What to expect when you visit St. Stephen
Visitors are always welcome at St. Stephen!
Before you attend a worship service for the first time,
you may wonder what to expect. We encourage you to explore
our web site for information on our worship services,
ministries, mission activities, and the Presbyterian Church,
U.S.A. If you have questions, please contact us by phone or
by clicking on the
Contact Us link located at the top of each page. Then,
join us on a Sunday to experience glorious music, prayer,
Scripture readings, insightful messages from the pulpit, and
fellowship.
Visiting a new church can be unsettling. By eliminating
the "unknowns" about St. Stephen beforehand, our hope is
that you will come worship with us.
Getting to St. Stephen and parking
St. Stephen is located in the TCU area of Ft. Worth - just
a few blocks east of University Drive. We are easily
accessible from various parts of Ft. Worth, Arlington, and
the mid-cities. We make it convenient for our visitors to
park at the church with numerous parking spots designated
for both visitors and handicapped individuals.
Check out the
Map & Directions area of our web site for more detailed
directions and a map to St. Stephen.
Caring for your children
Child care is provided for infants through elementary age
children. However, parents are invited to bring their
children to our worship services. A silent paging system is
also available so that child care staff can notify a parent if
assistance is needed. We also have a room available for
nursing infants, where mothers can hear the worship service.
For older children, a worship bag is available in the
Narthex. Signs located in the parking lot and courtyard will
direct you to the nursery located in the Education building.
Check out the
Child Care area of our web site for more information on
child care at St. Stephen.
Where to go when you arrive
All
worship services are held in the Sanctuary building.
The 8:30 a.m. service is held in the West Transept of the
Sanctuary, and there are signs pointing you to the entrance.
The 11:00 a.m. service is held in the Nave of the Sanctuary,
and you can enter through either the West Transept or the
south entrance of the Sanctuary through the Narthex.
As you enter the Sanctuary, you will be greeted by an
usher and provided with a copy of our Order of Worship
(bulletin) and an insert called Invitations which
contains information about activities at the church.
Worship at St. Stephen
When you enter the Sanctuary for worship, we request that
everyone observe silence. This provides the opportunity for
each person to prepare to worship God, and creates an
atmosphere of reverence and awe in anticipation of our
worship of God. If you desire to enter into silent prayer
prior to worship, you may remain seated in your pew or use
the kneeling benches.
Order of Worship
The worship service at St. Stephen progresses without
announcement. The Order of Worship includes the text for all
congregational prayers, responsive readings, service music, and
creeds. The Presbyterian Hymnal and Holy Bible are located
in the racks in front of each pew.
A typical worship service at St. Stephen includes:
-
Organ Prelude
- Peal of the
Tower Bells
- Greeting and Call to Worship
- Processional Hymn
- Prayer of Adoration
- General Confession of Sin
- Assurance of Pardon
- The Gloria Patri
- Prayer for Illumination
- Scripture Readings - Hebrew Testament Lesson,
Epistle Lesson, Gospel Lesson
- Gradual Psalm - the Psalm reading of the
day chanted by the
Sanctuary Choir
- Sermon
- Hymn
- Welcome and Invitation to Discipleship
- The Apostles' Creed
- Presentation of Tithes and Offerings
- Choral Anthem by the
Sanctuary Choir
- The Doxology
- Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
- The Lord's Prayer
- Recessional Hymn
- Benediction and Choral Response
- Peal of the
Tower Bells
-
Organ Postlude
The Sacrament of Holy Communion
All baptized faithful are invited to partake of this
sacrament. It is not a possession of this congregation or
the Presbyterian Church - it is the Table of the Lord. St.
Stephen celebrates the Sacrament of Holy Communion in
different forms, including intinction (dipping of bread in
the wine) and passing trays of bread and wine among the
congregation. The Sacrament of Holy Communion is celebrated
each Sunday during the 8:30 a.m. service and approximately
11 times per year during the 11:00 a.m. service.
After the worship service
At the conclusion of the worship service, we invite you
to make yourself known to parishioners seated around you. An
informal cookie fellowship is held in the Narthex. This is a
perfect time to meet Dr. Ritsch, members of the choir, and
other St. Stephen members. You are also encouraged to walk
upstairs to the choir gallery and meet Mark Scott, our
Minister of Music and Organist.
Becoming a member
If you desire information about becoming a member of the
church, please speak with Dr. Ritsch, and visit the
Becoming a Member area of our web site. Classes for
prospective new members are held several times throughout
the year.
It is our sincere hope that your experience here is
comfortable and spiritually enriching, and you will return
often and consider making St. Stephen your church home.
God's grace and peace be with you.
|
