More About Your Worship Here With Us
Why are some people bowing and some are kneeling before entering the pews yet others don't do anything at all?
What you are noticing is called 'reverencing' and people have different ways of doing that. Some bow in the direction of the altar, some 'genuflect' (touch their knee to the floor, others reverence silently or without gesture. You shuld do whatever helps YOU worship God. Do not do whatever hinders your worship of God or makes you uncomfortable.
Why do people touch themselves on the forehead and shoulders?
Again, this is a personal worship style. This is called making the sign of the cross. Some people do it out of habit; others because it reminds them of the price Jesus paid to enable us to respond to God's love; For still others, it commemorates their own baptism or perhaps it is their own way of 'taking up their own cross' and following Him. And some people, you will notice, do not do it at all. It is really a personal religious decision for each person. Do not do it just because you see others doing it. Both reverencing and making the sign of the cross are personal decisions of each Christian to do or not do as they wish.
This all looks very Roman Catholic to me. Is Epiphany Church a Roman Catholic place?
No ... and yes ... Although the ancient Church from which the Episcopal Church sprang was Roman Catholic, the present, modern-day Episcopal Church has practices and beliefs which are distinctly different from those of the Roman Catholic Church.
The important thing is our worship of God, not the specifics of how we do it.
Is anyone going to make me stand up and give my name or anything like that?
No. Not because we do not care; in fact you will find we care very much. We just do not want to embarass you or cause you to feel uncomfortable. But we do hope you will sign our guest book in the lobby as you enter or leave, and that you will linger after services for coffee and refreshments in the parish hall.
What you are noticing is called 'reverencing' and people have different ways of doing that. Some bow in the direction of the altar, some 'genuflect' (touch their knee to the floor, others reverence silently or without gesture. You shuld do whatever helps YOU worship God. Do not do whatever hinders your worship of God or makes you uncomfortable.
Why do people touch themselves on the forehead and shoulders?
Again, this is a personal worship style. This is called making the sign of the cross. Some people do it out of habit; others because it reminds them of the price Jesus paid to enable us to respond to God's love; For still others, it commemorates their own baptism or perhaps it is their own way of 'taking up their own cross' and following Him. And some people, you will notice, do not do it at all. It is really a personal religious decision for each person. Do not do it just because you see others doing it. Both reverencing and making the sign of the cross are personal decisions of each Christian to do or not do as they wish.
This all looks very Roman Catholic to me. Is Epiphany Church a Roman Catholic place?
No ... and yes ... Although the ancient Church from which the Episcopal Church sprang was Roman Catholic, the present, modern-day Episcopal Church has practices and beliefs which are distinctly different from those of the Roman Catholic Church.
The important thing is our worship of God, not the specifics of how we do it.
Is anyone going to make me stand up and give my name or anything like that?
No. Not because we do not care; in fact you will find we care very much. We just do not want to embarass you or cause you to feel uncomfortable. But we do hope you will sign our guest book in the lobby as you enter or leave, and that you will linger after services for coffee and refreshments in the parish hall.
posted by Patrick Townson at 10:57 PM
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