The Parish Church of St John the Apostle and Evangelist, Watford
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The Parish Church of St John the Apostle and Evangelist, Watford |
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Our main service each Sunday morning is a Solemn Eucharist. The word "Eucharist" means "Giving Thanks" and it is important to note that the Eucharist is a gift of God to us and that it is mysterious as God is. In our Sunday Service we celebrate God's presence in our everyday lives, bring to God our hopes and fears, seek healing and wholeness, and find strength and encouragement to renew our commitment to work for justice and peace in the world.
The Sunday service can be divided into several parts:
The service begins with the procession to the Altar. After the greeting we are all asked to prepare ourselves for Holy Communion by calling to mind our sins and asking God’s forgiveness and strength to live more like Jesus. The priest will pardon us in the Name of Jesus, as he commanded us to do. We then sing 'Lord have Mercy' (Kyrie) and then praise God by singing the Gloria.
Members of the congregation then read from the Bible. The first reading is from the Old Testament, this is followed by a Psalm with response, then a second reading, taken from the New Testament. The Priest will now stand amongst the congregation to read from the Holy Gospel (see the pew sheets for the readings). Then comes the Homily (Sermon) followed by everyone reciting the Creed (from the service booklet). The Creed is the ancient and universal statement of what we as Christians believe. We then pray for the church, the world, the sick, local community and those who have died. This section of the service is finished using the beautiful words found in the Bible, said as the Hail Mary.
This is the climax of the service, in which we follow Jesus’s example and obey His command issued at the last supper. In the Eucharist we commemorate sacramentally the sacrificial death and victorious resurrection of the Jesus Christ. We are united with Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. By receiving the blessed tokens of his Body (Bread) and Blood (Wine), we truly participate in His risen life and offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice, which is our reasonable service (Romans 12.1). In this sacrament we proclaim the faith of the Church and are united with all the faithful, gathered in their local communities, as we are united with the God.
All Christians, baptised with water and in the name of the Holy Trinity are welcome to receive Communion. Those who have not been baptised, or are waiting to be confirmed, are welcome and encouraged to come to the altar rail for a blessing. Please bring your service book or this sheet with you, if you wish to receive a blessing. Children are welcome too!
After Communion there is a period of reflection and the final concluding prayer and blessing. The priest will process out stopping at the statue of the Virgin Mary to sing the Angelus (back page of service book).
