Visitors and Guests
Welcome Visitors and Guests! We are glad you have checked our Internet home, whether you are visiting friends or relatives, you are in town for one of our many famous festivals or events, or you are passing through on your way to Mississippi or Baton Rouge. If you are newly relocated to our beautiful town because of work, retirement, or a combination of both, we hope and pray you will consider visiting us at Grace. Below is "What to expect when visiting Grace". Should you need additional information, please call us at 225-635-4065 and we would love to direct you further. Blessings to you and may your visit be a happy one!
What to Expect at Grace
1. Our Liturgy: We have services on Wednesday evenings at 5:15PM, Friday Mornings at 7:00AM, and Sundays at 7:30AM and 10:00AM. Episcopalians celebrate their "mass", "liturgy" or "service" according to our Book of Common Prayer (BCP). You don't need to have any familiarity with this book, however, to attend Grace. We print liturgy bulletins for all of our Sunday and Special Occasion services and you will be able to follow along without difficulty. Should you make Grace your home, you will learn the mechanics of the BCP over time or through one of our "New Comer" classes. So, have no fear about not knowing what to do. We will guide you along the way.
2. The Feel of the Place: When you first visit Grace you feel as though you have stepped back in time a bit. Our beautiful church and organ date back to the 1800's and we use a style of worship called "Rite One". This Rite uses language in some of our prayers similar to the language you find in the King James Bible (Thee, Thou, Thine...). Rather than hindering the experience, the feel of the place and the language of the service add an element of reverence, respect, and holiness to our time together. Once again, you will have all these prayers in the bulletin and it will be easy for you to follow along.
3. Style of our Worship: You probably have heard terms like "Low Church", "High Church", "Broad Church", etc. These are fancy terms to describe the degree of formality in our services. At Grace our priests and choir members dress in vestments, as do our acolytes and eucharistic ministers. We have an entrance procession, read the Gospel from within the congregation, and sing mostly Anglican hymns. Even though we don't use incense weekly, we do have a practice of incense use for high feasts, such as Easter and Christmas. We celebrate the Holy Eucharist at every service and grant all baptized Christians the option to receive Holy Communion. Lastly, you will notice that our priest faces the Altar, which means that during portions of the service the minister will be giving his back to the congregation. Think about it this way: At various points during the service, the clergy will join you in facing the altar and giving God the glory and honor God deserves.
4. The Sacraments and How to Schedule Baptisms, Funerals, Weddings, etc.: At Grace we celebrate the two Biblical Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Communion) as well as the five historic sacraments of Confirmation, Reconciliation, Marriage, Holy Orders (Ordination), and Anointing of the Sick. Historically, Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals are reserved for members of the church. This is pretty standard in most major Christian denominations. Please don't be discouraged by these rules, call us or visit us to discuss your individual situation.
5. Will your Children Feel Welcome at Grace?: Almost one third of our congregation is under the age of 22. We have programs for children, Middle-school and High School youth. Additionally, we gather on special occasions for specific events such as Happening, Junior and Senior High Rally, Field Trips, Mission-Days and other. In terms of attendance to our services, many of our youth attend regularly. So, please bring your little ones.
6. Access to Clergy: One of the great features of Grace is the accessibility of Fr. Roldan, our Rector, who is available for consultation and would love to meet you and your family. Just call our office and schedule some time to see him.
Finally, you will find a map on the "Home" page of this site, in case you don't already know where we are. We hope to see you soon and we pray that you find your visit to our beautiful little town to be relaxing and joyful. Bessings to you in our Lord and Savior!
2. The Feel of the Place: When you first visit Grace you feel as though you have stepped back in time a bit. Our beautiful church and organ date back to the 1800's and we use a style of worship called "Rite One". This Rite uses language in some of our prayers similar to the language you find in the King James Bible (Thee, Thou, Thine...). Rather than hindering the experience, the feel of the place and the language of the service add an element of reverence, respect, and holiness to our time together. Once again, you will have all these prayers in the bulletin and it will be easy for you to follow along.
3. Style of our Worship: You probably have heard terms like "Low Church", "High Church", "Broad Church", etc. These are fancy terms to describe the degree of formality in our services. At Grace our priests and choir members dress in vestments, as do our acolytes and eucharistic ministers. We have an entrance procession, read the Gospel from within the congregation, and sing mostly Anglican hymns. Even though we don't use incense weekly, we do have a practice of incense use for high feasts, such as Easter and Christmas. We celebrate the Holy Eucharist at every service and grant all baptized Christians the option to receive Holy Communion. Lastly, you will notice that our priest faces the Altar, which means that during portions of the service the minister will be giving his back to the congregation. Think about it this way: At various points during the service, the clergy will join you in facing the altar and giving God the glory and honor God deserves.
4. The Sacraments and How to Schedule Baptisms, Funerals, Weddings, etc.: At Grace we celebrate the two Biblical Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Communion) as well as the five historic sacraments of Confirmation, Reconciliation, Marriage, Holy Orders (Ordination), and Anointing of the Sick. Historically, Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals are reserved for members of the church. This is pretty standard in most major Christian denominations. Please don't be discouraged by these rules, call us or visit us to discuss your individual situation.
5. Will your Children Feel Welcome at Grace?: Almost one third of our congregation is under the age of 22. We have programs for children, Middle-school and High School youth. Additionally, we gather on special occasions for specific events such as Happening, Junior and Senior High Rally, Field Trips, Mission-Days and other. In terms of attendance to our services, many of our youth attend regularly. So, please bring your little ones.
6. Access to Clergy: One of the great features of Grace is the accessibility of Fr. Roldan, our Rector, who is available for consultation and would love to meet you and your family. Just call our office and schedule some time to see him.
Finally, you will find a map on the "Home" page of this site, in case you don't already know where we are. We hope to see you soon and we pray that you find your visit to our beautiful little town to be relaxing and joyful. Bessings to you in our Lord and Savior!
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Grace Church of West Feliciana Parish
Post Office Box 28 11621 Ferdinand St, St Francisville, LA 70775 Phone: 225-635-4065 Weekend Service Times Sundays: 7:30am, 10:00am |
