Worship

Please join us for Sunday Worship

A warm welcome awaits you! We have two services every Sunday from September-June:
8 am – a quiet service in the Chapel
10 am – a family service with choir in the Church
Sunday School for children during the 10 am service

Join us for Coffee Pause after the 10 am service and get to know our Parish family!

Summer services take place in our air conditioned parish hall at 10 AM. 

Our Sunday services as well as special services (eg. Easter, Christmas, funerals when requested by the family, etc.) are live-streamed via our facebook page. 

 

 

Worship at The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross

The Episcopal Church offers a thoughtful approach to religion. It is often described as a three legged stool with each leg representing scripture, tradition and reason. The Episcopal Church teaches that morality is rooted in Jesus’ summary of the law “to love God with heart, mind and soul and to love one’s neighbor as oneself.”

When Episcopalians worship we unite ourselves with one another to acknowledge the holiness of God, to hear God’s Word through readings from the Bible, to offer prayer and praise and to celebrate the Sacraments. The Celebration of Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion) is the central part of our service. Through this celebration we share the bread and wine in remembrance of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection as well as receive forgiveness for our sins and strengthen our connection with Christ and each other.

The order of the service

As we begin our worship, we praise God through singing and prayers. We listen to as many as four readings from the Bible. The priest then usually gives a sermon/talk about the Bible readings. The congregation then recites the Nicene Creed which states what we believe. Next we say the “Prayers of the People” which include prayers for the Church, the world and those in need such as the sick. We also thank God for our many blessings. As the service proceeds, we confess our sins which are things that we have done and not done. The priest assures us that God is always ready to forgive our sins. We then greet one another by saying “Peace be with you.” Please do not be alarmed if many people greet you in this way as we are happy to have you with us.

The service then moves to the Holy Eucharist during which the priest recites prayers that tell the story of Christianity and the story of Jesus Christ. The priest reminds us of Christ’s coming into the world and about the night before his death. During Jesus’ last supper, He instructed us to remember Him by eating the bread which is His body and drinking the wine which is His blood so that our sins can be forgiven. All baptized Christians are invited to join us at Holy Communion regardless of their denomination. This means that you can eat the bread and drink the wine. If you are not baptized or do not want to participate, you can receive a blessing by just crossing your hands in an X on your chest and joining us. The priest will recognize this signal. Once Holy Communion is completed, we will say a prayer of thanksgiving. The priest concludes by blessing us and we leave to live a life that reflects God’s love in the world.

Sacraments

Baptism

Baptism is the beginning of our Christian journey. Through baptism we confess our faith as Christians, are assured the forgiveness of our sins, and become a part of the Body of Christ, the Church, forever.

It is our hope that if you are baptized (or you have your child baptized) at Holy Cross you will plan to be an active part of our parish community. Baptism is just the beginning of our lives as followers of Jesus Christ. Christianity is meant to be lived as part of an intentional community where we work together to learn and grow in our faith and our understanding of God’s will for our lives.

In the Episcopal Church we baptize infants, children, and adults. In the case of infants and children not old enough to make their own baptismal vows, parents and godparents make the promises for the child. We ask that godparents be baptized Christians, but they do not have to be Episcopalian.

Baptism only happens once in a lifetime. We do not re-baptize those baptized in other Christian denominations. If you are interested in baptism for yourself or your child, please contact the church office at (908) 756-2438 or holycrossnp@gmail.com. Mother Stephanie, our priest-in-charge, will meet with you for baptism preparation, and will schedule the baptism. Baptisms take place in the presence of the congregation at the 10 am Sunday service.

Holy Communion

also called the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper –
In the Episcopal Church anyone baptized in the name of the Trinity – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, regardless of age or church/denomination affiliation, may receive Holy Communion. At communion at Holy Cross we serve unleavened bread in the form of small wafers, as well wine which contains alcohol. It is always permissible to choose not to consume either the bread or the wine for any reason.

If you do not wish to receive communion you are always welcome at the altar rail to receive a blessing. Make a “X” across your chest so the priest knows you would like a blessing instead of communion.

Confirmation, Reception, or Reaffirmation

Confirmation is the sacrament through which those who were baptized as infants or small children claim, as adults, the vows made for them. Those who were baptized as teenagers or adults in another denomination, or confirmed in another denomination, but have decided to join the Episcopal Church are formally received into the Episcopal Church.

From time to time one may want to make a reaffirmation of their Confirmation. This is done in the context of a confirmation service when the bishop is visiting.

Marriage

Congratulations on your engagement! We are excited for you and look forward to being part of the day you make a lifelong commitment to each other.

For all wedding related questions and information, please contact the church office at (908) 756-2438 or holycrossnp@gmail.com.

Here’s some basic information about weddings at Holy Cross to get you started:
Holy Cross has two venues that are perfect for the celebration of the sacrament of marriage. One is our main church, which seats up to 250 guests. The other is our chapel, perfect for an intimate wedding with up to 20 guests.

We marry heterosexual as well as LGBT couples. There is a marriage ceremony in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, as well as a gender neutral ceremony, that may be used. Mother Stephanie will be happy to provide you with more information about your ceremony options.

We have a handful of general guidelines for weddings:

  1. One member of the couple must be a baptized Christian, although they do not need to be Episcopalian.
  2. If either member of the couple is divorced, the priest must get permission from the Bishop’s office to perform the ceremony.
  3. You will meet with the priest 3-4 times before the wedding, not only to plan the ceremony, but, more importantly, to have important conversations about the joys and challenges of marriage. There will also be a wedding rehearsal coordinated by the priest who will preside at your ceremony.
  4. If you are seeking to be married in a church, it is our assumption that you are interested in being involved in a Christian community in an intentional and ongoing way. We hope you will consider making Holy Cross that community.
  5. Please speak with Holy Cross to choose a wedding date before speaking with any wedding vendors, caterers, etc. You will need to reserve a date with us at least 6 months in advance. At your first meeting with the priest you will be provided with more detailed guidelines regarding the ceremony as well as information on costs. At that time we will schedule your meetings with the priest as well as your rehearsal.
  6. Our parish hall may be rented for wedding receptions for an additional fee.

Confession

We say a prayer of confession together, as a community, every week during our Sunday services. Private Confession with the priest is available by appointment for anyone who feels called to additional guidance and assurance of God’s forgiveness. In the Episcopal Church we say the following about the sacrament of Confession: “all may, some should, none must.” The sacrament is available to those who wish it but is never required.

Anointing of the Sick (Unction)

Pastoral care, including anointing with holy oil and prayers for healing, is available for those who are homebound, in the hospital, hospice, nursing home, or other facility. Please get in touch with the church office to be sure we are aware that you or your loved one is ill.

Funerals at Holy Cross

As Christians, we have faith in God’s love and eternal life in Christ. At the same time, our grief at the loss of our loved ones is as deep as our love for them. The clergy and people of Holy Cross are here to help you celebrate the life of your loved one, mourn their loss, and commend them to the loving care of God through a funeral or memorial service. At a funeral service, the body or cremated remains are present; a memorial service is one where the remains are not present.

We use the Episcopal Burial of the Dead. It is one of the most moving and beautiful services of the church. You may find it in The Book of Common Prayer pages 491-505 (available online at bcponline.org). To arrange a funeral at Holy Cross, please contact the church office at (908) 756-2438 or holycrossnp@gmail.com.

For additional information about any of the sacraments please contact the church office at (908) 756-2438 or email holycrossnp@gmail.com.