The Gathering
Getting there, getting settled, getting
ready for church
It's a good idea to arrive a few minutes
before the service starts so you can get settled. Ushers or greeters will likely give you a bulletin, service leaflet, or
program that will guide you through the service. You can choose to sit anywhere you like. In addition to the service leaflet,
there are usually various books in racks in front of you or in the pews. You'll see the red Book of Common Prayer or BCP,
which contains various parts of the service. Your bulletin will provide page numbers to help you locate these sections.
You'll also see a dark blue book called "The Hymnal 1982," which contains a lot of music.
A few minutes before the service, there will be Prelude music to help everyone gather themselves and prepare for the service.
Most services begin with a song that everyone sings while standing. There will be a procession of liturgical ministers, people
with specific roles during the service. The procession is led by the cross, and you may see people bowing to the cross as a sign
of respect.
After the song, the priest leading the service and the congregation say the Opening Acclamation, a formal way of greeting one
another. Then there will be a short piece of music praising God or asking for God's mercy. The priest will then say a prayer
called a collect, meant to gather our thoughts together as the concluding piece of our gathering.