Worship > Sundays > Road Map to 11:15 AM Eucharist
Road Map to 11:15 AM Sunday Eucharist
We welcome you to our 11.15 AM worship service. It is our hope that this guide will give you a sense of the service and answer any questions you might have, particularly if this is your first time attending an Anglican Church service. If we’ve forgotten something, please ask.
Every week at this time the community gathers to hear the words of scripture read, to offer prayers, and to celebrate the Eucharist (also known as communion or the Lord’s Supper). All are encouraged to take part in the worship service. Nursery care and a one-room school house children’s program are available. The liturgical season greatly influences how we gather as a community as we strive to make worship real and relevant.
As You Arrive
There are two entrances to our worship space – the front doors on Bloor Street and the ramp entrance on Avenue Road. Pushing the round paddle on the wall to the left of the door at the top of the ramp will open it for you.
Wheelchair accessible washrooms are located to the left as you come in the Bloor Street doors. In the area at the back of the worship space you will find a number of print resources about the parish. It is also in this area that a time of coffee and conversation will take place at the end of the service.
A member of the sidespeople team will be at the door to greet you and answer any questions you might have. Children are welcome to stay in the worship service and equally are invited to join the other children in the nursery or church school program. Further information about the program can be found here. If you need assistance in finding the nursery, one of the greeters will be happy to help you. Our 11:15 Redeemer Kids program gathers in the worship space for the first part of the service and the sidespeople will be able to direct you to where the children gather and introduce you to the trusted adult who will be with the children. If your child wishes to stay in church, there are books and other quiet activities available to be taken to the pews for use during the service. When you are ready to find a seat, the greeter will give you a hymn book and a leaflet which contains everything you need for the service.
Preparing for Worship
The service takes place in the main worship space. There is the buzz of conversation as the 9:30 community prepares to depart and the 11:15 community arrives, the choir rehearses and quiet, prayerful calm all mingled together in the space. If you arrive early, wandering around looking at the stained glass windows is a good way to orient yourself to the space. There is a prayer request list on the lectern in the centre aisle. If you would like to add names of family and friends to this list, please do.
Please sit where you feel most comfortable. We use the Book of Alternative Services at all of our services. The leaflet contains all of the prayers and the hymn numbers as well as notices of upcoming events. You are welcome to take the leaflet home with you.
We Gather
We stand as the service begins with an opening hymn. The crucifer, acolytes and the clergy enter the worship space in procession up the centre aisle during the hymn. The Presiding Celebrant greets the community and gathers us in prayer with the collect (collecting our prayers for the day).
To Hear Our Story
We are seated to hear the stories contained in the readings assigned from the Hebrew text (Old Testament), the psalm and the Christian text (the Epistle reading from the New Testament). We stand to sing a hymn while the deacon and the servers move to the centre aisle for the Gospel reading and remain standing while it is read, to show our willingness to carry the good news into the world. It is our custom to turn and face the Gospel reader.
We then sit to listen to the sermon where the words of scripture are opened up for us through reflection on what the biblical story has to say to us in this time and place. The preaching at Redeemer is inspiring, challenging, and thought-provoking.
To Offer Prayers
After the sermon, we stand for the Prayers of the People. A member of the community will lead us as we offer prayers for our world, our church, and our community. In the silences we offer names and concerns aloud or quietly. On the first Sunday of the month this time of prayer is concluded with laying on of hands and prayers for specific concerns. All who wish may come forward to the altar rails when the celebrant indicates. The priests will quietly ask you "what would you like to pray for?" and then will lays his/her hands on your head or shoulder and pray for the specific petition.
At the conclusion of the prayers we exchange the peace - a public expression of forgiveness and mutual service within the community. People may hug or kiss each other, or more commonly shake hands. We usually say “peace be with you”, or simply “peace”. Please do whatever you find most comfortable.
To Gather Around the Table
After the peace, we remain standing for a hymn, during which a collection plate is passed. If you are a visitor, we are happy for you to be our guest, but if you’d like to make an offering to support our ministry, please place it in the plate when it reaches you. Members of the community bring the bread and wine forward so that the deacon and the server can prepare the table for communion. The offering is brought forward so that all of our gifts offered are received with thanksgiving.
The celebrant leads the congregation in a Eucharistic prayer. The bread and wine are blessed. Following this prayer of thanksgiving, we say a version of the Lord’s Prayer.
The bread is broken, the wine is poured and it is shared by all who gather around the table, regardless of age. If you have gluten or wheat intolerance, we have gluten-free wafers available. Please let the bread-bearer know and they will get one of the wafers for you. To receive the bread put your hand out to receive a piece of bread and eat it. When the cup is offered, you may guide it to your mouth with your hand and take a sip. It is customary to say Amen after receiving.
Please move forward and kneel or stand as is your preference. We form a horseshoe at the front, using the communion rails on either side and standing along the front, facing the altar. If you are standing along the front step, please move at least a foot forward from the top of the steps so that you do not trip when you turn to return to your seat.
All children, including infants, may receive the bread and wine, as you and they see fit. If you prefer, you may ask the priest to bless your child.
If you would like to receive a blessing instead of receiving communion, you can indicate this to the celebrant by crossing your arms in front of you as indicated in the picture below.
To be Sent Out into the World
The prayer after communion reminds us of our responsibility to ministry in the world. Before we are dismissed, announcements of upcoming events are made and the hymn is sung.
Following the Service
The community stays in the worship space for a time of coffee and conversation. Coffee, tea and juice are available in the space at the back and we invite you to join us. Members of the community and the clergy will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
To download a PDF version of this road map, please click here.