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About Episcopal WorshipEpiscopal worship has an ancient context which is grounded in a multi-sensory experience with song, movement, and active participation. As well, there will be fancy clothes (called vestments), furnishings (called paraments), incense, and bells. Such a context grounds Episcopal worship in 2000 years of history and formation, and allows the wisdom of the ages to speak to modern life. On the other hand, Episcopal worship engages the ancient liturgy with a modern people as it allows for the inclusion of more contemporary elements. By incorporating a variety of styles and services, ranging from very formal ("high") to more informal ("low"), Episcopal worship holds the tension between the ancient and the modern. The mingling of the ancient and the contemporary helps to tell the a sacred story that is truly universal - that spans time and place.
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Regardless of style, all worship in the Episcopal Church is based in the Book of Common Prayer, giving worship a familiarity no matter where it happens. Episcopal worship is thus called "liturgical," by which is meant that the congregation follows service forms and prays from texts that are established and don't change greatly from week to week. This sameness from week to week gives worship a rhythm that becomes familiar and comfortable to worshippers. In the same vein, however, liturgical also means that the Church follows the patterns of the liturgical seasons - a way to tell the story of God and creation in conjunction with astronomical calendar (see Liturgical Season & Feasts).
For the first-time visitor, Episcopal liturgy can be quite comforting and exhilarating, but it can also be confusing. Typical services involve standing, sitting, and kneeling, sung and spoken parts, and participatory elements that may challenge the first-time visitor - not to mention the unique furnishings and participants which may have odd-sounding names. But, do not by dismayed! Liturgical worship is like theater, once you learn the parts, you will come to appreciate the drama that unfolds as you play your part in the narrative.
For the first-time visitor, Episcopal liturgy can be quite comforting and exhilarating, but it can also be confusing. Typical services involve standing, sitting, and kneeling, sung and spoken parts, and participatory elements that may challenge the first-time visitor - not to mention the unique furnishings and participants which may have odd-sounding names. But, do not by dismayed! Liturgical worship is like theater, once you learn the parts, you will come to appreciate the drama that unfolds as you play your part in the narrative.