Our Worship

Worship is the acknowledgement that God is our creator and that we are utterly dependent. In worship, we commit and recommit ourselves to love God and love our neighbor as Jesus commanded us. Therefore, when we worship we become incapable of hatred or injustice. Instead we endeavor to respect and be loyal to all of God’s children even when we disagree over particular issues of the day.

Our services follow the format found in the Book of Common Prayer. Newcomers might find this type of service a bit challenging, so we offer a very detailed service leaflet to assist you.

The Episcopal Church takes Scripture very seriously. In fact, approximately 70% of the Book of Common Prayer comes directly from the Bible and through our worship, Episcopalians read more Holy Scripture. We value our tradition, which goes back to the very earliest of Christians. We strive to listen to the many voices of those who precede us in faith. But we also understand that with God’s help, along with the gifts of Scripture and our tradition, each of us comes to faith in our own way. God’s gift of reason allows us to do this.

Our service is participatory. You are invited to take part through responsive readings, singing hymns and more. Please join in as you feel comfortable. During the service you may notice that some people stand while others kneel, some cross themselves and others do not. None of these actions are required, but they are meaningful and helpful for many.

St. Simon Peter is a sacred space where you and others can commune with our God. Here we find peace and renewal, and the service is therefore reverent as we share in God’s mystery. Great joy can be found in that peace and renewal as we remember that we are loved by God in Christ and filled by the Holy Spirit. You are encouraged to join us and allow the joy to wash over you as well.

Volunteers participate in the Sunday worship service by serving as acolytes, lectors, and lay eucharistic ministers. Blessed sacraments are taken to homebound parishioners by designated eucharistic visitors after the service.  Special seasonal services include Evensong, Blessing of the Animals, and Lessons and Carols. We approach our services with dignity and reverence, using beautiful church music that is liturgically appropriate.

We value sermons that challenge and inspire us to lead more Christ-centered lives, and many of us seek additional opportunities to deepen our understanding of the Bible and theology.