During the summer, our Sunday service begins at 9:00am.
From September to June, St. Matthew's has two Sunday worship services offering Holy Communion (called the Eucharist in the Episcopal Church):
8:00 a.m. A shorter service, using the traditional language of "Elizabethan" England (Rite I) with occasional modern prayers.
10:30 a.m. A fuller service, using the newer language of Rite II, with full choir (in season). Afterward, the congregation gathers for a coffee hour.
Both services are "family-friendly" -- a toddler wandering down the aisle will get smiles, not scowls -- however a nursery is provided for children under five. The nursery is staffed continuously by two adult caregivers starting at 8:00 through the 10:30 service.
Our Episcopal services are liturgical (meaning that they follow a script); they are scriptural (at least three Bible readings are included in most services); and they are participatory (the congregation reads and responds throughout the service). The scripts are found in the eloquent Book of Common Prayer which allows you to follow along and participate throughout the service.
Our style of worship is "diverse traditional." Our services are dignified and beautiful to both the eyes and the ears, often including elements from liturgies used in other parts of the world, including Kenya, Uganda, New Zealand, England, and Ireland. We enjoy the beauty and power of some of the spiritual expressions of people in the Anglican Communion and other countries. People of all faiths are welcome, and all are invited to take communion.
We offer the Episcopal rite of healing in our side chapel during the 10:30 service. The rite involves the laying on of hands and anointing with oil for those who desire healing for themselves or for somebody else. On the second Sunday of the month all children at the 10:30 service are welcome to come forward to a special children's altar for a closer view of the Eucharistic preparations.
The time between the services is the education hour where parents may attend educational programs while their children are going to Sunday school.
If you're planning to visit St. Matthew's (and we hope you are!), you may go to our Visitor's Guide to find out what to expect. Then take a deeper look at our worship on our Worship Background page. Also, the Episcopal Church's online Visitor's Center offers more information about Episcopal worship in general.
Weekday Services
At St. Matthew's we hear from many people who tell us how busy and stressed their lives are, and how they yearn for a quiet time that will help them get in touch with their spirituality. We offer three weekday quiet services.
Taizé Candlelight Service. We offer a Taizé candelight service the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. from September through June. Developed by the Taizé religious community in France, Taizé services are simple, quiet, contemplative, and non-denominational. The service includes readings, simple sung chants, candlelight, and spaces for silence and prayer. Our version of the service includes violin or cello accompaniment and stations for prayer and contemplation.
Wednesday Communion and Prayer Services. Additionally, St. Matthew's offers two Wednesday services. At 10:00 a.m. we offer a Rite I celebration of the Eucharist. And then at noon, we offer a brief prayer service, followed by a discussion of the readings for the coming Sunday.
