Eucharist is an ancient Greek word for thanksgiving and has its root in the Greek word for joy. It is also a common title for the Christian Sunday celebration where the word is proclaimed in readings, preaching and song, we join in prayer for the needs of all, and the “Great Thanksgiving” is offered at the Table of Christ. (Examples of the kinds of sermons you might hear in our parish are offered as pod casts on this website.) The bread of heaven and the cup of salvation are distributed to all Christ calls and invites to his meal. We each receive a morsel of bread and a sip of wine, a poor person’s portion, no one gets more or less. Eucharist is Jesus’ imaginative, sustaining gift in our spiritual life and journey week by week. We receive Christ into ourselves and are collectively the Body of Christ in the world, nourishment for others, spending our time, talent and resources for the life of the world as Jesus did.
The venerable form of the service or liturgy that culminates with the bread and cup on the Table is in the words of one poet:
“The weaving of our stories, the fabric of our lives;
the dreams of those before us, the ancient, hopeful cries,
the promise of our future, our needing and our nurture
lie here before our eyes.“ (Michael Joncas, We Come to Your Feast)
Three-fold rule of prayer practiced by the Anglican Church stretches back through centuries of Reformation and Catholic tradition and beyond that into the ancient Celtic Christian heritage of the British Isles. Holy Eucharist, also known as the Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion or the Mass, is the top point of the basic triangle of spiritual practice for Anglicans. The other points are Morning and Evening Prayer (usually called the Daily Office) and personal devotion. The Daily Office is included in all worship books of Anglican churches and is intended for the every-day prayer of the Church and by individuals. They consist of psalms, readings, and prayers. Personal devotion can take a variety of forms, some more contemplative and some more active. It focuses on the individual’s unique relationship with God. Centering Prayer is practiced in this parish and other forms are introduced through periodic schools of prayer.
Silence is a integral part of worship for us. It allows us to take time to listen for the “still, small voice” of God rather than filling every moment of worship with human language. There is a qualitative difference to participatory silence in a context of common prayer as compared to being quiet by oneself (which has its own value). It focuses our attention on the present rather than rushing from one part of the service to the next. As Anglicans experience it, within breaks of silence, “We listen, we engage, we reflect, we move on, we stay grounded.”
People of all ages are welcome. There are picture books, crayons and paper available from “the sides” (ushers) for younger participants in worship and at All Saints’ Church there is a well-equipped nursery for looking after the needs of wee ones at the back of the nave near the washrooms.
We invite to connect or re-connect with the “ancient future” guiding us forward on the and into ministries both open and hidden, for the sake of Jesus. Joy awaits.
Welcome to Worship
Sunday
9:30 am, All Saints’ By-the-Sea, Ganges
Sung Eucharist with choir followed by coffee hour, Book of Alternative Services (modern language) and music from ancient to modern, from different parts of the world
11.30 am, St. Mark’s Church, near Central
Sung Eucharist following the Book of Common Prayer (tradition language and English hymns). Last Sunday of the month, Holy Eucharist or Morning Prayer
Last Sunday of the month, 11.30 am, St. Mary’s Church, Fulford, Sung Eucharist using either the Book of Alternative Services or the Book of Common Prayer and well-known hymns
(July – August there is an 8 o’clock quiet, spoken Eucharist at St. Mary’s)
On certain Sundays, a joint parish service is held at All Saints at 10.30 am, watch for announcements
Weekdays
Tuesday, 10:00 am, St. Mark’s Church, Spoken Eucharist (BCP) with prayer and laying-on-of-hands for healing. The service is followed by coffee or tea with cookies and a Bible study usually looking ahead to the readings for the following Sunday. There is much sharing of experience and laugher and questions are always welcome
Thursday, 4.45 pm, All Saints’ Church, a reflective, contemplative celebration of the Eucharist (BAS)
On certain Thursdays this 4.45 celebration is replaced by a sung Eucharist which begins with a ceremony of light and incense and includes a short sermon and is celebrated in the spirit of ancient Celtic Christian practice, watch the announcements