How We Worship

Scripture is the foundation of our worship. The service follows an order found in our worship book called the Book of Common Prayer, two-thirds of which is scriptural. Every worship service includes the reading of Holy Scripture from the Old and New Testaments. Many of our prayers and hymns are filled with Scripture.

The Book of Common Prayer includes a variety of ancient and modern prayers and worship occasions for times when the whole community gathers, and for individual use. The Book of Common Prayer allows everyone to participate, reminding us that each person is an important part of the worship experience, whether the service is a celebration or a solemn occasion. It is a guide book for daily Christian living.

At St. John's Cathedral we follow a traditional Christian seasonal worship schedule starting with Advent, and continuing with Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost.

The first Sunday of Advent - the start of the new church year - was November 29, 2009.

The Season of Christmas is Christmas Day, December 25, through The Epiphany, January 6. The liturgical color for Christmas is white - signifying the purity of Christ.

On January 6, we celebrate the Feast of Epiphany. The word Epiphany comes to us from the Greek where it originally meant a showing forth or revealing of something. Over time, a sense of suddenness became associated with the word. Still later, it acquired another connotation, meaning a sudden and helpful intervention from the gods. The New Testament writers built on this meaning and used the word to describe the revelation of Jesus as Lord and Savior. Epiphany is the season of the revealing of Christ. Each week our gospel lesson focuses on some aspect of who Jesus is in relation to God. The effect is cumulative rather than sudden, but significant nevertheless. Epiphany always ends with the story of the Transfiguration. There on the mountain the revelation is complete and we hear again the words we heard at the baptism, "This is my beloved son."  White is the liturgical color for Epiphany and the following Sunday. The color for the remainder of the season of Epiphany is green.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 17, 2010. Violet is the liturgical color for Lent.

Easter Sunday is April 4, 2010. White is the liturgical color for Easter and the weeks following, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

Pentecost Sunday is May 23, 2010. The liturgical color for Pentecost Sunday is red - signifying the presence of the Holy Spirit. On this day, we celebrate the birth of the Christian Church as the wind and flame of God's Spirit swept through the room where the disciples were gathered. (Acts 2:1-21)

The Season of Pentecost continues through the end of the Christian liturgical year, concluding with Christ the King Sunday on November 21, 2010. The Season of Pentecost is also known as Ordinary Time - the time between major Christian holy days. The liturgical color for the Season of Pentecost is green - signifying our growth in discipleship.