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Please know that all are welcome to receive communion at St. Paul’s. Please let us know if you require a gluten-free wafer. If you wish to receive, but prefer not to drink wine, you are welcome to cross your arms over your chest and receive a blessing. Intinction (dipping the bread into the wine) is not permitted to avoid spreading germs.
You may also request a blessing at the altar rail instead of receiving the wafer or wine. This can be signaled to the priest by crossing your arms over your chest.
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Of course! Please feel free to tell the usher or someone near you who is going to the Altar to have the priest & Eucharistic Minister bring the bread and the wine to you.
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Our Service of Holy Eucharist is actually very similar in style to a Roman Catholic Mass. Like the Roman Catholic Church, we offer Communion every Sunday, although everyone is welcome to receive, from youngest to oldest.
The Episcopal Church recognizes the ordained ministry of women, which is different from the Roman Church.
The governing body of any Episcopal Church is called the Vestry which has total fiduciary responsibility in running the parish.
The Episcopal Church elects its Bishops who are not appointed by any outside governing body.
The sacrament of marriage is open to all couples after pre-marriage counseling. With the approval of The Bishop a second marriage may be entered into by the couple without the annulment process.
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Both, Neither, Either! Anglicanism is often referred to as a “bridge tradition.” We stand squarely in the Reformed tradition, we consider ourselves as directly descended from the Early Church as do the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox churches. In Greek, the word “Catholic” means “universal.” “Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi,” which in Latin means, “the rule of prayer is the rule of belief.” We find our unity in common prayer, not conformity to a certain set of doctrines. We articulate our faith in the historic Nicene Creed each Sunday, but there are many ways to understand the Christian faith as it is presented in that text.
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St. Paul’s governing body is called the vestry, a term whose origins date back to the traditions of the Church of England. St. Paul’s vestry members are elected at our Annual Meeting each January. The rector is part of the vestry.
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The majority of sermons preached at St. Paul’s are posted on our YouTube Channel.
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ConcordTV, our local non-profit community television station, broadcasts our 10:00 am Sunday service and publishes video of it on their website. The live schedule is as follows:
• Mondays 5:30 am and 1:30 pm
• Wednesday 11:00 am
• Thursday 4:30 pm
• Saturday 9:30 am
• Sunday 11:30 am
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The best way to learn more about our worship practices is to watch the service on our YouTube channel. The service bulletin can be found in the video description. You can also go online to The Book of Common Prayer.
St. Paul’s typically follows The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two found on page 355.
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If you are coming from one of the following churches (Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, ELCA Lutheran tradition), and have already been confirmed, you would be “received” by the bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire, in a ceremony that normally takes place during the bishop’s visitation to St. Paul’s. If you are coming from a different tradition, confirmation would be appropriate. You are most welcome to speak to a clergy member if you are interested. Note that confirmation or reception is NOT necessary before you can take communion, or participate in the life of the church.
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No. We acknowledge your baptism if you have been baptized with water, in the name of the Trinity.
If you wish to make a public, adult, affirmation of faith, you may choose to be confirmed, if appropriate or have the option of publicly reaffirming your baptismal vows, even after confirmation.
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Please come in what you feel comfortable wearing. We have no set dress code and people dress anywhere from casual to dressy. We believe that God loves everyone regardless of how they are dressed.
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Specific traditional requests are noted in our service bulletins, but in general: We stand when we sing, praise, or read the Gospel, we sit during all other Bible readings and during the Sermon. We kneel to pray. During the blessing of the bread and wine at communion (The Eucharistic Prayer), either standing or kneeling is fine. If you are not sure, just follow the example of the people around you. If you are unable to stand or kneel for long periods of time, please feel free to remain seated. You won’t be the only one and no one will mind, we promise!
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There is no “membership fee” to worship in The Episcopal Church. Donations are given during the Offertory time of the service. This combined with our annual pledges is what keeps St. Paul’s functioning and alive. Your donation goes towards maintaining the building, paying our clergy and staff, and stocking administrative and liturgical supplies.
Most ongoing members of St. Paul’s are “pledging members”, supporting St. Paul’s with their time and talent as well as their treasure.
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In the words of our Bishop, the Rt. Rev. A Robert Hirschfeld,
We often forget that the Church has an amplifying, magnifying, and intensifying effect on word, gesture, and touch. Human interactions that take place in a church building or in the context of a church activity have an increased capacity to heal and inspire, or to harm and confuse.
With this in mind, the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire requires all clergy and lay ministers (Sunday school teachers, vestry members, food pantry workers, etc.) to be Safe Church trained every three years. Safe Church training is comprised of online modules which educate participants on issues such as professional and respectful conduct when interacting with members of the parish, as well as signs to identify child and elder abuse. Please contact our parish administrator if you need to complete or renew your Safe Church training.
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No matter where you are on life’s journey, St. Paul’s is here to support you. While we are always here for the daily joys and concerns of life, we also mark the important milestones in the church community on a regular basis. Please email the rector for more information regarding baptism, weddings & funerals at St. Paul’s.
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There is plenty of room for kids to wiggle and they are welcome to attend worship with you. If your child needs a break during the service, the chapel adjoining the worship space is always open.
Coffee Hour after the service is a fun time open to all, especially children – we have a special play corner for children, with coloring, books and toys.
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This symbol, which you will see at virtually every Episcopal Church and web site, is the official logo of The Episcopal Church, and depicts our history. It is red, white and blue…the colors of both the U.S. and England. The red Cross of St. George on a white field is symbolic of the Church of England. The blue field in the upper left corner is the Episcopal Church of the U.S.A. It features a Cross of St. Andrew, in recognition of the fact that the first American bishop was consecrated in Scotland. This cross is made up of nine crosslets, which represent the nine dioceses that met in Philadelphia in 1789 to form the Protestant Episcopal Church of the U.S.A.
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Yes. The Episcopal Church has ordained women to all orders of ministry (Deacon, Priest & Bishop) since 1976.
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Yes. God’s call to ordained ministry is open to all.
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You sure can. Many people today rely on a credit card to pay all their bills and track their spending. (Not to mention the free miles/points/cash back you can earn!) If you are one of those folks who would find donating to St. Paul’s via your credit card convenient, then we have some good news for you! St. Paul’s has partnered with Tithe.ly, a reputable mobile platform designed to help churches meet their fundraising goals. Donating via Tithe.ly is as simple as sending a text from your smartphone:
1) Text the word “give” to (603)786-7126
2) You will receive a text back from Tithe.ly immediately with a link.
3) Click on the link and make your donation via the credit card of your choice.
(Note: You don’t even need to enter your 16 digit credit card number – your phone’s camera can scan the card and read the numbers for you!)
We tested the process in the parish office, and it took under 2 minutes start to finish. Tithe.ly allows you to give a one- time donation for a specific ministry OR pay your monthly pledge via automatic payments.
Paper check donations made out to “St. Paul’s Episcopal Church” are gladly accepted as well. They can be mailed to the address below. You can also set up a monthly EFT (automatic funds transfer) to St. Paul’s from your checking account. Thank you for considering donating to the upkeep of St. Paul’s Church and the work our outreach center ministries accomplish in the Concord community.