Newcomers
It's sometimes confusing when an individual or family comes for the first time to a new church community; it's even harder when the change involves starting at church for the first time, or changing faith traditions. We hope this section can be helpful as you try to navigate your way.
What to Expect When You Visit
We have a variety of services on Sunday and at other times.
On Sunday:
- The 7:45 AM Holy Eucharist is a quiet, intimate, traditional liturgy (Rite I) with a sermon and a hymn.
- The 9:00 AM Holy Eucharist is an inter-generational celebration with music, contemporary language, and a sermon tailored to the needs of children, who are especially welcome. Church School for children and the Adult Forum follow.
- The 11:15 AM Holy Eucharist (Rite II) is a rich and formal liturgy. Morning Prayer is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of each month during the academic year.
- During the summer, the service schedule changes to 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
- Choral Evensong is on occasion offered on the 1st Sunday of the month, at 4:30 p.m. (A potluck-style dinner in the Parish Hall usually follows.)
During the week:
- Thursday Holy Eucharist is celebrated in the Chapel on Thursdays at 12:10 PM. This quiet, intimate service includes a brief homily and the Healing Rite with laying on of hands, for those who desire it.
What Happens at a Worship Service?
The usual Sunday Service at St. Peter's is Holy Communion, also called Holy Eucharist. "Eucharist" is a very old word that means "thanksgiving." This service is also known as the Lord's Supper, or the Mass; there have been many different names for the service. (We also celebrate Morning Prayer - a beautiful service of Scripture readings and music in praise of God - on the fourth Sunday of the month during the school year.)
The first part of the service of Holy Eucharist is the Service of the Word. Members of the congregation will read passages from the Bible, and a Psalm is sung, usually by the everybody present; then the Gospel will be proclaimed in the middle of the congregation. A short sermon follows, based in one or more of the Bible lessons; then we pray together for the needs of the world and for our own needs. Following these prayers, those present greet one another in peace.
The second part of the service is the Holy Communion itself. It is based on Jesus' last meal with his friends - known as the Last Supper - on the night before his crucifixion. The priest and the people say (or, at some services, sing) prayers together; some of these prayers are very ancient, while others are much newer. The story of The Last Supper is told during these prayers; the priest takes bread and wine, blesses it, breaks the bread, and the congregation comes forward to share it together.
Our custom for Communion is to hold out our hands, one on top of the other, palms up, to receive the Bread. We then move it to our mouth to consume it. It is helpful, when receiving the chalice of Wine, to gently hold the base of the chalice and assist the chalice minister in moving it to your lips. If you do not wish to receive either the bread or the wine, simply cross your arms over your chest to indicate this, and the minister will give you a blessing instead.
St. Peter's Church loves music, and it shows. Even at our early Sunday and weekday services, we sing at least one hymn together, often without any instrumental accompaniment at all. At the later services on Sunday, the congregation joins in singing the hymns, the Psalm, the Communion prayers, and other special pieces of music; the choirs offer an anthem and sometimes a motet during Communion. Don't worry if you don't know the hymns and songs right away; learning anything takes time, and everybody's been through that learning process. We do take seriously the old saying that the Gospel gets into the soul through the ear!
After Communion, we say a final prayer of gratitude for being together to share in the service of praise, and in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist; the priest then asks a blessing on the congregation and we sing our last hymn and the final dismissal. The organist plays a short piece as everybody gets up and begins to depart, to go into the world "to love and serve the Lord." Many people sit and listen to this from beginning to end, and don't be surprised if you hear applause at the end of this piece! It's a St. Peter's custom.
Most importantly: if you have any questions, please ask! We'll try to answer as best we can, and if we don't know the answer we'll try to find somebody who does. Many Episcopalians have also come from other religious traditions - including the ever-popular and growing "none of the above" - and we remember what it's like to be new.
Classes
St. Peter's regularly offers two different classes for newcomers to the congregation.
Newcomer's Class
A half-day introduction to St. Peter's and the Episcopal Church that focuses on the Anglican way of being Christian, how St. Peter's Church operates, and a basic understanding of the Episcopal Church. Please contact the parish office at 973.538.0555 if you are interested in this class.
Adult Confirmation Class
This is a six-week course held in the spring, which provides participants with an overview of the history, theology and practice of Anglicanism and the Episcopal Church, including such topics as worship, sacraments and spirituality. It is ideal for anyone preparing for adult confirmation or who desires to be received into the Episcopal Church. It is also an ideal refresher course on the Christian faith for those who desire to renew their own faith commitment.
Please speak to a clergyperson if you are interested in either class.
Questions & Answers About St. Peter's
What does it mean to be a member of St. Peter's? Do I have to do anything in particular to qualify?
Membership at Peter's simply involves placing your name officially on the rolls. This means giving us your name and information through the Household Information Form (a PDF file), or just letting us know through an email that you'd like to join. If you have questions about membership, we invite you to contact the St. Peter's Parish Office (973-538-0555, extension 10). Also, from time to time we offer a Newcomers' Class and also Adult Confirmation class (in the Spring) for anyone interested in learning more about the Episcopal Church and St. Peter's, but these are not necessary in order to join St. Peter's. Stop by the Welcome Table in the parish hall for more details, or ask someone on the Pastoral Staff.
Are children welcome at all services?
Unqualified YES. We believe that children - their presence, their questions, their honesty and their special intuitive sense of God - make us a more faithful and vital congregation. Naturally, we encourage parents to help teach their children about behavior that is appropriate for worship, and we encourage those without children to welcome our younger worshippers. There are some Sunday services that make a special effort to include children. Our 9:15 AM service gives children and adults the opportunity to hear a children's homily. At the end of the service, the children follow the cross in procession to the Undercroft for Church School, which ends at 11:00 AM.
We also offer excellent nursery care for infants and toddlers in the Undercroft on Sunday mornings from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM. (During the summer, nursery care is offered from 9:45 to 11:15 AM).
How do the three Sunday services differ?
Our 8:00 AM Holy Eucharist is a quiet, intimate, and traditional liturgy with a homily and one congregational hymn. Our 9:15 AM Holy Eucharist is an inter-generational celebration with music, contemporary language, and a homily. Children are especially welcome. Our 11:15 AM Holy Eucharist is a rich and formal liturgy incorporating both contemporary and traditional language. The Office of Morning Prayer is sung on the fourth Sunday of the month during the academic year. (During the summer, the service schedule changes to 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM.)
There is sometimes a fourth service - Evensong - on Sunday, usually on the first Sunday of the month at 4:30 PM. Dates for these are announced on the website and in the weekly bulletin.
Will I be able to take my time getting to know the church, or will I be asked to participate in activities right away?
Our hope is that you will be welcomed and given the feeling that you belong, but not pressured to join a particular group or help out with a church program. Many people, especially those returning to church after a time away, appreciate the opportunity to take their time.
Although worship is the central focus of life at St. Peter's, really belonging to a church means helping to support the ministries of the church through your stewardship of time, talent, and treasure. Take your time, see what draws you, and join in more fully when you're ready. The opportunities are varied and rich. Know that your presence and your participation are a gift to God and to the people of God gathered at St. Peter's.
Are the clergy considered ministers or priests? And how should I address them? Reverend? Father? Mr. or Ms.?
In our tradition, ministers are all the people of the church: bishops, priests, deacons, and the laity. Those members of the ordained clergy are called priests or deacons. We're a pretty informal place; first names between adults is completely appropriate. As for your children, have them do what they would with any other person in a leadership position. The question is more what feels right to you than what our clergy expect.
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