Service Information
Latest Service: Epiphany IV at 10:30 am on January 29th
Next Service: Septuagesima on Sunday at 10:30 am
Check our parish calandar for more information about upcoming services.
Our Liturgy
We do follow the 1928 Book of Common Prayer as we have mentioned on the homepage and also on the about page. An order of service would be the following:
Processional Hymn
Collect for Purity
Summary of the Law and/or the Decalogue (Ten Commandments)
Kyrie Elison (Three-fold in Advent and Lent and Nine-fold at other times)
Gloria in Excelsis
Collects for the Day (Advent and Lent have seasonal collects)
Epistle Reading
Gradual Hymn
Gospel Reading
Nicene Creed
Offertory
Ora Frates (Translated: “Pray, brethren”)
Prayer for the State of Christ’s Church
Bidding to Confession
General Confession and Absolution
Comfortable Words
Eucharistic Canon
Administration of the Eucharist
Post-Communion Collects
Blessing
Dismissal
Through our study of the Didache, the books of common prayer and other liturgies, we can see that there has been a constant format of the liturgy through the ages. While other liturgical churches may have different elements these features will be constant. Some examples include the liturgy of St. John Chrystostom and the Tridentine Rite.
The Liturgical Calandar
The Church Calandar has been a constant in the Universal Church. It is divised to take us through the Life of Church. We start out with the preparation of our hearts for Christmas and continue through the Life of Jesus until we get to the birth of the Church.
Advent- This is a penitential season where we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. You will notice that there are interesting elements such as no Gloria in Excelcis is sung. Some parishes also will not have flowers or may add other local customs like saying the Decalogue (Ten Commandments).
Christmas- This is where we celebrate the coming of our Lord. Unlike the secular world, we hold that the season of Christmas is twelve days long. The Feast of the Nativity has an octave which means that the collect is said for eight days regardless of other feast days. No other octave can trump it, so we call it a privilged ocatave. The Gloria is sung and there is also a proper preface. In addition, the cresh (Christmas Crib) is brought out to remind us of the great miracle that has occurred.
Epiphany- After the twelve days of Christmas, we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6th). This commemorates when the Magi came to visit Jesus. Contrary to most nativity scenes, this event happened well after Christmas. There will be an Epiphany Proclamation made by the priest announicng the upcoming liturgical year. Some parishes will take down the cresh after this, but some parishes wait till the Feast of the Purification (February 2nd, sometimes called Candlemas). This season runs until Ash Wednesday.
Lent- This season is one of the most popular penitential seasons. It begins with Ash Wednesday when we have ashes imposed on our foreheads and we are reminded that we are dead in our sins and without Christ we are nothing but ahses. Then, Lent continues for six weeks (40 days). The Season of Lent, again, does not have the gloria in exelcis, the flowers are gone, and in some parishes there is even no organ. We continue to Lent IV (Mothering Sunday or Laetare Sunday), where we partake of Simnel Cake and then Passion Sunday where all icons and images are veiled until Holy Saturday, the gloria patri is excluded from all daily offices at this time. Then, begins Holy Week with Palm Sunday where we wave palms and are reminded that Christ is our King but also we are reminded that we crucified Christ through the Gospel. Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday we read of the Passion Gospel Accounts. Spy Wednesday is traditionally the day when Christ was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, some parishes have mass and stations of the cross. Maundy Thursday is when we remember the Last Supper and Jesus’ command (The Maundy) to wash each other’s feet which is an act of humility. Good Friday is a three hour service when we remember Jesus on the cross being crucifed. Holy Saturday is the day when all is unveiled and the Paschal flame is lit awaiting the Ressurection of Christ.
Easter and Ascension- This is a fifty day season where we remember that Christ is dwelling among us once more. We light a Paschal Candle which reminds us of this fact, which is extinguished on Ascension Day. It is a joyous season in the Church!
Whitsunday- This is often called Pentecost or sometimes in Judasim, the feast of weeks. We celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit, just as the Jewish people celebrated the coming of the Torah.It is called Whitsunday because often people were baptized on this day and so it refers to the white robe that they would wear. It again has an octave and so masses will happen that week as well.
Trinity Sunday- This celebrates the triune God and we celebrate these sundays until Advent begins again.
Live Stream
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https://www.facebook.com/stmichaelsacc
Service Recordings
Here is where you can find recorded services. This can be a great tool if you are trying to tell your friends and family about St. Michael and All Angels!
