Joining us for the first time? Here's what you can expect
Entering a new space—including a space of worship— can be intimidating. We put together an outline of a typical Sunday service to help you feel confident and comfortable should you join us —and we sincerely hope you do!
Outline
We'll give you all the details of what to expect, but here's a brief overview of what your Sunday morning with us might entail.
Click on one of the steps to jump down the page to the relevant section where you can learn more
On a Sunday morning...
We celebrate Holy Eucharist at two services: one at 8am and one at 10am. There is an evening service at 5:30pm and, if you are unable to join us in person, our 10am service can be joined live on our YouTube Channel.
Getting to us
Our beautiful red brick church is conveniently located at 191 County Road in the center of Barrington, directly across from Barrington Shopping Center. If you drive, Route 114/103/Wampanoag Trail will take you straight to us.
If you don't drive, you can take the Route 60 Providence/Newport RIPTA bus line to the covered bus stop (Stop ID: 007995) a few steps from our front door. Click HERE to visit the RIPTA trip planner.
We're also next to the East Bay Bike Path should you live along the Path and want to walk/bike to us on sunny summer Sundays.
When you arrive at 191 County Road,
Get settled in a parking space that works best for you. We have plenty of parking in the primary lot located behind our building, with additional spaces in a few smaller side lots. Handicap accessible parking is available in the lot along the right side of the church. Our parish hall and worship space are both handicap accessible. If you need any assistance, don't hesitate to ask (we have wheelchairs if you need)! The map below shows the layout of our parking lots.
Children are always welcome.
Children of all ages are not only welcome, but are encouraged to attend worship with us. Infants and toddlers up to 3 years old are welcome to use our nursery, located just beyond the doors on the right wall of the worship space. During the 10am Sunday service, the nursery is under the care of our two brilliant, Safe Church Certified Nursery Attendants but the nursery space is open and available during all of our services for little ones to use under their parent or grandparents' supervision. Children from pre-k through fifth grade are invited to join our church school classes, located in the rear of the building. Kids participating in church school join us during the service at the passing of the peace, just before communion.
When you enter
Our wonderful ushers will welcome you at the door and hand you a paper bulletin, which serves as your guide to the service. The bulletin is organized like an agenda, outlining the order of events and pointing out where to go in the Book of Common Prayer and the hymnal when it's time for prayers or songs. These books can be found in all the pews so you don't need to bring your own.
After you have your bulletin, you then take any open seat in the pews. Halfway up the aisle on the right is an open space for our members in wheelchairs. If you'd like, let the ushers or people sitting near you know you're new (we love the chance to meet and welcome new people!). You can place any belongings you have next to you on the pew, so long as there's room.
A Typical Sunday Bulletin
this bulletin, from a previous service, is similar to one our ushers will hand you should you join us on Sunday.
During the Service
It's very natural to feel overwhelmed your first time at an Episcopal service. Sometimes we sit, sometimes we stand, sometimes we sing/speak responses—all of which may provide a challenge if you're new. Just do your best to follow the cues from the congregation on when to change position and don't worry if you get lost or miss the responses. We were all new once! No one here will judge you. Please do only what you're comfortable with and don't hesitate to ask questions after the service if you have any!
Elements of the Service
A typical Sunday service lasts about an hour. Our worship begins with some opening prayers, followed by readings, a sermon, and more prayers.
At our 10am service there's music, both hymns we sing together and anthems sung by our choir. We would love for you to join us in song, but it's by no means required.
There are two points during the service that involve interacting with the people around you: passing of the peace and communion (see the next two columns for more information).
Passing of the Peace
This is the most communal moment during the service. It's our time to share peace with one another. After our priest introduces the peace, members of the congregation greet one another with smiles and say "Peace be with you", or simply "peace". You'll see us shake hands, hold up peace signs, or even exchange hugs in an expression of warmth and appreciation for each other and our community.
It's common for people to greet those physically nearest them, but you may also see people travel several pews away to greet old friends. While the peace can feel awkward to a visitor, please remember that we are happy to meet you! Plus we can all use a little extra peace these days!
Communion
Our worship culminates with the Holy Eucharist, or Holy Communion: the blessing and sharing of bread and wine.
Our tradition in the Episcopal Church is that all baptized Christians, not just Episcopalians, are invited to share this meal together.
During communion, you have the option to partake in the bread and wine or to receive a blessing. Note the wine is real and we no longer drink from the chalice (we dip our wafers). If you'd like gluten free wafers or if you are unable to join us at the altar and would like us to bring you communion, just let us know!
Receiving Communion
All baptized Christians, not just Episcopalians, are invited to share this meal together. You are never obligated to take communion, but we Episcopalians cherish the tradition and see it as a sacred opportunity to remember Jesus and to unite as a community through a shared meal.
After the blessing of the bread and wine, ushers will walk to the center aisle and, moving from the altar to the back of the chapel, will stop at the end of each pew to indicate when it's time for that row of people to take communion. This helps ensure no one is stuck standing in line in the aisle for too long! If you would like to receive communion or a blessing, when the usher arrives at your pew, follow the people around you to join the line in the center aisle, walk up to the altar, then kneel or stand in an open spot at the communion rail.
If you or your children would prefer to receive a blessing instead of the sacrament, cross your arms over your chest. The priest will take it from there.
