Services
HOW WE WORSHIP
The faith community of St. Peter's gathers several times a week to offer praise and thanks to God and to be nurtured and challenged in its spiritual growth through worship. Our celebrations are marked by a spirit of joy, warmth and reverence. Exceptional music and thoughtful, provocative preaching enliven our Sunday experience of our beautiful Episcopal liturgy.
This is a Eucharistically-centered parish, celebrating the Holy Eucharist several times per week.
The Laying on of Hands and Anointing, with prayers for healing, are offered during the Communion portion of most Eucharists. At the Sunday services if you wish to receive unction or to share a special prayer request, please meet a member of the clergy during the distribution of Communion.
All God's people are welcomed to the Lord's Table to receive the Holy Sacrament of Communion, including children. The ushers will help direct you to the Communion rail. If physical limitations make it difficult for you to come to the rail, please let an usher know, and we will be happy to bring Communion to you in your pew.
Worship Schedule Update
Beginning the following week, September 28, our regular 10:00 a.m. service will shift to 10:15 a.m. This small change gives a little more space between the early service and choir rehearsal, making Sunday mornings feel more relaxed for everyone. This service will continue to be streamed on YouTube.
SERVICES
WEEKLY SERVICES
Holy Eucharist is Celebrated
Saturday: 5 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. (with organ)
10:15 a.m. (with choir) in the
Sanctuary. This service is broadcast on YouTube.
Wednesday: 3 p.m. at The Moorings (formerly Cadbury) in Lewes
Wednesday: 4 p.m. at The Lodge
Wednesday: 7:00 p. m.
Special Services: Scroll below
2025 Christmas Services
Christmas Eve December 24th
3:30 pm Family Service
5:30pm Lessons & Carols
with Holy Eucharist
8 pm Festal Choral Eucharist
10:30pm Prelude with Carol Sing
11pm Festal Choral Eucharist
Doors open 30 minutes before each service.
All Christmas Eve Services will be streamed to YouTube.
Christmas Day December 25th
Eucharist, In person only 9am
All services include communion unless otherwise stated.
Services will be broadcast YouTube unless otherwise stated.
December 28th there will be no Godly Play.
Godly Play will resume at 9:30am on January 4 to practice for the Epiphany Pageant.
Acolytes
Acolytes are trained to perform important functions in the worship service such as carrying the cross, lighting the candles and assisting clergy in preparation of the Eucharist. Please speak to Fr. Jeffrey or Jeff Whipple if you are interested in serving.
Altar
The Altar Guild is the ministry of men and women who prepare and maintain the sacred vessels and vestments used in the church. Some of our members also help with floral arrangements and decorations for special occasions.
Members are trained and assigned to a rotating team that is responsible for the services during a two week series. Serving on the Altar Guild, members say, is like preparing for a very special party--a feast--because you set the table and choose fine linen and candles or oil lights, the brass or silver vessels.
Lay Eucharist Minister
To serve St. Peter's church as a Lay Eucharistic Minister is a meaningful and fulfilling ministry. The opportunity to assist the celebrant during Holy Eucharist as a chalice bearer and lay reader is available to any church member who is in good standing and who wishes to be trained to perform these duties. If you are interested in volunteering at any of our services, please speak to Fr. Jeff.
Lay Eucharist Visitors
To serve St. Peter's church as a Lay Eucharistic Minister is a meaningful and fulfilling ministry. The opportunity to assist the celebrant during Holy Eucharist as a chalice bearer and lay reader is available to any church member who is in good standing and who wishes to be trained to perform these duties. If you are interested in volunteering at any of our services, please speak to Fr. Jeff.
Lector
By reading the lessons at each service, this group of parishioners is given a meaningful way to participate. Simple training is provided and each Lector is sent a copy of their assigned reading before the Sunday service so they can familiarize themselves with the text. If you are interested in this ministry, please speak with Fr. Jeff.
Usher
Ushers at our worship services are crucial participants in our liturgy. They welcome newcomers, help them find seats and assimilate into the service. Usher teams typically serve once a month and are essential to our ministry of hospitality. If you are interested in serving as an Usher, please contact the office.
Mystic Monday
One Monday a month we gather together to worship through a service of chant or healing. Please refer to our calendar to find out which Monday the service is scheduled for this month.
Taizé is a small village in eastern France which, since 1940, has been the home of an ecumenical community of brothers committed to international communion for all. Today, Taizé is a place to which visitors of all ages and backgrounds come on pilgrimage, to participate in international meetings of prayer and reflection.
Since the 1970’s, Taizé has hosted meetings of young people between the ages of 18 and 30 from all over the world in increasing numbers. This created a challenge to present music and song that would be accessible to large numbers of people (many of them young) from many countries with many languages. A solution was found in the use of repetitive, short musical phrases with singable melodic units that could readily be memorized by everybody. Other parts (cantors, choir, instruments) could be overlaid to enrich the experience. Many of the chants are devised as canons or rounds. Today Taizé music is published and sung in many different languages both at Taizé and across the world. Latin (no longer a spoken tongue anywhere) is often employed as a neutral language that is relatively easy to pronounce and sing.
About this Service
The Taizé service includes chants, scripture, and prayer, woven together with periods of silence for reflection. The music, drawn from the Taizé tradition, is simple and repetitive, inviting a peaceful, prayerful atmosphere.
You are welcome to join in the singing as you feel ready. The chants may include harmonies or short solo phrases, while the core melody continues. Feel free to close your eyes, rest in silence, or focus your attention as you are led.
How to get started
- Calm yourself from the outside world to open yourself to the Holy Spirit and to the presence of Christ.
- Turn off outside distractions and allow yourself to be fully present to prayer and meditation.
- Please silence all electronic communication devices.
- Enter into the simplicity and beauty of this service. If you are not comfortable with singing, you can say the words
Concerning prayers for healing and the laying on of hands
This service reflects the belief that God’s purpose is wholeness for all—body, mind, spirit, community, and creation. Healing is part of our Christian witness, grounded in the life and teaching of Jesus.
We pray for individuals, places, and situations because each is known to God—not as problems to fix, but as recipients of God’s love. Our prayers do not replace medical care but work alongside it as part of God’s healing.
There will be an opportunity to receive the laying on of hands—for yourself or another. This ministry is shared by the whole community, not limited to a few. Whether you come forward or remain seated, your presence and prayers are part of God’s healing work.
Sung Compline
Dates to be determined.
Join our Adult Choir in a short contemplative service of evening worship. Compline is the last service of the Daily Office typically celebrated by religious orders. Compline consists of psalms, short scripture passages, an office hymn, a canticle (Nunc Dimittis), a litany, collects and additional prayers, sung to plainsong chant.
In keeping with the earliest practices of the monastic communities, Compline is offered when the work of the day is completed, and the quietness of evening settles over the hearts and minds of those who have come together in thankfulness for the blessings of the day which has passed and in anticipation of God's gift of a new day.
The service is about 20 minutes and sung by the adult choir of St. Peter's.
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