St. Anne’s community believes in keeping things simple, but words vary from church to church. Below, please find the following definitions to commonly used words within our community and our church service:

Communion – during our services, we celebrate and remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ by eating bread and drinking wine that is blessed by the celebrant. The consecration of bread and a cup of wine recalls the moment at the Last Supper when Jesus gave his disciples bread, saying, “This is my body”, and wine, saying, “This is my blood”.

Passing the Peace – About halfway through our service, we offer greetings of peace to each other. Whether it is a formal, “peace be with you” or a morning greeting, this is a time for our community to wish each other well and we focus our minds on “greeting one another in peace” as Jesus calls us to do.

Liturgy – Simply means the public worship of God. For more information on the definition, please follow the link to the national Episcopal page on liturgy

Fellowship – After each service, we offer a chance for all attendees to visit with each other over coffee and treats.

Prayer – Prayer is our way of communicating with God. We may participate in prayers that are spoken out loud or silently for ourselves. It is a way for us to both speak to God about our cares and concerns and to listen to what God has to say.

Celebrant – During our service or in the bulletin, you might notice this term. It means the person (usually the pastor/priest) that is leading the service.

Vestry – Governing body of the church that is made up of members of St. Anne’s and the pastor/priest.

Warden – The leader of the Vestry.

Junior Warden – The assistant to the warden and pastor in providing leadership to the Vestry and the church.

National: http://www.episcopalchurch.org
Iowa: http://www.iowaepiscopal.org