Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old. —Matthew 13:52
Sunday Worship
What's it like to worship at Good Samaritan? We are part of The Episcopal Church and worship according to its guidelines. We are a combination of the old and the new. If you are coming from a Catholic background, we will look pretty familiar to you. We have a liturgy—an order for the way the service should go. The service is a combination of music, prayers (both written and spontaneous), four readings from the Bible, and a sermon that is based on those readings and how to apply them to our lives in today's world. Like other churches, we use the readings scheduled in the lectionary, a three-year cycle of readings from both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. The form of service comes out of our Book of Common Prayer.
If you come from an evangelical tradition, you might find it "formal" at first, due to the worship leaders wearing robes and the orderly form of our service. But we are a very casual congregation—we encourage clapping, singing, and lots of questions. Many of our members used to attend evangelical churches and have found a home at Good Sam. Most of us dress casually, but a few dress up.
Our service is typically a Eucharist (thanksgiving). This means that, after the reading and the preaching, we have a Communion service. The priest prays for the Spirit to make the bread and wine holy, and we believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the bread and wine. We then share that Communion meal together, just as the very first Christians did. All are welcome to partake.
Our music—mostly contemporary, sometimes traditional, often lively—comes from three different hymnals and is accompanied by talented musicians on piano, guitar, drums, and more.
In the Episcopal Church, we believe in involving as many people as possible in worship. When you arrive, you'll be welcomed by greeters outside, who will offer you a name tag and answer any questions. As you enter the sanctuary, ushers will hand you a bulletin with the day's service readings and prayers. They will also be happy to point you toward assistive listening devices, water, and restrooms.
Do you have a young family? We provide childcare and Sunday School at the 10 am service. Kids of all ages are also welcome to stay with their parents, grandparents, or guardians in our spacious sanctuary. Drawing supplies and activities are available at the entrance.
After the 10 am service, we gather for refreshments and community-building in the church hall. From September through May, we also hold an adult forum with topics that range from Bible study and prayer to outreach, social justice, and environmental stewardship.
Morning & Evening Prayer
Join us at 7 am and 8 pm Monday through Saturday for Morning Prayer and Compline (Evening Prayer) on the Good Samaritan Episcopal Church Facebook page (facebook.com/goodsamsandiego).