NEWCOMERS, WELCOME TO HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELS

The style of worship at the Church of the Guardian Angels is an expression of our Anglo-Catholic heritage. Our Solemn Mass service is a rich celebration filled with color, light, music, movement and incense.

This is because as Anglo-Catholics we believe in worshipping God not only with our minds, in the intellectual contemplation of God’s word and the preaching, but also with our bodies.

We use all five senses in our worship: seeing color, light and movement; hearing music and silence and the rhythm of the words; smelling the unique fragrance of incense and tasting the bread and the wine. We actively participate in the service by standing, sitting, kneeling, bowing and making the sign of the cross.

When you enter the Church, you will be given a bulletin and a Mass Booklet which contains the service music for the day. In the pews you will also find the Book of Common Prayer, 1928 edition (red), which is used by most Anglican churches throughout the United States, and the Hymnal (blue). The bulletin will help you find your way through the Mass Booklet, Prayer Book and Hymnal.

We recognize that our beautiful, historic and elaborate liturgy is complicated and may be confusing the first few times. Those around you will be happy to help guide you through the service. It is also always acceptable to simply let the sights and sounds of the liturgy wash over you, opening your heart, mind and senses to the experience of worship.