St. Michael's Episcopal Church
Vanquishing the Dragons of Poverty, Disease and Intolerance
12415 Cantrell Rd.
Little Rock, AR 72223

501 224 1442

Office Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday
9:00 am to 2:00 pm

Email Us

You will be Welcome
It can sometimes feel intimidating to enter a church you’re not familiar with. People usually take their
religion seriously, and you might feel self-conscious when everybody but you seems to know what
they’re doing.

St. Michael’s, however, is relatively informal in its approach to worship, and nobody will be singled out
or made to feel uncomfortable.  

Please don’t hesitate to ask the greeters at the door, if you have any questions, or anyone around
should you need somebody to help you manage the Prayer Book, Service Sheets and Hymnals
during the service. We hope, as well, that the information below will give you a better understanding
of the way we worship, and help you feel more at home when you join us.

The Place of Worship
As you enter the main worship area of the church (the nave), you will notice an atmosphere of quiet
reverence in the few minutes prior to the beginning of worship. Most of our worshippers use that
quiet moment to make a transition from the world outside. The layout of St. Michael’s, as of all
Episcopal Churches, carries your eye to the altar and then to the cross, taking our thoughts at once
to Christ whom we encounter in worship.

On the altar there are candles to remind us that Christ is the "Light of the World." [John 8:11] Except
during the penitential season of Lent, there are flowers at the altar to bring beauty and to recall the
resurrection of Jesus.


Episcopal worship is the worship of the people - that means everyone joins in. Under the seat in front
of you, you will find the Book of Common Prayer which enables the congregation to share fully in
every service. In addition, you will also find a copy of the hymnal.

At each service, you will be given a “service sheet” as you enter. The service sheet provides
direction as we celebrate the service together, and at the 9:00 and 11:00 service, the service sheets
are more like booklets that we use in lieu of the Book of Common Prayer. (More information about
the Prayer Book can be found below.)

You may wonder when to stand, sit or kneel. You may also notice that there are times in the service
when some people at St. Michael’s are standing while others are kneeling.

Usually, the service sheet will indicate when to kneel, sit or stand, and when the celebrant (priest)
talks and when the congregation responds.

The general rule is to stand to sing. We stand, also, to say our affirmation of the faith (the Creed)
and for the reading of the Gospel. We stand or kneel during prayers to be open to God and to show
our gratefulness to God for accepting us as his children, or as an act of humility before God.

We sit during readings from the Bible, the sermon, the announcements and the choir anthems.

The Prayer Book
Much of the worship at St. Michael’s is drawn from the Book of Common Prayer. Sometimes, people
wonder at the wisdom of this approach.  It may seem like rote repetition, yet the reality is that it can
be very freeing.

Because we know what to expect and the words are familiar, we are free to go where the words take
us—whether it is to a place of penitence for our sins, of deep searching for God in prayer, or of joy in
the incredibly generous gift of God's love for us.

Like icons and sacraments, the Prayer Book is a window into another world—God’s world—through
which we see our own world and lives differently. Granted, it takes a little getting used to…but once
the Prayer Book becomes familiar it is a springboard, not a brick wall.

If you'd like more information on the Prayer Book, click here.

The Regular Services
The central service of worship at St. Michael’s is the Holy Eucharist, the reality of the risen Christ
made concrete in the bread and wine. As you participate in the Eucharist over time the logic of this
service will grow clearer.

In a nutshell, we begin by listening to scripture and reflecting on its meaning for life, and then move
through prayer, confession and forgiveness to becoming the family of God gathered around the
table of God. Here we share a foretaste of the heavenly banquet that transforms and renews us to
live life differently in this world.

There are variations in this basic pattern of worship at St. Michael's. The form we celebrate at all
three services uses contemporary language (Rite II). At the 8:00 service we use the Book of
Common Prayer and there is no music. The 9:00 service is more intentionally “family-friendly”
although families with their children are certainly welcome at all three services. The 11:00 service is a
bit more formal, celebrated with more traditional hymns and music. On the 4th Sunday of every
month, the Folk Choir provides the music for the 11:00 service.

Click here for St. Michael’s weekly service schedule.

Vestments
To add to the beauty and festivity of the services, and to signify the seasons of the year as well as
particular ministries, the clergy and other ministers wear vestments.  Acolytes (those who assist with
worship) wear white robes called albs.

The Church Year
The Episcopal Church observes the traditional Christian calendar in which we follow Jesus through
the events of his life in the course of a year. For more about how we follow the church seasons, click
here.

Click here for more information about the current season and how St. Michael’s observes it.

Click here for a calendar of lectionary readings. St. Michael's uses the RCL (Revised Common
Letionary) version (not the BCP version)

Where do I go from here?

To church, we hope! As you experience worship at St. Michael’s, please feel free to ask any
questions that come to mind. Our priest will be happy to schedule time to visit with you. You may call
the Rev. Ed Wills at 224-1442, ext. 102.

If you would like to know more about the Episcopal Church, we invite you to visit the Seeker's Center
by clicking here.