About Worship at Grace

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Worship at Grace is based on the ancient traditions of the Church and adapted for who we are and where we are today. We pray, praise and learn through music, reading of Scripture, sermons, and the celebration of Holy Communion. While this worship can be expressed in a variety of styles, we all want to spend time growing closer to God.

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In worship, we follow the liturgical calendar that takes us through a journey of discipleship as we move through the seasons of the church year:

• Advent – a season of preparation at the beginning of the church year, beginning four Sundays before Christmas. The focus is opening our hearts and minds to the in-breaking of God’s promise. The theme is expectation and hope; the color is violet.

• Feast of the Nativity (Christmas) – the day and season of celebrating God’s Promise enfleshed in Christ, entering into our world in the dark, poor, and unexpected places to bring us salvation. The theme is rejoicing, and the color is white.

• Feast of the Epiphany– the day when we recognize that God’s promise is revealed, not just for a few, but for the entire world. The theme is revelation of light, and the color is white.

• Epiphanytide– the season when we carry on the revelation of light in Christ.  The color is green.

• Feast of the Transfiguration– the day when we remember Christ ascending the mountain and being turned bright white after talking with God. We celebrate the glory of Christ being revealed to the world. The color is white and/or gold.

• Lent – another season of preparation, and turning our hearts back to God in preparation for the sacrifice Jesus makes for our healing. The theme is repentance, and the color is violet–the symbol of Jesus’ kingship.

• Easter (Feast of the Resurrection/Pascha/Easter Sunday) – the season of celebrating Christ’s resurrection, and his victory over death in all its forms. The theme is joy, and the color is white.

• Feast of Pentecost – the day when we remember the Holy Spirt coming over the apostles, empowering them to take the gospel into the world. We are God-breathed and Pentecost celebrates that reality. Many, in fact, think of Pentecost as the “birth day” of the Church, because it was on that day that we received the gift that has made it all possible. The color is red.

• Ordinary Time (Season After Epiphany)– a long season (almost half the year) of learning what it means to be a disciple, a follower of Jesus–both the blessings and the challenges. The theme is growth in faith, and the color is green.