Newcomers
Welcome to St. Brendan's. We are glad you've joined us.
St. Brendan's Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Church and follows traditional Episcopal liturgies found in the Book of Common Prayer. We welcome those already familiar with the Episcopal Church or with other Christian denominations; those who come to us from other faith backgrounds; and those who simply “seek the Truth,” to borrow a phrase from one of our best-known prayers. The liturgy of the Episcopal Church has many similarities to that of the Roman Catholic Church, and many of our former Roman Catholic members felt right at home on their first Sunday at St. Brendan's.
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We invite any visitors interested in learning more about St. Brendan's to fill out this form or one of the visitor cards at the welcome table on Sunday or contact us via phone or email. ​You can also click on any of the buttons below for further information.
Choosing a worship service
St Brendan's offers three weekly services, each with their own unique feel. Visitors are welcome at all services.
Sunday 8:00 a.m. - Holy Eucharist Rite II
This is an intimate, traditional worship service with communion and without music. The service typically lasts about 45 minutes. This service is held in the chapel off of St. Brendan's main sanctuary.
Sunday 10:00 a.m. - Holy Eucharist Rite II
This family-friendly service features traditional worship with music and communion. The service typically lasts about 1 hour 15 minutes. We offer child care in our nursery for children from infants through preschool and Sunday School for children from kindergarten through 5th grade during the first part of this service. Immediately following the service, we host coffee hour with coffee, lemonade, and baked goods.
Wednesday Evening
St. Brendan's also offers an informal Eucharist service without music on the first three Wednesdays of every month. On the fourth Wednesday, we offer a Taize/Evening Prayer service (with communion) in the chapel. Often candlelit, these quiet services include time set aside for meditation. [The exact times for these services vary between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. depending on the season and are announced in the Navigator’s Log, the parish’s weekly newsletter.]
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Learn more about our worship services here.
​​Following along with the service
When you arrive, you will be handed a service bulletin that contains everything you will need to participate. The liturgy can also be found in the red Book of Common Prayer located beneath the seat in front of you. Words to most hymns are printed in the bulletin, with music appearing in the blue hymnals beneath the seat in front of you. Words to hymns and songs from other sources are printed in the bulletin.
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​If you are new to the Episcopal Church or would like someone to sit with you during the service, please let one of our greeters at the welcome table know; someone will be more than happy to guide you through the service.
Taking communion
If you have ever been baptized, we welcome you to participate by accepting Holy Communion if you choose. You can either accept the communion wafer in your hands and place it directly in your mouth, or, if you prefer, dip the wafer in the wine when it is presented to you before consuming it. If you feel more comfortable just receiving a blessing, cross your arms in front of you at the communion rail and the priest will administer a blessing. For those with food allergies, we provide gluten-free communion wafers.
Children are welcome
Children are always welcome in services. Learn more about how St. Brendan's engages children here. A "Toddler's Table" is situated in the back of the church. If your toddler or young preschooler needs space to move around or some toy/item to engage with during worship, feel free to utilize this space for such times. We believe that children still learn and benefit from being in church, even during play.
Getting involved
Be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Navigator's Log, to keep up to date with all the going-ons at St. Brendan's. (Email us and we can add you to the email list.)
Interested in getting more involved with St. Brendan's or one of our ministries (see the MINISTRIES menu at the top of this page)? Have an idea for a new ministry? St. Brendan's encourages all members, whether they have been attending for one month or ten years, to get involved with service and fellowship activities. Our priest or one of our vestry members would be happy to speak with you further about your interests and connect you to others in the parish who may share your callings!
More questions?
Check out these resources:
What to expect when you visit an Episcopal Church, from the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia.
Feel free to contact our office with any additional questions.
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