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St Luke’s
Welcomes Newcomers
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"The Episcopal Church
Welcomes You"
You'll see this sign at virtually every
Episcopal Church in the nation. And it's true...we really do
enjoy seeing visitors, newcomers and seekers at our doors and in our
pews, and we like to do our best to make you feel welcome...whether
you're "church shopping" or just dropping by for a visit.
We understand that things can seem can seem
a bit awkward when you visit a church for the first time, especially if
that church is of a different denomination than what you are accustomed
to. Often you're not sure what you should say or do, or what to
expect. You may feel a little like an outsider at a family
gathering...a little shy, a little overwhelmed, a little worried that
you will commit some kind of major faux pas. We hope that this
"Visitor's Guide" will help you feel more comfortable as you consider
worshipping with us.
If you're not accustomed to liturgical worship, our
services may seem a bit complicated at first. Please don't worry
about "not getting it right." The important thing is that you are
here. Many of us were newcomers once upon a time...and even
cradle Episcopalians have been known to "miss a beat" on occasion
(corner me at church sometime and I may tell you about the time I got
lost returning to my seat after communion in a church I was visiting
and found myself in the sacristy by mistake!). Savor the richness
and beauty of worship in this place, and don't worry too much about the
details.
We try to do everything we can
at St. Luke's to make things easier on visitors. Here are a few
"helps" you can expect to find when you visit:
- Greeters: You'll find a greeter at
every entrance to
the church on Sundays and near the clergy after the service. They're
the folks with the red ribbon on their nametags. Their primary job is
to say "hey!" (that's "hi!" for you folks who may be visiting from
other parts of the country...this is the South, after all!), but they
will also be happy to tell you how to find a bulletin, the nursery, the
bathroom, or whatever else you may require
- Ushers: When you enter the
sanctuary, an usher will
offer you a bulletin and help you find a seat if you like. They also
direct people up to the altar rail during communion, and can help you
discreetly if you're not sure which way to go.
- The Bulletin: (Program of the
Service): We print the
entire service in the bulletin, including the text for the readings, so
you don't have to worry about finding your way around an unfamiliar
Prayer Book. If you prefer to use the Prayer Book, you will find one
next to your seat. The appropriate Prayer Book page numbers are also
printed in the bulletin.
- Name Tags: We encourage all our
parishioners to wear
name tags, so you can put names to faces and know whom to ask if you
have a question and can't locate an usher, a greeter, or a member of
the clergy. There are also temporary name tags available in the
narthexes for visitors...please wear one, if you feel comfortable doing
so, so we can be sure to greet you before or after the service!
- Maps and Literature: In the Addison
Sprague
Community Room, immediately behind the sanctuary, you will find an
information table with maps of the church, past sermons, past and
current newsletter, articles and other information of interest. You
will also find a tract rack, with pamphlets addressing various aspects
of the Episcopal Church...our history, our mode of worship, and some of
the issues that we deal with. Please take anything that interests you.
- For our Younger Visitors: Children
of all ages are
welcome at all services at St. Luke's. If you prefer to have your
youngsters with you in church, you will find coloring sheets relating
to the lessons, paper and crayons in each narthex...we encourage you to
allow your children to enjoy these during the service! Your children
are also welcome to make use of our nurseries (infant to age two in
Johnson Hall; toddlers and preschoolers in the Kindergarten building).
Visiting kids are also welcome to join our Children's Chapel in Johnson
Hall, where they will find a special service of songs and stories
designed just for them during the first part of the service (Children's
Chapel kids join their parents in the main church for communion).
Please ask an usher or a greeter if you're interested in any of these
options.
- Coffee Hour: Please join us for
coffee and
conversation after either of our Sunday services. You'll find us in the
Addison Sprague Community Room, immediately behind the sanctuary. This
is a good time to meet people and ask questions about the service or
the church community, if you like. Juice is usually available for
children in the kitchen in Johnson Hall after the 10:00 service.
We've put together a few documents, listed below,
that we hope will enhance your
worship experience at St. Luke's. In fact, you may find them
interesting and useful even if you are planning on visiting an
Episcopal Church other than St. Luke's...while the exact formula may
vary somewhat from parish to parish, the differences are usually
minor. If you have any questions, please feel free to Email us or call the parish office
at (919) 286-2273.
| What's
going on? A walk through a Eucharistic Service This
is a basic "script" of the Service of Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion),
Rite II, as it is usually celebrated at St. Luke's. This is our
primary Sunday service during most of the year. During the
seasons of Advent (before Christmas) and Lent (before Easter), we use
the more formal Rite I, which follows the same basic pattern, but
differs somewhat in tone (more solemn), language (more formal) and
specific prayers used. There may also be subtle differences on a
given day, based on the season or on special services that might be
included (such as baptism or confirmation), but this will give you a
working idea of how we worship. |
| What do I
do? A Guide to Participating in Eucharist Worship This
document, based on a pamphlet written by our former rector, is intended
to help you participate as fully as you wish in our worship
service. It answers some basic questions, such as "What do I do
when?" "May I take communion? (and how do I go about doing
that?)," and "How do I know if I should stand, sit or kneel?" |
Confirmation An article on
the history
of and reasons why we have Confirmation, by the Rev. Joshua H. Varner,
from the St Luke's Newsletter of December 2003 - January 2004.
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Episcopal FAQ:
Frequently Asked Questions This document
addresses some
questions we are often asked about the Episcopal Church and
Anglicanism. If you think of others we haven't addressed,
please e-mail us! .
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| To Stand or
to Kneel? A Liturgical Dilemma This humorous
poem and drawing
by our former rector Jay Sidebotham addresses a question that even
troubles life-long Episcopalians from time to time: Should I
stand or kneel to pray during worship? (and does it make a
difference?). You may want to print this one out (it's a keeper!). |
 More
Resources
- Parish Newsletter: Published bimonthly, and
mailed to all parishioners, The St. Luke's Newsletter is a wonderful
way to keep up with what is happening in our parish. It includes a
schedule of events and services, updates on outreach ministries, prayer
requests, announcements of births, deaths, baptisms, weddings,
confirmations, ordinations and other important events in the lives of
our parishioners.
- Parish Handbook and Mailing List: Published
annually, this booklet contains a lot of useful information, including
information on activities, ministries and standing committees,
suggestions on when to call the church, a brief history of the parish,
and, of course, a list of members (including addresses, phone numbers
and e-mail addresses).
- Parish Library: We have an
small, but
excellent, library of books on all aspects of faith, religion and
spirituality. There is also a collection of children's books
located in the Children's Chapel in Johnson Hall.
- Information Tables: These
tables are located
in the Sprague Community Room, behind the main church, and is always
loaded with free information, including reprints of articles, copies of
sermons preached at St. Luke's, and pamphlets on various practices of
the Episcopal Church. This is also where you are most likely to
find sign-up sheets for parish activities, so it is worth checking on a
regular basis.
- Tract Rack: This rack gets
moved around
occasionally, but is always located somewhere near an entrance to the
Main Church. A wide variety of free pamphlets is available. Also
available are free copies of "Forward Day by Day"...a seasonally
published booklet of readings and meditations.
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