While we worship in many ways as a congregation and individually, the heart of our worship life is the Holy Eucharist, also known as Mass or Holy Communion. We follow the ancient pattern of worship which is common to Episcopalians and Anglicans, Lutherans, Romans Catholics, and others. Having gathered with song and prayer, selections from the Bible are read according to a three year cycle covering all of the Gospels and large portions of the Old and New Testaments. This provides the basis for preaching. Response to the Word is made with creed, prayers, and often confession of sin and the sharing of peace.

Next offerings of bread, wine, and money are presented at the Altar. The bishop or priest offers them in a prayer which recalls God’s acts in history and in Jesus’ life, including the Last Supper. The Holy Spirit is then invoked on the gifts of bread and wine so that they may be for us the Body and Blood of Christ. We do not presume to understand or explain how this happens but rather trust Jesus’ words, “This is my Body/Blood.” The Spirit is invoked on the congregation as well so that we may be Christ’s Body, the Church. The bread and wine are then shared reverently. All who have been baptized are welcome to receive communion. Those who do not wish to receive the sacrament are welcome to come forward for a blessing. After Communion, we are dismissed to carry on the work of God’s Kingdom in the world.

In the Episcopal Church, there are two forms of the Eucharist, called Rite One and Rite Two. Rite One is in traditional English (thees and thous) with prayers that have been used for five hundred years. Rite Two has these and other prayers in contemporary English. Both Rites are used at the Cathedral of Saint Paul. The Sunday 8 am Eucharist is a quiet, contemplative Rite One service with organ music, lasting about 45 minutes. The 10 am Eucharist uses both Rite One and Rite Two throughout the year and is a larger congregation with the full choir. This service is generally a little over one hour in length. We work hard to provide printed bulletins that make the services easy to follow for visitors.

Most weeks there is a midweek Eucharist in the All Saints Chapel. See the schedule for this and other services outside Sunday morning.

Whether you find our services comfortably familiar or a bit strange at first, you will know, in time, that they are God-centered, deep and substantial. Like all historic Christianity, we do not promise or attempt to entertain or evoke emotional responses every week, but rather to lift up our hearts and minds to God in proven ways that will strengthen our lives (and, yes, at times, touch our emotions).

Music at the Cathedral of St. Paul

The Cathedral Children’s Choir is a treble choir of boys and girls. The choir is structured on the principles of The Royal School of Church Music and has become the premiere choir of young voices in the region. In addition to singing services at the Cathedral they are in great demand in the community. They sing annually with the Erie Chamber Orchestra and the Lake Erie Ballet. They have also appeared with the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra and the Erie Opera Company. They have traveled and sung in Toronto, Ottawa, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh and Chicago.

The Cathedral Handbell Choir is a group of adults and youth who ring in worship about 6 times per year.

Sharon Downey, Organist/Choirmaster

She has been the guest conductor for diocesan treble choir festivals in Tucson and Atlanta, has co-chaired an AAM regional conference in Erie and has served as a faculty member for the Leadership Program for Musicians in the diocese. In addition to AAM, she is a member of the American Guild of Organists and the American Choral Directors Association and currently serves on the Board of the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra.