Worship
is central to our life together at St. Edward's, and there is
perhaps no better venue in which to gain a sense of the love
and fellowship which bonds as together as brothers and sisters
in Christ than in visiting us at a Sunday morning service. The
warm greeting that is proferred 
comes from our hearts to you as we delight in meeting
old friends as well as making new ones. And as we gather together
in the sanctuary 
prior
to the start of each service, we begin to realize that it is
this love which helps us begin to experience a sense of the holy
that refreshes us as a promised oasis in our weekly sojourn through
our own lives. The liturgy which structures our worhip, because
it is derived from the historic early Christian community as
well as linked to all other Anglican services throughout the
world today, enables us, each and every one, to be full particpants
in the praising of God's ongoing presence in our lives. Each
service has a foundation based upon readings 
from Holy Scriptures which include an
Old Testament lesson, a Psalm, and a New Testament passage crowned
by a reading from one of the Gospels. 
It will be upon these texts that the
sermon will focus in such a way as to make them readily relevant
to our lives today. Copies of each sermon are available to take
home. And prior to the regular sermon, our Rector more often
than not loves to call the children forward to share with them
a story that relates to the Bible readings so that they can truly
share in the message of the Good News that is Christ in our lives.
Next, we recite
together the Nicene Creed as a family of believers re - affirming
as we do so our Baptismal vows. Once a year, we welcome new members
into our Communion, highlighted by our Bishop celebrating Conformation.
Throughout the
year certain services contain the Rite of Holy Baptism wherein
we welcome a new member of Christ's family and celebrate this
wondrous event in song, prayer and praise. 
Our regular services then continue with
the Prayers of the People in which we relate our concerns and
share our joys in our own lives, and that of the world. After
a confession of sin, we then share the passing of the Peace,
and pass among ourselves thereby the love that Christ so hoped
that we would reflect as His disciples. 
As a eucharistic church (a church of
"thanksgiving") we then participate in Holy Communion,
which we all share at the rail 
and whereby we all receive the Grace of God through
the symbolic Sacrament of His Body and Blood. This commnuion
is open to ALL baptised Christians, regardless of their particular
denomination. As we leave each service to go forth again into
the world, we do so rejuvenated and with the joy and comfort
that Christ's presence in each of our lives engenders,
knowing that we are truly loved and
appreciated as individual members of His corporate body and that
we can count upon the Peace of God which passes all understanding
to keep our hearts and minds in the love of God, His Son our
Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. We hope that if you are
in Lancaster, either passing through or seeking a church home,
you will come visit and worship with us.
