Emmanuel Memorial Episcopal Church

September 8, 2024

Beautiful sanctuary of woodwork, archways, and stained glass. A crucifix hanging high over two columns of twenty rows of wooden pews. Up front a choir of a dozen, robed in white with red trim, line a path to the altar glowing with candles and blooming with flowers. A US flag and the Christian flag stand one to each side. 

"Be thoughtful, be silent, be reverent, 

for you are in the House of the Lord. 

Before the service, speak to the Lord.

During the service, let the Lord speak to you.

After the service, speak to one another."

The priest was singing an opening prayer as I was handed a multi-page leaflet containing the day's liturgy. I much appreciate this attempt to clarify the process, but it was still a little hard to follow for one unfamiliar with the format. The service is divided into The Word of God and Holy Communion. Its various aspects involve some standing, some sitting, and some kneeling on benches built into the pews. 

Our first scripture reading was from Isaiah, followed by music, then a reading from James and another hymn. The final reading involved a procession in which our priest today, Associate Marisa Vogel, was escorted by four other robed officiants halfway down the aisle. Here they stopped and one of the four held the Bible so that the priest could read the day's passage from The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark. Everyone in the room turned toward the center to see and hear this reading for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost.

A ten-minute sermon followed. Unfortunately, I failed to grab my notes when I left, but from what I do remember we were encouraged to trust God for our rescue as he had provided a rescue in the Isaiah passage. Next came recitation of the Nicene Creed. 

Prayers of the People included mention of President Joseph, Governor JB, the archbishop and others in the church hierarchy, and then a list of first names which I guessed to be people in the congregation in different kinds of need. Prayer confessing sin was next. At this point, it being the first week of September, all students, teachers, and school administrators were called up for a special blessing of the new school year. As those returned to their seats we had a minute of people greeting each other with peace.

The Doxology and another beautiful anthem led into the Eucharist. After the choir and other robed persons up front were served, the congregation of about forty people stepped into the aisle to move forward. It seemed a special privilege to be invited onto the stage with the choir and candles. People knelt as they reached the altar rail and one of the officiants, a lovely lady with silver hair, went back and forth along the row putting round, paper-thin wafers into outstretched hands and offering the cup as each new group arrived. Watching for the custom of this particular church, I saw the second person from me actually sip from the cup which the officiant then wiped with a cloth. The woman next to me however, offered her wafer back to the server who dipped it in the wine and put it to my neighbor's mouth. This is the method I chose. And yes, it was actually wine, not evangelical grape juice. :-]

The service was then soon ended with another brief word and prayer, blessing, dismissal, processional hymn. Here's where I missed a cue. We had been dismissed and I saw someone leave, so I grabbed my bag and headed out. But apparently it wasn't really quite the end yet, as most people remained seated to hear a final piece from the organist, Prelude and Fugue in D Major.