What to Expect
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It can be intimidating to walk into a church for the first time.
That's why when you visit St. Jude's Episcopal church, you will be our respected and welcome guest. You will not be singled out in an embarrassing way, nor asked to stand before the congregation, nor to come forward. You will worship God with us, as one of us.
You may have seen the signs in towns across America that say, "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You." Well, we mean it! Whether you are here visiting with friends or family, are new to the area and looking for a church, or simply seek life's deeper meaning, you are welcome at St. Jude's Episcopal Church.
We get it.
What happens during a service?
The framework of all our services is liturgy. This means each service follows a set format, laid down in the Book of Common Prayer. We will also use the Bible and two music books: the Hymnal 1982, and Renew.
The good news is that our service bulletin lists out all the prayers, responses, and scriptures during the service. Any hymns that are sung during worship are numbered so you can easily find them in the hymnal.
Your service bulletin will guide you to which book we will be using at which time, should you choose to use them, and you should find copies of all these books in the back of the pew in front of you or under your seat. If you can't find one, ask one of our friendly ushers.
Our liturgy may be new to you, and we do a lot of standing, kneeling, and sitting. Please feel free to participate as much or little as you like, and don't feel like you have to kneel or stand, especially if you have health concerns. You will not be judged for how much you do or do not participate. However, we hope you will appreciate the active and participatory nature of worship in The Episcopal Church. As you become more comfortable with the service, we hope you will find reassurance and peace in knowing what to expect each week.
View an instructed Eucharist service here.
We invite all baptized Christians to come forward and partake of the Eucharist. If you would like to partake but have mobility concerns or require a gluten-free wafer, please let an usher know.
Come as you are.
Although our worship style is traditional, we aren't stuffy. It's Florida, after all! You will see folks wearing suits and folks in shorts and flip flops... and we lean towards the latter.
If you arrive a little early, ask an usher to direct you to our Parish Hall so we can offer you hot coffee and fresh donuts. We'd love to meet you.
Bringing the kids? As you arrive, one of our friendly ushers will be happy to walk you back to our Sunday School and nursery area. Nursery is open for both services and Sunday School is held during the 10:30 a.m. service.
