Holy Eucharist
"Within the biblical tradition the Eucharist is ranged, and in a pre-eminent place, among those signs which announce before people, and inaugurate among them, that reality which is included in the eternal purpose of God... It is the sign of the kingdom of God... conceived as a feast for its citizens" - Geoffrey Wainwright
"Ceremony is a necessary part of the worship of the Church. Ceremony is what we do together. Without ceremonies, we would be left with nothing but pages and pages of words to be said aloud. Ceremony is based on the recognition that we must worship God, not only with our minds, and ideas, and words, but with our bodies and our senses. Ceremony can engage the whole person in the worship of God." - Jon H. Olson
Parishioners are actively involved in the liturgical action at Christ Church in many different ways. As the ceremony of High Mass in the Anglo-Catholic tradition requires, besides a priest, a deacon and a subdeacon, around the year 1970 Fr. Jon Olson decided that, in absence of ordained deacons, several lay parishioners trained by him would fill the ceremonial roles of deacon and subdeacon on a rotating basis. The same applies to other "minor" roles in the liturgy of High Mass: crucifer, thurifer, torch-bearer, and server. This arrangement has not only allowed the ritual of High Mass to be celebrated, but has brought about a considerable level of spiritual growth in the parish as a whole. Readers of Holy Scripture or prayers are also employed. Those in charge of hospitality for that particular Sunday process to the altar at the Offertory with the "gifts" of bread and wine. Anybody who attends the parish regularly may be trained to fulfill one or more of such liturgical roles.
"Christ Church Parish has long been committed to a continuing program of thoughtful and informed liturgical renewal. Our goal is to permit the sacred action of our worship to gain in clarity, power, and openness to the full participation of all. Worship is not a beautiful spectacle at which worshipers are merely an audience, but a communal activity, in which the Community of the Faithful express the Mystery of Faith." - Jon H. Olson
Sunday Mass (i.e. the Holy Eucharist) is celebrated at 9:00 a.m.
Note: Frankincense is always used at High Mass and often at Vespers.
Here you can find some notes by Dr. Jack Coogan, professor of liturgy and a longtime member of the parish, reflecting on the liturgical changes put in place by the Rev. Can. Jon Olson some thirty years ago.
