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St. James offers three worship service opportunities every weekend. Eucharist is celebrated at every service.
Saturday, 5:00 pm and Sunday, 8:30 am
This service offers the opportunity to worship in a "traditional" setting, featuring our new Rogers organ. The liturgy setting from Evangelical Lutheran Worship is currently Setting Four (Lutheran Book of Worship Setting Two). During the school year, there is a children's sermon at the 8:30 service.
Sunday, 10:45
This "Blended Worship" features piano, and occasionally other instruments. The liturgy is Now the Feast and Celebration by Marty Haugen.
Each week at St. James, our services follow a liturgical pattern practiced by the church for centuries. In addition, our liturgy is filled with Biblical references. Sometimes we have the words of Scripture written on our hearts, without even realizing it!
During the Gathering, the Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God.
We are greeted with the words, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of
God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you” (2 Corinthians
13:13).
As we listen to the Word, God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song.
In addition to listening to the Scripture, which is read to us, we also have the
opportunity to sing a Gospel acclamation based on John 6:68—“Simon Peter
answered him, ‘Lord, to who can we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Although the prayers change weekly to reflect the needs of the congregation,
community, and the world, the form includes several Biblical references.
As we
begin the prayers, we are reminded of Psalm 143:1—“Hear my prayer, O LORD;
give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness; answer me in your
righteousness.”
1 Timothy 2:1-2, we receive words that help us form the petitions for our prayers, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.”
We commend ourselves to God at the end of our prayers, recalling Jesus’ words from the cross in Luke 23:46, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
God feeds us during the Meal with the presence of Jesus Christ.
The Great Thanksgiving is filled with Biblical references. Lamentations 3:41
invites us to “…lift up our hearts as well as our hands to God….”
We sing Holy, Holy, Holy, which is based on Isaiah 6:3—“and one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” and Matthew 21:9—“The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’”
The Words of Institution are taken from Luke 22:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.
In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus teaches his followers how to pray: “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”
In the Sending, God blesses us and sends into mission in the world.
The Aaronic Blessing (Numbers 6:23b-26) is sometimes used as a benediction:
Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”
As we are sent into service in the world, we are reminded of Jesus’ words to the woman in Luke 7:50, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Liturgical Colors
As early as the fourth century, Christians used different colors to enforce the emotions and ideas associated with each season of the church year. At St. James, you see these colors used in the banners, paraments (the cloth that hangs on the altar, pulpit, and lectern), and in the pastors’ vestments.
Blue is used during Advent. It is a color of the sky and brings to mind hope. As we prepare for the festival of Christmas, Advent’s blue symbolizes waiting and expectation.
White is used for the seasons of Christmas and Easter, and other festivals of Christ. It is a color of light and brightness, bringing to mind the joy and festivity of these seasons and festivals.
Green represents growth. It is the color used for the seasons of Epiphany and Time After Pentecost. These two seasons, sometimes called the “Time of the Church” focus on spiritual growth, mission, and the teachings of Jesus.
Purple is an ancient royal color, and is also associated with repentance from sin. As we prepare for Easter, we think about ways to turn around, repent, and look forward to the new life promised to us in Christ.
Red, the color of fire, energy, and blood, is used for the Day of Pentecost (which celebrates the giving of the Holy Spirit to the gathered people of God) and Reformation Sunday (which celebrates semper reformanda—the always faithfully reforming church).
Worship Assistants
Each worship service requires that some people serve in various ways in order that the rest of the congregation can receive the gifts of God during Worship. A successful worship requires the talents of several people. These service opportunities are listed below:
Altar Guild - The Altar Guild is responsible for the things relating to worship — the changing of the paraments, the candles, setting up for communion, the flowers, and setting up for baptisms. The overall goal of the Altar Guild is to see that the worship space is kept beautiful and in good order.
Assisting Minister – Assisting ministers help to showcase the importance of lay members fulfilling a leadership role during the worship service. They perform two principal tasks: reader and communion assistant. The reading portion involves the lesson, prayers, and closing. You help distribute either the wine or wafers as the communion minister.
Communion Minister – One of the most important parts of our worship is the sharing of the body and blood of our Lord. As a communion assistant, you have the opportunity to serve others by distributing either the wine or wafers. As the wafer server, you also bestow a blessing on those who don’t yet receive communion.
Usher – Users perform a number of important tasks to help services run smoothly. They coordinate the distribution of bulletins, the collection of offering, and the tidying that takes place after the service. They are also responsible for lighting the candles before the service and extinguishing them after the service, as well as counting the number of people in attendance.
Greeter – Greeters play a pivotal role in our church by offering a hand and a kind word to all who come to hear God’s word during worship. The first impression that visitors and members get about St. James is shaped by the friendliness of our greeters.
Nursery Attendants – Nursery attendants share God’s love with children unable to attend worship services with their parents. Parents of these little ones feel especially blessed to have inviting and welcoming nursery workers.
Coffee Host – Clear directions are provided to help you prepare the coffee and treats distributed as part of the coffee and conversation time. More important that the beverages and treats is the sense of community you help to develop by providing members with an opportunity to converse with one another.
Welcome Center Host – Our congregation has much to offer and those who staff the Welcome Center make themselves available to help share this information. Distributing various information resources and being willing to answer basic questions about the happenings at St. James are the basic responsibilities of Welcome Center staff.
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