Sunday evening
5:30 p.m.--Celtic Evensong and Communion
6:30 p.m.--Sunday Community Supper (donation-based)
8:00 p.m.--Compline
Sunday evenings at St. Stephen's offer a departure from the culture of more traditional Sunday morning offerings, and for some, it has become an occasion to form a special community within St. Stephen's Church.
Between two contemplative services--the Celtic service at 5:30 p.m. and Compline at 8 p.m.--is a relaxed time for supper and fellowship. The menu emphasizes farm-to-table ingredients, many of which are purchased from St. Stephen's Farmers Market vendors. Dinner takes place outdoors, sometimes employing grills. Dress comfortably and join us! (If you would like to help with meal preparation, please contact Stan Barnett. If you would like to see the upcoming menu, follow this link.)
The Celtic service (5:30 p.m.; lasts about an hour)
If you've never been to the Celtic (KEL-tic) service, please know that it is especially open and inviting to those who are new to the church, or have perhaps been away for a time. You can read more about the Celtic service here.
What is Compline? (8 p.m.; lasts about a half-hour) Recent Compline recordings
From the ancient monastic practice of ending the day in prayer and praise of God, a Compline (COM-plinn) service is held at St. Stephen's every Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. This stunningly beautiful candlelit service features a small group of singers, "Sanctuary," offering Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony.
The word "Compline" is from the same root as the word "complete." As the last service of the day, it is the completion of our worship of God until the next morning, when we pray, "O Lord, open thou our lips." In monastic communities, Compline is the beginning of silence lasting until the morning.
Compline can be found on page 127 of The Book of Common Prayer. While this simple service is spoken in many churches, homes, and other settings, our Sunday evening service is sung by the choir.
In 2012, Sanctuary recorded a CD of music sung during Compline; you can order the CD here for $15 plus shipping. (More information about the CD is here.)
Would you like to receive occasional emails about Compline at St. Stephen's? You can sign up here.
Visit our Compline Facebook page.