Frequently asked questions about worship and the church
When is your Sunday service?
We celebrate the Holy Eucharist (also called Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper, or Mass) at 9:30AM on Sunday mornings. You can join us in person at 6 Meriam Street or online on our website or Facebook. Our services are usually an hour or an hour and fifteen minutes long. In the summer we worship outside on the lawn.
Who are your clergy?
Our rector is the Rev. Megan Carr Holding; she goes by “Reverend Megan” or just “Megan.” She is our head pastor and leads the whole parish in our life together. Our assistant rector is the Rev. Emily J. Garcia. She goes by “Mother Emily” or just “Emily.” She assists Rev. Megan and focuses on our Christian education for all ages.
Is the Church of Our Redeemer accessible?
Yes, our church is fully accessible.
The elevator entrance is on the side of the church, accessed by a ramp to the lower level door. It goes to all floors, including the lower level (Great Hall, Meeting Room) and the main level (Sanctuary, offices.) There are handicapped parking spaces next to this entrance. There are handicapped accessible bathrooms on both levels.
In the Sanctuary, approximately 5 pews from the front on both sides there is space for wheelchairs. Communion is offered on the main level for those who cannot go up the stairs to the altar, and if you would prefer, the clergy can also bring communion to your pew.
In our worship, our invitations to stand or kneel are to do so in body or in spirit.
Hearing devices are located on the table in the Narthex. These hearing implements are checked regularly and provide direct audio from the clergy microphones. [Note: August/September 2024 these are temporarily unavailable.]
We also have a section of the nave where masks and distancing are required, to be accessible to those who are high risk.
Every week in Holy Communion, some of the bread we consecrate is gluten-free, and is available at each communion station.
All our bulletins are large print, and for those who find using both leaflets and books challenging, we have some bulletins available with all the required text and music in them.
There are child-size noise-canceling headphones set out in the Soft Space in the back of the nave.
If there is an accommodation that you need that we have not specified or provided, we want to know! Reach out to Mtr. Emily at assistantrector@ourredeemerlexington.org.
What do you believe about LGBTQ+ people in the church?
We believe in the goodness and diversity of all God’s creation, which includes all gender identities and all sexual orientations, no exceptions. We celebrate the faith and ministry of LGBTQ+ people, have been delighted to have LGBTQ+ people in all levels of leadership (including clergy), and our clergy are honored to officiate at the weddings of LGBTQ+ couples. For more on this, see what the Episcopal church at the national level says here.
Our rector, Rev. Megan, is very happy to speak with you about this if you have any questions.
Are children welcome in worship?
Yes, we enthusiastically welcome children of all ages and abilities! There is a children’s corner in the back of the church called the Soft Space, with books, soft toys, space to move around, noise-dampening headphones for sensitive ears, and a rocking chair for adults. Children are of course welcome to take these materials and sit with their adults anywhere in the pews. We enjoy the liveliness that children add to our Sunday worship!
During the Great Thanksgiving (the prayer over the bread and wine), children and the young at heart are warmly invited to join the clergy and acolytes up around the altar. Children do not need to stand still or look any certain way; they only need to be able to keep from touching the candles or other children.
For children (or their adults) who need a break from the main space, the Library is right outside the nave and has a children’s space and couches.
Our assistant rector, Mtr. Emily, is passionate about including children in worship as much as possible. Please reach out to her at assistantrector@ourredeemerlexington.org or 617 637 6489 if you have any concerns or questions.
How old do my children have to be to receive Communion? Can I receive Communion?
The theology of the Episcopal Church is that anyone who is baptized (of any age or ability) can and should receive Holy Communion. Additionally, in our parish we practice what is called “the open table,” where anyone (of any age or ability) who desires to come close to God in Jesus Christ is warmly welcome to receive Holy Communion. So for children specifically, either as soon as a child is interested (or as soon as the child is baptized) and able to eat the bread, they may and are encouraged to receive communion!
However, some parents and guardians would prefer that their child wait until they have received some instruction. This is possible already at the age of 2, and Mtr. Emily would be delighted to provide this instruction; please email her at assistantrector@ourredeemerlexington.org, or catch her after church. Both children and adults who are not yet receiving Communion may come to the altar to receive a blessing. If you are unsure about your own preferences in the matter, or would like to explore baptism for your child, Mtr. Emily would love to hear your thoughts and talk it out.
