Worship
Service Times
REGULAR LITURGY:
Lutheran Worship:
Sundays 10:30 am
Service times for feast days and celebrations will be posted as they arise.
Lutheran Worship:
Sundays 10:30 am
Service times for feast days and celebrations will be posted as they arise.
Saint Paul FAQ
What Are Services Like?
Ancient and now, our worship follows the contours of the mass which has its roots in the synagogue services of Jesus' time. We begin with prayer and singing. Next, the liturgy — or worship service — moves into "The Liturgy of the Word," a time when we hear God's Word as it comes to us in readings from the Hebrew Scriptures; the Epistles, or letters, written to the early church by the apostles; and the Gospel. Next we hear the preached Word of God. After more singing, the gathered community prays for the church, the world, and all who are in any need. We then begin the Liturgy of the Eucharist during which all who wish receive the true Body and Blood of Christ — given and shed for the forgiveness of sin that we ourselves become Christ for the world God loves. The Liturgy of the Eucharist at Saint Paul is ecumenical: the Prayer of Thanksgiving is sometimes from the Lutheran tradition, but may also be adapted from the Episcopal, United Methodist, Presbyterian, or Orthodox traditions. And of course — more singing. Then we are dismissed to go out into the world to love and serve the neighbor.What Do I Wear?
At Saint Paul you will see a lot of people, women and men, in jeans. You'll definitely see people in shorts when the weather is warm. You'll see street people wearing all that they have. You'll always see a few men wearing a suit or a blue blazer and a button-down shirt with chinos. You'll see some great approaches to gender-bending attire. You'll also see women wearing everyday skirts and dresses along with others wearing their Sunday finest sometimes topped off by a marvelous hat. Chances are, now and again you'll see a guy or two wearing a kilt. We are a diverse group of people with diverse approaches to how we dress. Are you getting the picture?What About My Children?
Following Jesus' example, the Saint Paul Community of Faith welcomes children in worship as vital members of the body of Christ. Because faith is formed in community, participation in Christian ritual is an integral part of faith formation. We encourage children to attend worship with their parents or caregivers and sit near the front so they can see something other than the backs of adults! Parents/caregivers are welcome to walk with their children or to utilize the nursery as needed. Children's bulletins (ages 4-6 and 7-12), books, and activity bags are available at the entrant to the nave. For safety's sake, we must insist that parents/caregivers accompany children if they leave the nave to go downstairs for any reason during worship.What Else Happens During Worship?
Sunday mornings are a time for both community building and worship. After Sunday morning services, we offer coffee and conversation in the basement of the church as an opportunity for members and visitors to meet and talk about themselves and their involvement in the community. This is also a great time to meet the pastor, the cantor, and other Saint Paul staff members.
More About Saint Paul Worship
Ancient and now, our worship follows the contours of the mass which has its roots in the synagogue services of Jesus' time. We begin with prayer and singing. Next, the liturgy -- or worship service -- moves into "The Liturgy of the Word," a time when we hear God's Word as it comes to us in readings from the Hebrew Scriptures; the Epistles, or letters, written to the early church by the apostles; and the Gospel. Next we hear the preached Word of God.
After more singing, the gathered community prays for the church, the world, and all who are in any need. We then begin the Liturgy of the Eucharist during which all who wish receive the true Body and Blood of Christ -- given and shed for the forgiveness of sin that we ourselves become Christ for the world God loves. The Liturgy of the Eucharist at Saint Paul is ecumenical: the Prayer of Thanksgiving is sometimes from the Lutheran tradition, but may also be adapted from the Episcopal, United Methodist, Presbyterian, or Orthodox traditions. And of course -- more singing. Then we are dismissed to go out into the world to love and serve the neighbor.
Our building is air-conditioned throughout; energy conservation settings are used so the building may still seem warm to some. Layered clothing is good in any season!
At Saint Paul, you won't have to worry about juggling hymnals or prayer books. The Sunday liturgies are printed in an easy-to-use, comprehensive worship folder. The only things not printed in the worship folder are the readings for the day; if you wish to follow along with the readings, pew Bibles are located in every row.
A word about the readings you will hear in the mass: along with many other Christian traditions we follow the Common Lectionary that sets out specific readings for each week. On any given Sunday, you will hear the same readings as people in Roman Catholic, United Church of Christ, United Methodist, Episcopal, and many other congregations and parishes.
Our hymns often employ the very best work of contemporary hymn writers. These are set to music that helps reinforce the words of the hymn. You will hear music that ranges from Gregorian Chant through J.S. Bach, Schubert, Marty Haugen, to Gospel, Latin American sounds, and other styles. Saint Paul has a full-time Cantor who also serves as an outreach minister who not only coordinates the Saint Paul Music Series but works with our sister congregation, Cristo Rey, in a summer music and arts camp and an after-school program.