The Church Hopper

On Sunday, July 3rd, I went to The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany located at 115 Jefferson Ave. Danville, Virginia 24541. Their service starts at 10am. One thing that I noticed about this church is the limited parking due to their downtown location. I was perfectly fine to park on the street and walk, but I am sure that is not as easy for others.  I walked in the side door right as the service was starting. I quickly searched for a bulletin and went to go find myself a seat. The bulletin was 16 pages long, but it had everything including the hymns printed inside. The church itself is absolutely gorgeous! The gothic cathedral look almost gives you chills when you walk in. There were only about 25 people in attendance that week. (This could be because it was the 4th of July weekend – or because their Pastor/Rector is on sabbatical all summer. I am always learning new words!)

The church service itself was more formal than your average church, especially visually with all the gold elements and the way the worship leaders dressed in their robes. The order of worship was filled with many prayers, songs, and responsive readings. The Eucharist (Holy Communion) was also a part of the service. 

Their guest pastor gave a sermon about who Jesus is to each of us. Here are some of the notes that I took: Who is Jesus to you? What does the Kingdom of God look like to you? What does “your will be done” and “your kingdom come” truly mean? As you can see she asked some pretty tough questions which caused the congregation to do some self reflection and evaluation. I was inspired by her message and did enjoy my time at Epiphany.

At the conclusion of the service, she closed with these words, “Our Mass is over- now our work begins.” Oh, how I loved that! So often we go to church to check boxes or to feel good… but that is not what church is about! I think all churches should end on a similar note. As I walked out a few members made their way over to welcome me to their church. I left surprised at how such a big and formal looking church could feel so intimate. 

To find out more about this denomination, please visit Home – The Episcopal Church. There, you will find what they believe and stand for! You may be surprised how progressive they are!