Sundays
Worship at St. Paul & St. Andrew is a joyful, inspiring, thought-provoking, intimate, and entertaining celebration of life and faith. We worship in the sanctuary at 11:00am (10:00am from July through Labor Day weekend) every Sunday morning for about one hour (give or take!). We believe that all are welcome to participate in worship, no matter your age, background, or spiritual path.
Don’t worry about wearing your “Sunday best”
At St. Paul & St. Andrew, people are welcome to wear anything from suits to jeans and t-shirts – so please come in whatever makes you comfortable. You can enter on 86th St or West End Ave. The 86th St entrance has a ramp for those who have difficulty with stairs (See more about our accessibility here.). When you enter the sanctuary, please take a bulletin, and make yourself at home in any pew.
Welcoming Newcomers and Visitors
Near the end of the service, a pastor will invite anyone who is with us for the first or second time to stand and introduce themselves. We know this can be uncomfortable for some people. If you don’t feel like standing, know that it is okay to stay seated, but we would love to hear from you if you’re game! If you want to keep in touch, we will also invite you to fill out a contact and prayer card and place it in the offering plate. You can also fill out a digital contact card here!
Family Friendly Worship
All children are very welcome in worship. We promise no one will look at you funny if your child squirms or cries. We love hearing kids in church and most children really enjoy being in our worship services. Near the beginning of our worship, one of our leaders invites children (and any caregivers) to the front of the sanctuary to hear a special Children’s Message. Afterward, children may go to Sunday School (ages 4 to grade 5) on the first floor, nursery care (ages 4 and under) on the second floor, or stay in worship with their caregivers. Our 86th St entrance is stroller accessible, and we have a “Baby Corner” where children can freely play in the back of the sanctuary. For more information about our Children and Families Ministries, contact Rev. Lea Matthews.
Passing the Peace
After we welcome everyone, it is our practice to “pass the peace”. This means we share the peace and love of Christ by greeting the people around us with a “Peace be with you” or just plain “Peace!”. This can take around five minutes, as some people will walk all around the sanctuary offering an awful lot of peace! Some people offer peace with hugs. If you don’t want a hug, it’s totally fine! Our advice: Just stick your hand out, and you’ll get lots of super-welcoming handshakes.
Holy Communion
On the first Sunday of every month, we end our worship with the sacrament of Holy Communion. This is an ancient ritual of the Christian church that remembers Jesus’ last meal with his disciples and the generations of ancestors who have experienced God’s love in community. In the United Methodist tradition, all are welcome to fully join in this moment, no matter your age or spiritual journey. If you choose to participate, you will be invited by an usher to the front of the sanctuary, where you can kneel or stand at the altar rail with other folks. A piece of bread (“the body of Christ”) will be offered to you, which you will be invited to dip into a cup of grape juice (“the blood of Christ”) and then eat. A pastor will say a blessing, and everyone at the altar rail can return to their seats. If you have never participated in this sacrament before, we hope you will try it out!