If you would like to receive the bread and wine, hold your open hands out in front of you, one on top of the other. A priest carrying the bread will come around first and place a small wafer in your hand while saying, “The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven.” Hold onto it until the wine comes as (since COVID) we dip our wafers into the wine.
Another priest carrying the chalice of wine will then stop in front of you and say, “The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation.” We no longer drink directly from the chalice, so dip your wafer into the wine and consume both together. Avoid holding the bread in the wine for too long—unlike tea soaked biscuits, wafers don't hold up well when soggy!
When you have received both bread and wine or your blessing, you then stand and walk along the sides of the chapel to return to your seat (this ensures you don't get tangled up with the people in the center aisle who are heading up to the alter). Some people will take a moment to kneel or sit and silently pray while the remaining members of the congregation take communion. But you're welcome to just enjoy a quiet moment of stillness.
An
Episcopal
Service
The structure and rhythm of our worship remains pretty consistent from week to week.
Prelude & Processional Hymn
The prelude begins before the first bell rings. This is our indication that worship is beginning and the space becomes quiet (not unlike the lights dimming at a theater). After a brief pause, the processional hymn music begins and the congregation stands and sings the lyrics from the hymnal (you're bulletin will tell you which hymn to sing). During the hymn, the acolytes and clergy enter the sanctuary and proceed up the aisle to the altar.
The Readings
The First Lesson, The Psalm and The Second Lesson
After some opening prayers and a song of praise, the first and second readings and the Psalm are all read by lay readers, members of our congregation. Usually, there is an Old Testament reading, a New Testament reading and a Psalm. These readings, along with the Gospel, are part of a set lectionary, which assigns readings according to a three-year cycle of the calendar, called the Lectionary, which can be found in the Book of Common Prayer.
The Sermon
Following the readings, we hear a sermon, or homily, offered by our priest (though occasionally a lay person will speak to the congregation). the sermons are prepared by the person speaking, and are typically thematically connected to the lessons or readings that we have heard. They may be anecdotal, somber, inquisitive, inspirational, or meditative and each week is different.
The Creed
The Nicene or the Apostles’ Creed is a statement affirming our faith and we recite it together. If you're unfamiliar with the Creed, don't worry, it's written in your bulletin.
The Prayers of The People
Next, we, as a congregation, come together in a shared prayer. We pray for our Church, for each other, and for the world at large. We offer special prayers for those who are sick or have died. There are moments of silence during the prayer where you are invited to offer up your own prayers, silently or aloud.
Confession and Absolution
In unison, the congregation asks for forgiveness by offering a general confession after which the priest pronounces the assurance of absolution. We confess broadly to our sins, to things we've done and left undone, and to failing to fully love our neighbors and God. You can read the text of the confession here.
Passing of The Peace
Scroll up to the previous section for details
Announcements and Celebrations
Upcoming events are mentioned, and the clergy blesses those with anniversaries and birthdays.
Offertory
A collection plate is passed at this part of our service, and an offertory song is performed. Many parishioners place their monetary offerings and pledges in provided envelopes into the plate or a large part of our congregation utilizes online giving, which is linked in this website. You may notice that some people put in loose bills, some people have envelopes, and others put in nothing at all. These offerings are acts of support for the church and its missions but are not viewed as offerings directly to God.
Eucharistic Prayer
The priest stands at the altar, which has been set with a cup of wine and a plate of bread or wafers, and begins the Eucharistic Prayer. The priest blesses the bread and wine, and the congregation recites the Lord’s Prayer. The bread is broken and offered to the congregation, as the “gifts of God for the People of God.”
Communion
Scroll up to the previous section for instructions on how to take communion
Prayer & Blessing
We say a prayer in thanks for communion and receive a final blessing from the priest.
Recessional Hymn
A hymn from the hymnal is sung as the liturgical ministers process out.
Postlude
During the postlude, the congregation leaves the sanctuary and greet the clergy members standing at the back door. After the 8 am and 10am services conclude, members of the congregation gather in Field hall for coffee house (more on that below).
After the service we head to Coffee Hour
and you are always invited to join us! Coffee Hour is hosted in Field Hall, located just outside our worship space (if you are in the chapel facing the altar, the Hall is through the doors on your right). Each week, different parishioners provide baked goods for us to enjoy—and they're always delicious! Coffee hour is a time when we come together as a community. We grab our cups of coffee or tea, something to snack on, and catch up with one another, checking in after the week and enjoying each others company. This is an excellent time to introduce yourself to some of our members, ask questions about our Church and our congregation, or just make your day a tad sweeter with a donut or slice of banana bread! Maybe two slices, we won't tell!
If you're interested in joining us
know that we'd love to meet you! If you're unfamiliar with Episcopal services and nervous about trying something new, participate at your own pace (we will happily meet you where you are). Feel free to join us one Sunday and check out the scene or watch the service on Youtube or Zoom to get a sense of the structure of our worship before you join us in person. You can drop us a message in advance to let us know you're interested in our Church or even stop by one of our events and introduce yourself!
You will never be met with judgement or pressure here. You are welcome just as you are.
St John's is a space where you are valued and where you are supported and we want you to ensure you feel comfortable and connected, to both us and to God.