Read more about our children and youth programs here.
Read more about baptism here.
What is the difference between the Episcopal Church and the Roman Catholic Church? The Episcopal service seems very similar to the Roman Catholic Mass.
They are similar. Some parts, in fact, are identical. However, we are part of the worldwide Anglican Communion – the group of churches whose traditions and history descend from the Church of England and are in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury. We have some big doctrinal differences with the Roman Church; for example, women can be priests, and LGBTQ+ people can be married and ordained. But in many ways our basic structure, order, liturgy and spiritual life are indeed very similar to the Roman Catholic Church. Here is an in-depth article about the two traditions, and you can reach out to our clergy if you want to talk more about this or have a specific question.
So is the Episcopal Church Protestant or Catholic?
The Episcopal Church is, in a sense, both Protestant and Catholic. Our history sets us apart from the Roman Church in that we are the result of a thorough-going reform movement that spread across Europe, beginning in the 16th century. Our traditions and liturgy, however, are mostly more ancient than those of most Protestant churches. An excellent way to put a label on the Episcopal Church is to think of us as the bridge church between the two great traditions, practicing what we believe to be the best of both. We are sometimes called the via media, the middle way.
How can I or my children participate in the activities at the Church of our Redeemer?
All of our services, events, and classes are free and open to the public, and you are very welcome to join. There are many ways to become involved, either one-time only or on-going volunteer opportunities.
For adults and children, you might stay after church on a feast day for one of our parties, like for All Saints or Michaelmas. Or a one-time only opportunity may involve participating in Spring Clean-up, helping prepare a meal for Bristol Lodge, or helping with a fundraiser for our mission to the Diocese of Navajoland.
For adults, an on-going opportunity may be joining the Choir to share your musical gifts with the congregation, or joining the Social Action Team to help plan how the Redeemer community can make a difference in the lives of others. You might join our Wednesday Bible Study on zoom, or attend a special Lenten series of Adult Forums, or join the Redeeming Knitters to make prayer shawls.
For children and teens, many of these Social Action events are also a fun time to offer their time and talent to the church. Additionally, they can attend our many education and formation programs—like Youth Group for teens, or Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for young children. They might want to offer their gifts as acolytes or in Atrium Singers in weekly worship.
Subscribe to our weekly email newsletter to learn about all the opportunities. Or if you would like additional information, call or email the office or our clergy, or ask a greeter on Sunday.
How is the Church of Our Redeemer governed?
Redeemer is incorporated as part of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, which consists of 200 parishes in eastern Massachusetts. The members of each Episcopal parish elect a group of lay persons to the Vestry, which is like a Board of Directors. The Vestry (not the clergy or Bishop) controls the operation and finances of the parish and makes the day-to-day decisions needed to carry on the mission of the congregation. The Rector is elected by the Vestry and, as the pastor and priest, has authority over the worship and spiritual life of the congregation. Each January, an annual meeting is held to elect the Vestry and hear reports on the operation of the church in the past year. Occasionally, major decisions that go beyond the scope of the Vestry’s responsibility are also made at this meeting. It is open to all members, 16 years of age or older, who are worshipers and contributors of record. The Annual Meeting also elects lay representatives to our Diocesan Convention who in turn elect our Bishops and are part of the governance of our Diocese.
Is giving money required?
No, giving money is not required to be part of our community. We do believe all Christians are called, but none are required, to contribute a portion of their time, talent, and/or treasure toward the work of the whole Church, the body of Christ. Many Episcopalians do this by giving time, talent, and/or treasure to their parish, like Church of Our Redeemer. Some gifts of time and talent are: hosting Coffee Hour after church; serving on Vestry or another committee; offering your gifts for our youth ministries; serving as a worship leader by reading Scripture or joining the choir. Gifts of treasure can be in giving money when you are able or in a pledge.
“Pledging” is the church-word for when a person or household tells the parish that they plan to give a certain amount during the year. They can give this in regularly monthly gifts or Pledging enables the congregation to plan its ministries in advance; it provides a stable financial base for the support of our programs, and it reflects our prayerful response to God’s call to be good stewards of our material resources. The size of the pledge is less important than one’s willingness to commit a definite amount towards the support of God’s work through this congregation. Some parishioners are not comfortable with pledging and yet are regular supporters of our ministry.