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and keep it holy”
(Exodus 20:8)
We are a congregation (from the Hebrew word “synagogue”, meaning “gathering”) that congregates to worship the God we meet in Jesus Christ and who inspires our life together through the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for public worship is “liturgia”. A liturgy is a public work undertaken by a few to benefit all.
In the ancient world the Roman roadways and aqueducts were understood to be liturgical. They were public works for the common good. William Temple once said that “the church is the one institution that exists primarily for its non-members”. In an age often dominated by needs of the consumer we can forget this and imagine that worship is intended only for the benefit of those who gather.
On our Sabbath day we stop productive activity and turn to God on behalf of our neighbours, the city and God’s world. We pray that God in Christ will make our life together a blessing in the world.
Etz Hayim - The Tree of Life
Chapel of the Epiphany ...
When you visit us you will notice that the Chapel of the Epiphany is a simple and beautiful place of worship. Its hardwood floor, stone front wall and windows looking out to the neighbourhood and to the mountains beyond make it a sanctuary - a zone of safety before God. The sound of the church bell rings as we gather around the font, table and pulpit.
This is the shape of our life. We enter Christian community at the font - the place of dying to running from God and of rising in Christ to a new life. We listen to the scripture read and interpreted, waiting on God for a living Word for our journey. Then we come to the table where God's reign of peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation breaks in upon us as bread and wine are shared and a new people is formed.
Celebrating Eucharist ...
We celebrate the Sacrament of Communion - Eucharist (literally “Thanksgiving”), also called The Lord's Supper - regularly. Normally we break the bread and share the wine (unfermented juice) on the first Sunday of the month, unless a new Christian season begins in that month. During Lent we celebrate the Sacrament of Communion weekly. In 2007 we celebrate the Eucharist on:
January 7, February 4 & 25
March 4, 11, 18 & 25,
April 5, 7 & 8
May 27
July 1,
September 2, October 7,
November 4 and December 2.
Services at the time of Baptism, Marriage or Death . . .
We welcome inquiries about Weddings, Baptisms, Funerals & Memorial services.
The Peace of Christ ...
We begin each service of worship be giving and receiving the Peace of Christ, saying:
“The peace of Christ be with you”
“ And also with you”
All around the congregation neighbours and strangers extend their hand in a gesture of peace, offering and receiving the blessing of Christ’s peace. This is a ritual practice of hospitality. In it we are not merely extending the hand of friendship or the romantic wish for an easy, “pacified” life.
The peace of Christ is the deep promise that no suffering will be born alone in our midst. Those who offer this blessing are pledging their compassion (literally “with suffering”). This is no small promise. Like the first disciples, we can too often and too easily betray our promises to Christ and one another. But we have come to trust that the Risen Christ is in our midst working beyond our brokenness and frailty to keep God’s promise of compassion.
Perhaps you need to know Christ’s peace. Perhaps you need to share Christ’s peace. Perhaps we can never know Christ’s peace without sharing in one another’s pain.
Worship Leader's Handbook ...
We have created a handbook for use by those who provide leadership in worship. It includes guidelines and suggestions for -
Children's Elder
Communion Elder
Greeter
Ministers of Music
Offering Elder
Worship Co-ordinator
Copies of the Worship Leader's Handbook are available from our office.
Participating in Worship ...
Worship at University Hill Congregation is participatory. We love to sing together. We sing all manner of hymns, songs & litanies from the breadth of the church’s history and from a variety of cultural traditions. Our children join us for the first thirty minutes of our time together. They learn the Lord’s Prayer as we sing it together each week with accompanying actions that root Jesus’ prayer in our bodies.
The worship leadership team includes a variety of participants. On most Sundays our minister, Rev. Dr. Ed Searcy, presides and preaches. Our Minister of Music, Rev. Dr. Gerald Hobbs, regularly invites members of the congregation to add their instruments (flute, violin, trombone, etc) to the sound of the piano and organ.
Cathy Pedersen, our Director of Choral Ministry, meets with The Singers for rehearsal on Sunday mornings beginning at 8:45 am. This lively group accompanies the congregation’s singing and regularly offers the gift of a sung introit to open the service.
Each week a different member of the congregation responds to the call to act as Worship Elder, writing and offering prayers on behalf of the congregation during the service. Another member of the congregation serves as the Lector, carrying in the Bible and lighting the candles to open the service before reading the scripture during worship. Hosts and greeters along with a worship coordinator serve to make our Sabbath worship a work of the whole people of God.
The Eucharist is a meal of discipleship. Here we pledge ourselves to Christ and to Christ’s mission in the world. Here Christ promises to be with us as we live in his name. We practice an open table. We understand that all who are baptised as disciples of Jesus - no matter in which tradition or nation or denomination - are welcome to make and receive the promises of the disciples of Jesus. While we expect that normally baptism preceeds participation in the Sacrament of Communion we understand that some may feel a desire to come forward to the Table as a follower of Jesus prior to baptism. We encourage any who wish to do so to come freely to the welcome table of Jesus. Afterwards, we invite them to prepare for Baptism as a follower of Jesus Christ. Those who do not wish to participate in the Eucharist are most welcome to simply witness what we do together. Our children are welcome to join in the Eucharist and may do so if it is in accord with their parent’s wishes. If you have any questions about participating in the Sacrament of Communion please speak with our Minister, Rev. Dr. Ed Searcy.