WHAT TO EXPECT

St. Ann’s Episcopal Church is a welcoming community, striving through worship, love, and service to embrace all people just as God created a diverse humanity. We sincerely hope and pray that you join us for a service or event to meet and worship with us!

Crossing the threshold of a new church can be a tremendously courageous act.  Know that you are welcome here!  There are no gatekeepers. St Ann’s is an affirming, and inclusive Christian community. It’s a come-as-you-are environment. It doesn’t matter if you are “summer folk”, just moved into the area, or searching for a new (or your first) spiritual home. Your race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation…none of that matters. Whether you are 9 or 90, whether you are alone or bring your family, you are welcome at St Ann’s.

What are services like?

When you attend worship services with us at St. Ann’s you’ll be welcomed into our journey to know God. We do this during our services in a number of ways: we use the Book of Common Prayer (prayers are reprinted in our weekly bulletins to make it easy for newcomers and visitors to follow along) to recite group prayers and thanksgivings, we read from the Bible and interpret what we hear, we sing hymns, we hear a sermon, we give an offering, and we participate in the Eucharist (Holy Communion) most weeks to give thanks to God for our blessings.

What if I’m not Episcopalian?

That’s OK- come in anyway! Many of our members have come to us from other denominations over the years, and we think that makes us a pretty dynamic group. When we say in our mission statement that we are a “welcoming community rooted in Jesus Christ,” we really mean it- we welcome you to join us no matter what your religious background is… or isn’t! Even if you’ve never set foot in a church, we’d still love to meet you.

Do I need to participate in the offering or go to the altar for communion?

No. You don’t need to do anything that you’re unsure about. We invite you to worship with us because we truly believe that having you with us will enrich our own experience, and will be a gift to you as well. You needn’t feel pressure to participate in the offering as a guest, nor to come to the altar to receive communion (although all baptized Christians are welcome to come to the altar if they choose, regardless of denomination). The choice is yours!

What should I wear?

There is no formal dress code at St. Ann’s and you should wear what feels comfortable to you. You’ll see the clergy and acolytes wearing robes, and many people wearing “traditional” Sunday morning attire, but you’ll also see many folks wearing nice, casual clothes.

Are children welcome?

Oh my, yes! You’ll notice when you visit us that we have many children as part of our church family, and that makes us all very, very happy. No, it doesn’t always make for perfectly silent worship services, but we feel that the gift of a child’s laughter (and sometimes chatter) is one of God’s most precious gifts.

Do you have a nursery?

We have a nursery room downstairs that is staffed for the 10am service.

Do you have a Sunday School?

We do not currently offer a Sunday School program.

Do visitors need to stand up or say anything?

No. We want you to be as comfortable as possible, so we won’t put you on the spot. You’ll probably be approached by some friendly faces who notice you’re new, but they’ll be there to answer questions for you and to make you feel comfortable. They may also give you a contact card to fill out so that we can keep in touch with you and your family.

Need a few more questions answered?

Please call us at church 207.892.8447 or contact our Parish Administrator and we’d be happy to help you, or you can simply join us on a Sunday morning and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.