Whether you’ve attended church your whole life, or have never visited one, we know it is sometimes not easy to visit a church for the first time. You may not be sure what to expect, and you might have some questions and possibly even some reservations. We want to start your experience off right by giving you some practical information about our church.
However you understand God to be - you are welcome. However you understand yourself, and however you describe yourself is fine with us! Your background, race, gender, orientation and spiritual journey are welcomed and celebrated here.
Free parking is available in four places around the church:
- In the parking lot beside the church hall (on First Avenue)
- Publicly on First Avenue or Gore Avenue
- In the parking lot just off the right side of the cul-de-sac at the end of Gore Avenue
For wheelchair parking with ramp access, please park on Gore Avenue.
Come on in! Our entrance is on Gore Avenue, at the top of the steps or the ramp. Inside the foyer of the church, greeters will be available to answer any of your questions and show you around. As you enter the sanctuary, please pick up a weekly bulletin, which contains the order of the service and current information.
When you enter the sanctuary of St. Thomas, we hope you will notice and be drawn into a warm and welcoming place to worship God. In the rich wood paneling of its walls and the beauty of its stained-glass windows, you can almost hear the echoes of 150 years of Christian prayers and songs. Welcome to a time of 'sanctuary' in the Sanctuary!
You are welcome to sit in any of the pews. None of them are reserved! If you’re not sure, a sides-person can help you.
You will find ‘visitor cards’ in some of the pews, on the welcome table, and in the 'info wall' in the Narthex (lobby). We invite you to leave your contact information and let us know if you would like to have a visit or receive our email news updates from Rev. Lorie Martin, our priest.
We love having children at St. Thomas! They are valued and precious members of our community who are encouraged to experience the rhythm of prayer and join in the procession and worship. We have a children’s table in the service where the children can read, color, do activity pages and play; or take the activities to the pews. A 'Children's Circle' with story and activities is planned most Sunday's for the first part of the service. Children will be invited to join the teacher and together they will return for the Eucharist. Do your kids make noise? Don’t worry, that’s normal! But if you wish, a nursery/parents’ room is available for use. Just ask one of our greeters or sides-persons to show you where it is!
Our service will last about an hour. If you are unfamiliar with the customs and traditions of the Anglican church, just relax and let the congregation carry you in worship. Our service is easy to follow and is printed in the bulletin, except for a few hymns, which are shown on the PowerPoint screen or in the blue hymn books in each pew.
You may wonder when to stand or sit, however the congregation and priest will lead or guide you. You will see that practises vary among our members. Most people stand to sing, to listen to the Gospel, and to say our affirmation of faith and confession. We sit during readings from the Old Testament and the New Testament letters, and the sermon. We stand, sit, or kneel for prayer.
You may also see some people bowing or making the sign of the cross at certain times, but this is a personal choice.
If you would like a detailed description of our service, please click here.
We meet for coffee, refreshments, and conversation in the church hall after the service. (The hall is the big, yellow building beside the church.) We also hold brunches and lunches to mark special occasions. You're welcome to join in and mingle, so we can get to know you, and you us! This is an ideal time for you to ask any further questions you may have. There are games provided here for the kids to play.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to call our office at 604-792-8521, or e-mail us at stthomaschilliwack@gmail.com
You may also reach out to Rev. Lorie Martin at 604-217-6966 lorie@loriemartin.com
About
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St. Thomas Anglican Church