FairProspects Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 If we try an Anglican service tomorrow or next week, what should we expect? As visitors, I assume we would not participate in Holy Communion, right? Will we stand out then? Will we even be able to follow the service if it is completely new to us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I attend an Anglican church. The priest is very good about explaining the services and what to do when. The services are also printed in a brochure so you can easily follow along. After one section, the priest will say, "We will continue on page 8 now..." and pause for everyone to find their place. All are welcome at the table for communion. If you are not baptized you can still go up for a blessing - simply cross your arms across your chest and they won't serve you but stop and give you a blessing. Our church kneels quite a bit. Some visitors kneel, while others stand during that time. I don't always kneel as I find it uncomfortable and I do feel like I stand out then. :tongue_smilie: Some bow down before approaching the communion table, while others don't. Some cross themselves, while others don't. We do live in a very conservative area, but I find the services to be extremely individual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 We went to an Anglican service on Christmas Eve, and at Communion the priest invited all baptized Christians to feel welcome to take it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah C. Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I went to an Anglican church for years. :) The church either had the order of service printed in a bulletin or it could be found in the Book of Common Prayer in the pews. There will most likely be several hymns at various points, from a hymnal also found in the pew. Or the hymns may be printed in the bulletin as well. If the church has numbers posted on boards at the front of the church, the numbers refer to the hymnal. The order of service will include important things, such as stand, kneel, sit. One of the churches I went to included a little cross for when crossing oneself was appropriate. When in doubt, just do what the people around you do. :) All of the Anglican churches I've been to have had an open communion to anyone who was either a baptized Christian or considered themselves Christian -- I can't remember which. There is a communal cup, and they do use wine, so be prepared for that. If you don't want to receive communion, you can go up to the altar rail, cross your arms over your chest, and you will receive a blessing from the priest. I hope you enjoy it!! I love the Anglican service. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 If we try an Anglican service tomorrow or next week, what should we expect? As visitors, I assume we would not participate in Holy Communion, right? Will we stand out then? Will we even be able to follow the service if it is completely new to us? Ooh, I can do this one! First, you might want to find out if it is Episcopal (the Anglican branch found in the USA, or a splinter group, which are various other Anglican groups). If you are baptized you may participate in communion. All baptized believers are welcome. If you prefer not to receive for whatever reason than you may either stay in your pew, or go up to the altar rail like everyone else but cross your arms across your chest, one hand on each shoulder. This will indicate you do not want to receive, and instead you will be given a blessing. If you do receive you can either eat the wafer, then drink from the cup. Or, if you would rather receive by intinction you will either dip the wafer in the wine yourself, or, in some parishes, leave the wafer in your hand and the priest will dip it for you and then place it in your mouth. Watch what others are doing to see what is normal at this parish, or just drink from the cup to simplify :) As for following the service, either the whole service will be printed in the bulletin, or you can follow along in the book of common prayer, which will be in the pew. Everything is in there, although there is some page turning as you flip from one section to another. Any responses will be in there, for the most part, but no one will notice if you are silent. I'd be happy to answer any other questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 how did it go? This thread is so short that we Anglicans must be well understood or just boring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisamarie Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Yup, they explained it well. My experience is that the order of service is very much like a Catholic service with a few differences. My church has the entire service in the bulletin and you just follow along. Opening hymn, a few prayers, an OT reading, a Psalm reading, a NT reading, a gospel reading. Hmmm...maybe that's not the right order--after a year you'd think I'd know these things.:tongue_smilie: Then the sermon. Then the confession prayers, prayers for people, offering, communion prayers, communion, song/hymn, prayers, ending song. You can sit or kneel when indicated--I usually sit because kneeling makes me light headed for some reason. Communion is open to all baptized believers--at my church this includes young children. We personally do not let our 3 year old take communion, but our 5 and 7 year olds do. I am a convert to Anglicanism (from Evangelical) as of last March, so while I don't know everything, I am happy to answer any questions that I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted January 3, 2011 Author Share Posted January 3, 2011 Well, dh woke up with pinkeye, so he spent the morning in Urgent Care instead of church :(. We are going to go next week instead. Thanks to you all we feel much more comfortable with the idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 This should help you as well: http://anglicansonline.org/basics/expect.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah C. Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 One more thing, which a pp alluded to -- at any point when kneeling occurs in the service, sitting or half-kneeling (knees on the kneeler, behind on the edge of the seat) are also acceptable if for some reason one cannot or would rather not fully kneel. Sitting is usually more iffy because the people behind you are kneeling and will be right up at your back in most churches, due to the pew/kneeler design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindergretta Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Episcopal here. I sit on the *very* edge of the pew during kneeling and lean forward onto the pew in front of me. My knees can't take kneeling, so this is my "compromise." :) Everything has been said. The order of the service is in the bulletin and the Book of Common Prayer. It is individual - some cross themselves, others don't, some bow before the altar, others don't, some kneel, others don't. There are no surprises. I absolutely love the Epsicopal church I attend. I love that I can count on the exact prayers and routines. They bring great comfort and peace to me. (We have been attending for around 7 1/2 years.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Oversimplification, but just slightly! Here in the NY/NJ/PA area, if you've been to a RC Mass, you've been to an Episcopal one. The major thing that would tip you off to the difference would be a woman priest saying mass. Then, you know you're definitely in an Episcopal pew. ;) Just thought I'd mention it in case the OP has a lot of familiarity with RC masses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 One more thing, which a pp alluded to -- at any point when kneeling occurs in the service, sitting or half-kneeling (knees on the kneeler, behind on the edge of the seat) are also acceptable if for some reason one cannot or would rather not fully kneel. Sitting is usually more iffy because the people behind you are kneeling and will be right up at your back in most churches, due to the pew/kneeler design. We call this the "Episcopalian Squat." :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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