Sunday Services

We currently offer several different Sunday services, each of which has its own unique character:

9:00-9:40am – Holy Eucharist - Child Friendly. Great for families with younger children, this warm and informal service is open to people of all ages. Followed by a time of fellowship until 10:00am, when Sunday School, Youth Program, and Adult Forum begin.

11:00-12:00pm – Holy Eucharist - Traditional. A bit more traditional than our 9:00am service, but still has that warm and friendly St. Nick's atmosphere.  Open to people of all ages.

5:00-6:00pm – Contemplative Service (Evening Prayer with Communion). If you prefer a more meditative worship experience, this service may be for you. The liturgy and music combine to evoke the majesty and mystery of God and a friendly, informal, interpersonal sense of community. Healing prayer is offered at this service. Followed at 6:00pm by Fellowship Time.

In addition to our regular Sunday services, we offer a number of special services for special occasions, which can be requested by contacting one of the clergy. These services include;

Baptism. The rite of initiation into the Christian faith. Appropriate for infants, children, and adults. For more information and an application form, click here.

Confirmation. The rite of mature commitment to the Christian faith. Generally appropriate for those 15 and older, and especially appropriate for those baptized as infants. This rite usually takes place at the cathedral after a period of preparation. For more information, click here.

Marriage. The celebration and blessing of the holy state of matrimony.  For more information and an application form, click here.

The Blessing of a Home - A gathering with friends and fellow parishioners to ask God's blessing on a home and all who dwell therein. For an application form, click here.

Thanksgiving for the Birth or Adoption of a Child - A service of rejoicing for safe delivery and birth, or for the blessing of a newly adopted child.

Reconcilliation of a Penitent (aka Confession) - Personal confession of sin to a priest, who pronounces God's forgiveness.

Praying Our Farewells - A liturgical leave-taking when members leave the church.

Ministration to the Sick - Annointing with healing oil and prayers for healing.

Ministration at the Time of Death (aka Last Rites) - Prayers and annointing in preparation for death.

Burial of the Dead - Memorial service and interment.

Our program year fairly closely follows the local school year, gearing up in early September (two services in the morning and one in the evening) and winding down (one service in the morning and one in the evening) by Memorial Day.

Read on for a review of worship activities by month...

September

Kick Off Sunday. Join us as we kick-off another great new program year at St. Nick’s. Meet new people. Find out about our programs. Sign the younger kids up for Sunday school and the older ones for youth group.

Blessings of the Backpacks (and Brief Cases).  Bring your kids for a blessing on their backpacks and prayers for a great year at school. Bring yourself and receive a blessing on your briefcase, notebook, Blackberry, or other tool of your trade, and prayers for your coming work year.

October

St. Francis Sunday – Blessing of the Animals (1st Sunday in Oct).  Bring yourself, your family, and your animals for a blessing.

Alll Saint’s Sunday – Baptisms & Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (1st Sunday in Nov). Join us as we celebrate the saints, past and present, including ourselves. This is a traditional day for baptizing new saints and for remembering loved ones who have died in the past year.

December

St. Nicholas Sunday – Fabulous Celebration & Visit from “Bishop Nicholas” (1st Sunday in Dec).  Fun, food, and fellowship on the feast day of the Saint for which our church is named: Nicholas of Myra.

Christmas Eve Services (Dec 24).Special services for all ages.

• 5:00pm - Children's service.
• 7:00pm - Candles, Carols, & Choir. Slightly less formal. Great for families.
• 9:00pm - Candles, Carols, & Celtic Harp.Somewhat more traditional.

Lessons and Carols Services (Sun. after Christmas). The traditional Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, with the reading of the Christmas story and the singing of Christmas carols.

January

Epiphany Pageant & Baptisms (Sun. after Jan. 6).  At the 9:00am service, a pageant extravaganza with a part for every child.  Bring out those Magi!  At the 11:00am service, baptisms!

February/March

Shrove Tueday.  A pancake supper sponsored by the youth of St. Nick's.  Don't forget to pick up your Mardi Gras beads.

Ash Wedneday.  The imposition of ashes is the rite that marks the beginning of Lent, a season of introspection and penitance, by reminding us of our mortality.  We offer a 6:30am service and a noonday service with imposition of ashes and communion, and we participate in an 8:00pm ecumenical communion at one of the local churches.

Penitential Lenten Services.  During the season of Lent we simplify our services and move the confession and forgiveness of sin to the opening of our services.

March/April

Holy Week.  We invite the entire St. Nick's community you join us for the journey through Holy Week, which generally flows something like this:

• Palm Sunday Festival Services.  At our 9:00am service, a special Palm Sunday for  families with younger children.  At 11:00am and 5:00pm, more traditional Palm Sunday services.
• Maunday Thursday Agape Service.  At 7:30pm on Thursday, we offer a special Maundy Thursday service, starting with fellowship and footwashing, continuing with an "Agape Feast" and Communon, and ending with the stripping of the altar.
• Good Friday Services.  At 5:00pm, a Stations of the Cross for Children.  At 12:00pm, a traditional Good Friday Noonday service. At 7:30pm, a Tenebrae (Candlelight/Darkening) service with Taize chant.
• Easter Eve - The Great Vigil of Easter. A beautiful sung service with baptisms and the first communion of Easter.

Easter - Festival Easter Services.  We offer a variety of services on Easter Sunday