were raised in churches other than the Episcopal Church, so we all understand that some of the language we use and the ways we worship may seem odd or even incomprehensible at first.
We hope that these questions and answers will help you feel more comfortable about visiting us -- and perhaps even eventually joining us as a member of the parish!!
| Where should I sit? |
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It's a natural human tendency to
want to sit someplace where you won't be noticed the first time you
visit a new church. For many people, this means as close to the
back row of pews as possible. However, we'll suggest that you might want to consider choosing a seat a bit closer to the front. First of all, we're a small and friendly congregation, so most likely someone will go out of their way to welcome you to Trinity regardless of where you sit. And, of course, you can hear and see better closer to the front.
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What are those two books in the pew rack?
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The Episcopal Church is a “liturgical” church, meaning that we have a fixed form of worship. The liturgies for Holy Eucharist (also called Communion), Morning and Evening Prayer and other services are found in The Book of Common Prayer (that's the red book). The page numbers used in the service can be found in the Order of Worship (that's what we call the program the usher most likely handed you when you entered). Please follow along with us; because sometimes we do jump back and forth! Don’t worry if you lose your place; a neighbor will be glad to assist you. Any musical selection listed with a number starting with “S” (for service music) will be found in the front of the Hymnal (the blue book), before the hymns themselves -- but sometimes you'll find the service music for the service will be printed on a card in your pew. The Order of Worship (the program you received when you came in) will tell you where to look. Another place to find the numbers of the hymns for the day is on the board at the front of the sanctuary, on the wall to the left of the organ. Recently, we've added a third book to the pews. That's the Holy Bible. You can find the Bible readings there.
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May my children and I receive Communion? |
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All baptized Christians, regardless of denomination and age, are welcome to receive Communion in the Episcopal Church. Join us at the altar! Here's the process we follow at Trinity: If the service you're attending is a small one, without ushers (like our 8 AM Holy Eucharist), the priest will ask you to come forward at the correct time. If there are ushers (as there usually are at our 10:30 AM Holy Eucharist on Sundays), they will stand next to the row you're seated in and nod to let you know it's time to go up to the altar. If there's a choir at the service you attend, they usually take Communion first, so you can always watch what they do for a hint of what's expected. When it's your turn to receive Communion, place one hand atop the other, with your palms up. The priest will place the bread (usually a wafer) in your hands. You may eat it immediately, followed by a sip of wine, or you may hold the wafer to dip into the wine in the chalice. (If you prefer to sip from the chalice directly, please grasp the base of the cup lightly and guide it to your lips.) If you decide not to take Communion, you may remain in your pew, but you are very welcome to come to the altar to receive a blessing. While kneeling at the altar, just cross your arms over your chest as a sign that you do not wish to receive Communion but prefer a blessing instead.
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Can I receive Communion if I am unable to come to the altar? |
You certainly can! Just tell the usher that you would like to receive Communion in your pew. After the congregation has been served at the altar, the priest and the chalice bearer will bring the bread and wine to you where you are sitting.
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When do people stand, kneel, or sit? |
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The traditional practice of Episcopalians is to stand for praise, sit for instruction, and kneel for prayer. However, you will notice almost immediately that at Trinity Lime Rock not everyone follows tradition! Please do whatever feels comfortable for you. Another good way to know whether to stand or sit is to watch the priest who is leading the service. Unless the priest is preaching the sermon, or making announcement to the congregation, you can do what he (or she) does and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you're correct.
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Why do some people cross themselves, bow or genuflect? |
This is a matter of personal preference. Many people make the sign of the cross at certain points during the service as a reminder of God’s love. Others bow their heads or genuflect (kneel briefly on one knee). Trinity is a community that welcomes people from a wide range of denominations and religious backgrounds, and in some of them these forms of expression are very important -- so, people continue to use them at Trinity. In other religious traditions they are not used, and people from those traditions tend not to use them at Trinity -- but some do! In any case, there are many forms of religious expression; please do what is meaningful for you.
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What is “the Peace”? |
Greeting one another at a point during the service called "The Peace" is symbolic of the peace which God creates between us. You'll know when it will happen from the Order of Worship. Here at Trinity, some folks will say “The peace of the Lord” while shaking your hand, others will offer a simple “Good morning!” There is no set formula for exchanging the Peace; please do what feels comfortable for you. And, by all means do exchange the Peace with those seated around you, definitely including young people. This is completely appropriate and it's frankly expected whether you know them or not.
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| How long do services last? |
| Our 8 AM Sunday service, the weekly
service without music, lasts about 40 minutes. Our 10:30 AM
service, which includes music, runs a bit longer -- just a little over
an hour, usually, but on major Sundays, like Easter, an hour and a half
is a better estimate. Other services, like Evensong, tend to be quite short -- under half an hour. Some, like the Easter Vigil, run around two hours (and most people say it's worth every minute!)
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| What happens at the end of the service? |
At the close of the service, after the blessing and recessional hymn and during the organ postlude, the Celebrant (the Priest) usually stands at the rear of the sanctuary to greet you. Also, at Trinity you'll notice that many people stay and listen to the organ postlude -- and frequently applaud when it's concluded! (We're fortunate to have an extraordinary organist who usually creates the postlude by improvising on the recessional hymn -- something you're not likely to hear elsewhere!) We also invite you to join us for hospitality hour in Walker Hall after the 10:30 service. We're proud of our food, and it's an easy way to meet some of us. To get directly to Walker Hall, leave by the door in the front of the church instead of the door in the rear of the church.
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| May I take pictures in the church? |
| For special occasions you
are welcome to take photos, but please do not use flash during the
service.
On most special occasions (for example, Baptisms) there will be an opportunity after the service to take flash pictures.
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| Should I bring my children to church? |
| Children are
always especially welcome at Trinity. We are a family-oriented
church, and we make a real effort to involve young people in our regular
worship. We have a page with more questions and answers about young people in church that includes some specific suggestions you may find helpful.
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