Read on for a brief description of the various liturgies...

Sundays at 8:30...

Please join us to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. The liturgy has two, sometimes three hymns played on either the grand piano in the chancel or on the Pipe Organ. The liturgy lasts approximately 50 minutes (depending on the length of the sermon!!). The attendances in the past few months has averaged around 50 people with quite a wide variety of ages; there is occasionally a baby or two who attempt to sing along with us!

Sundays at 10:30...

The 10:30 Sunday Liturgy is a very musical celebration of the Holy Eucharist mixing old with new (St. George's on the hill has an outstanding choir under the direction of our organist, the very talented Ms. Karen Rymal). The 10:30 celebration uses the Contemporary language Rite (B.A.S. p.185) as well as some very powerful old language pieces the sung Creed (Merbecke) Sanctus (Healey Willan and others) and the Agnus Dei (Merbecke, Willan, Hurd etc.). The liturgy has been stitched together rather tightly, allowing us to move seamlessly from past to present, the sung pieces from the Prayer Book musically woven together with the modern language collects and prayers. The 10:30 Sunday Liturgy is far better experienced than explained, but it goes something like this:

After a fairly casual welcome, and following whatever community announcements are made, the children are invited forward to the chancel steps for a story, or for an explanation of whatever `saints day` may happen to be upon us; they then head off to their own program, and the community is invited to kneel in silent prayer.

A single voice from the back of the church then breaks the silence (with the pange lingua, or a Kyrie, or an ave Maria, etc.) and the processional hymn begins. Following the Apostolic Greeting and Collect for Purity, the Gloria is sung (Merbecke, old language) and the readings are presented; there is always a Gospel Procession, and the Gospel is proclaimed from the center of the community. When the sermon (finally) ends the Creed is sung (Merbecke, old language) as is the response to the Prayers of the People. The Peace is exchanged (and people do move about a little) and the Offertory hymn begins. During Communion the St. George's choir presents a mixture of psalms, anthems, and hymns ... ancient and new, Latin and English.

Somewhere between 185 to 225 people attend the 10:30 liturgy on any given Sunday. The church actually holds about 325, so your seat is still available.

Wednesday Morning at 10:00 Holy Communion...

Wednesday Morning at 10:00 Holy Communion is celebrated by 12 or 15 people, using the Book of Alternative Services. People sit in the choir pews for this wonderfully intimate service; the chancel piano is used for the hymns (usually two); there is a short homily, and a study of one sort or another is held directly following the service over coffee and tea. The service lasts about half an hour, and the `study` winds up by 11:30.

Wednesday Evening Candlelight Eucharist...

The liturgy begins at 7:30 pm. No prayer books, no hymns books, no lights. The sanctuary is wrapped in incense; the darkness is pushed back by the light given off by 25 or 30 candles; music is provided by recorder, piano, medieval flute, and voice.

This is, for many, the most powerful liturgy of the week; it is presented as a time to stop, rest, and feel; to take a `time out` and recognize the sacred; it's a call to stop `doing` and remember our `being` before God. There is nothing one has to `do` in this service; it's simply a time to `be`. Psalms are chanted by the priests and acolytes, the music is ancient and ethereal, the pace and atmosphere is slow and reverent, and the liturgy is punctuated throughout with silences. The Holy Eucharist is celebrated. A variety of Western, Eastern, and Celtic blessings and prayers are offered.

A number of people have found this liturgy to be their entry point into the greater St. George's community. A number of people have found the Wednesday liturgy to be a helpful re-entry point after sometime away from the Christian Church; and a great many people have discovered or rediscovered their longing to connect with a sense of the Sacred, the spiritual. The number of people out on Wednesday Evening ranges anywhere from 35 to 50.

The Wednesday Evening Candlelight Liturgy begins at 7:30 pm and concludes about 50 minutes later, individuals leaving, when ready, in silence. An ancient and beautiful liturgy. Come and See. Come and Feel. Come and just be.