Worship at St. Luke’s
Worship at St. Luke’s is vibrant, celebratory and liturgical – which means “the work of the people.” As we follow the Rite II Liturgy from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer each Sunday, we seek to balance reverence and joy, expression and reflection.
The use of music in our worship plays an important part and represents a diverse blend of hymns, chants, African-American spirituals, gospel songs, and contemporary Christian music. We regularly use the 1982 Episcopal Hymnal and Lift Every Voice and Sing in our services.
We value excellence in preaching with sermons based on Holy Scripture.
We welcome everyone to come and celebrate the risen Christ with us each Sunday and to participate in the Eucharist!
Below are some of the various ministries that assist with worship at St. Luke’s. Whether you are new to St. Luke’s or have been attending for years, all are welcome to join the ministries below.
The Altar Guild
The ministry of the Altar Guild is carried out by three to five members of the parish who care deeply about the appearance of the sanctuary, the sacred vessels and vestments of the parish. With love and dedication they wash, press, and sew the altar cloths, set up the vessels and elements for the liturgy, clean and polish the brass, maintain the candles and parchments appropriate to the seasons of the year, gather and arrange the flowers, dust, sweep and clean the church, arrange the prayer books and hymnals, all to insure that the ascetical appearance of the church is inviting to those who enter the house of God and are able to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
If you feel God's call to this ministry, please contact Rose Spears.
Eucharistic Ministers
Duly licensed lay persons at St. Luke’s are assigned the duty of assisting the priest in the administration of the chalice at the Sunday Eucharist and normally at festivals and feasts during the year when there is not enough clergy. Lay Eucharistic Ministers share a unique experience: that of serving in a defined, public lay ministry that enhances the smooth flow of the liturgy during the worship of the Body of Christ. Additionally they will serve as extra-ordinary ministers of Holy Communion by taking the Blessed Sacrament to parishioners in nursing homes, hospitals and who are homebound.
If you feel God's call to this ministry, please contact us here.
Acolytes
Next to the celebrant at the Liturgy, there is no more honored and important role for a member of the faith community than that of acolyte. The acolytes assist the celebrant in the preparation of all things needed for the celebration of mass such as books, vessels, wine, water, oil, incense, and candles. The acolytes also assist the congregation in the collection of the tithes and offerings. Acolytes led all the responses of the liturgy, and assure that an orderly flow occur to all the sacred rites of the church from the beginning procession to the end of the celebration. This honored ministry has existed in the Church since the earliest days, for above all the acolyte are servers of Jesus Christ, the eternal High Priest, and in this ministry most priests come to realize their vocations to the ordained ministry of the Church. This ministry is opened to all young people from the age of five.
If you feel God's call to this ministry, please contact us here.
Lay Readers
The reading of the Holy Scriptures in the language of the people and in their hearing has been a distinct mark of the Anglican Church for centuries. To this end St. Luke’s has a cadre of trained lay persons exercising this ministry for the benefit of the congregation. The Book of Common Prayer states: “In all service, the entire Christian assembly participates in such a way that the members of each order within the Church, lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons, fulfill the functions proper to their respective orders, as set forth in the rubrical directions for each service” (BCP, p. 13). Our layreaders’ ministry is a fulfillment of this directive of the Episcopal Church. Each lay reader is trained and licensed by the bishop to both read the lessons in the Church’s liturgy, and to lead public worship under the direction of the clergy.
If you feel God's call to this ministry, please contact Nancy Mott.
Music Ministries
The Divine gift of music is an integral part of our worship at St. Luke's. Music in the service is used to enhance our worship and move us into a deeper relationship with God. We delight in exuberant congregational singing of hymns and spiritual songs, and also appreciate musical offerings by solo singers and instrumentalists.
If you feel God's call to this ministry and would like to share your musical gift, please contact us here.