How We Worship nSchedule of Services Worshipping and praising God is the central activity of the St. James community. While we glory in the ancient liturgical and musical traditions of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, we also work to understand the myriad ways in which Our Savior is known and worshipped throughout the world. Our worship is always interesting, often beautiful, frequently moving, and always warm and embracing. As the Cathedral Church for the Diocese of Chicago, St. James is also a place for celebrations and other services that welcome Episcopalians from throughout northern Illinois and beyond. From ordinations of priests and deacons to special occasions such as visits from several Archbishops of Canterbury, St. James has hosted liturgical occasions both great and small. As is true for much of the Episcopal Church, one of the most important aspects of our congregational worship is the Holy Eucharist, which is the center of our life together. It is our belief that ALL are welcome at God’s table to share in the Eucharistic feast. All are welcome to participate as fully as they feel moved. We strive to make our worship as welcoming and as friendly as possible. If you are unfamiliar with our tradition, the bulletin will help guide you through the liturgy. It makes reference to the Hymnal and Book of Common Prayer (BCP), which are in the pew racks. You will see directions in the bulletin about sitting and standing. Also, you might see members of the congregation kneeling, bowing, or making the sign of the cross during the liturgy. None of those actions are "requirements" and we invite you to participate in any way that feels authentic to you. n What to Expect in an Episcopal Church     (from Anglicans Online) nThe Book of Common Prayer Online Sunday Worship Our three Sunday morning Eucharists (8:00, 9:00 and 11:00 am) are at the same time very different and very much alike. The 8:00 am service is a spoken service, without music, using Rite II of the 1979 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. The 9:00 a.m. service is Holy Eucharist with hymns and music led by a quartet from the Cathedral Choir. The 11:00 a.m. service is a Solemn Choral Eucharist, featuring music from our renowned 30-voice choir and historic organ. All three services feature excellent preaching, which is a proud tradition at St. James. Another historic element of the Anglican tradition found at St. James is Choral Evensong. A traditional fixture of life in English Cathedrals, Evensong is essentially the Prayer Book’s evening service with musical settings, featuring choir, organ and other music. Given our wonderful musical heritage and wealth of talented musicians, it is no surprise that our monthly Evensongs (first Sundays at 3:00 pm and on other special occasions) are a delightful experience for the ears as well as a quiet respite for the soul from the tumult of the city beyond our walls. Weekday Worship Holy Eucharist / Communion is celebrated in St. Andrew Chapel (schedule). On Wednesdays at 5:30 pm the service features a Liturgy of Healing and anointing with Chrism (oil specially blessed by the Bishop). n  Daily readings for the Episcopal Church  n  A meditation on today's lectionary reading from Forward Movement Publications Special Times of Worship and Celebration The Cathedral also hosts a number of other worship events throughout the year, which have ranged from Taizé prayers to ecumenical / interfaith services for the wider community. The Bishops of Chicago and Deans of the Cathedral have always been leaders in Chicago’s religious life and as such we have opened our doors to events as varied as citywide prayers on September 11, 2001, prayer vigils in times of war, celebrations and observances of special occasions such as Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee, the funeral of legendary Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse, and a special service of remembrance for children murdered in Chicago.