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St. Matthew’s is located in the St. Anthony Park Neighborhood at 2136 Carter Avenue, near the St. Paul Campus of the U of M. In the summer, you can find us worshipping in College Park on Sunday mornings. In the Fall, Winter, and Spring, you can find us worshiping in our building.

Learn more about finding us and finding parking on our Contact Us page.

Our worship service includes three or four short readings from scripture, a sermon based on the day’s scriptures, an affirmation of faith using one of the Creeds, congregational prayers, several congregational hymns and choral offerings, and a celebration of communion (Holy Eucharist). During the regular church year (September – May) the 10:30 am service follows the Episcopal Rite II, using “everyday” language and a full choir. Throughout the year, we experiment a bit by using Anglican liturgies from around the world. We also offer contemplative services, dinner church, and a simple weekly Wednesday service that you’re welcome to visit.

Please note that when we begin to return to in-person worship, some of these things may not take place right away.

WORSHIP PAGE

We have a worship program (sometimes also called the bulletin) which includes the order of service, music, and announcements. Everything you need will be found there. At indoor worship, you’ll be handed one of these by the ushers when you come in the red doors. At outdoor worship, ushers hand bulletins out as people arrive and set up their chairs.

Episcopal worship is participatory. We generally stand to sing, sit during readings and the sermon, and stand or kneel during prayer. Practices vary—even among individual Episcopalians. Some—but by no means all of us—kneel or cross ourselves at various points in the service. These actions are personal aids to worship and are purely optional. Please, do what you find comfortable. No one will fault you if you do something different—most of us didn’t grow up in this tradition.

For indoor church on Sunday mornings, masks are optional.

For outdoor church, folks bring their own camp chairs or blankets for seating. 

Yes! The communion table is God’s table, and God’s generosity is great. You can receive bread and wine, bread but not wine, cross your arms to receive a blessing, or choose to not leave your seat at all. Some people drink from the cup and others dip the bread into the cup. Children may receive at any age, depending on the parents’ wishes. Gluten-free bread is available, as well as a gluten-free cup. Other accommodations are sometimes made to include other dietary restrictions.

During Covid, communion practices have changed to help increase safety. Detailed instructions with the most current practices may be found in the worship bulletin.

Kids are always welcome in church. Their joyful noise is well appreciated. At St. Matthew’s we worship all together, with infants as young as just a few months joining us, as their parents are comfortable. 

Indoors

Many families prefer to sit right up front so their children can sit on the floor and observe everything happening. Some kids like to dance or play on the floor and they find this a comfortable place to enjoy the service. “Busy Bags” are available as you enter the church. Please ask an usher if you can’t find them right away. 

Outdoors

Kids have lots of opportunities to move and pray at outdoor church. Some like to get up close to the musicians to see how music is made. Some like to run off to the playground during the sermon (though parent supervision is recommended!) Some enjoy waiting until the last moment in the service before running down the hill screaming as loud as they can. 

Nursery

We have not yet reopened our nursery post-covid.