Worship
Worship is the heart of all we do here, and we seek to proclaim joyfully and reverently the Good News each week, and to offer up the important moments in our life to God with praise.
Sunday and Weekday Worship
Worship Schedule
We gather every Sunday to hear God's Word, proclaim Christ’s resurrection, and share the Lord’s Supper.
Children are always welcome in our services, but we also offer childcare at the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services.
At St. Francis in the Fields this week, we have four opportunities for Sunday Worship and time set aside for formation.
Children are always welcome in our services, but we also offer childcare at the 10:00 a.m. service.
At St. Francis in the Fields this week, we have two opportunities for Sunday Worship.
Children are always welcome in our services, but we also offer childcare at the 9:00 and 11:15 a.m. services.
This week at St. Francis in the Fields, we are offering Holy Week services on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and have three opportunities for Easter Sunday worship.
8:00 a.m. Holy Communion is a simple service without music in traditional English, held in our intimate Davenport Chapel.
9:00 a.m. Holy Communion with choir is a service with singing in contemporary English. During this service, any interested children are invited to Children’s Chapel for a child-friendly service, after which they rejoin their families for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
10:15 a.m. Sunday School is offered for all ages. For more information, see our formation offerings.
11:15 a.m. Holy Communion is a service with music and choir, spoken in traditional English. Child care and Children’s Chapel are both available.
5:00 p.m. Holy Communion is a casual service, held in the Davenport Chapel, featuring a variety of different musical styles and Holy Communion.
8:00 a.m. Holy Communion is a simple service without music in traditional English and is held in the Davenport Chapel.
10:00 a.m. Holy Communion with choir is a service with singing in contemporary English. During this service, any interested children are invited to Children’s Chapel for a child-friendly service, and then to rejoin their families for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
8:00 a.m. Holy Communion is a simple service without music in traditional English held in our intimate Chapel.
10:00 a.m. Holy Communion with choir is a service with singing in contemporary English.
5:00 p.m. Recital and Choral Evensong is a choral service, preceded by a half-hour recital, led by the St. Francis Choir and held in the Nave.
8:00 a.m. Holy Communion is a simple service without music in traditional English held in our intimate Chapel.
10:00 a.m. Holy Communion with choir is a service with singing in contemporary English.
7:30 p.m. Holy Communion (Christmas Eve) with choir is a service with singing in contemporary English. This special seasonal service also features traditional Christmas Scripture readings.
10:30 p.m. Choral Prelude and Festal Eucharist (Christmas Eve) is a high festal service featuring choir, traditional English, and incense. A choral prelude is presented at 10:30 p.m. by the St. Francis Choir and accompanying orchestra, and the following service includes a beloved candlelight singing of “Silent Night” after Holy Communion is shared.
7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday (April 17) with choir is a service honoring Christ’s commandment to love others, remember the Eucharist, and serve our neighbors. This service includes the use of incense.
12:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Good Friday (April 18) with choir remembers Christ’s suffering and death on the cross and invites us to intercede for the world in prayer.
9:00 a.m. Holy Saturday (April 19) is a short and simple service in the Davenport Chapel remembering Christ resting in the tomb between his Passion and Resurrection.
8:00 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter (April 19) with choir and incense is the most ancient and sacred festival of the Christian year and marks the beginning of Easter worship as we celebrate Christ’s victory over death. This service includes incense.
7:30 a.m. Easter Day Holy Communion (April 20) is a simple service without music in traditional English held in our intimate Davenport Chapel.
9:00 a.m. Easter Day Holy Communion (April 20) with choir is a service with singing in contemporary English. During the service, our children will “flower the cross” in celebration of Christ’s Resurrection. They are also invited to Children’s Chapel for a child-friendly service, rejoining their families for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
11:15 a.m. Easter Day Holy Communion (April 20) with choir and incense is a service that uses traditional Elizabethan English to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord. This service includes incense.
We gather every weekday, once in the morning and once in the evening, to renew our faith commitments and engage in prayer.
We also have daily prayer services, Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, held in the Davenport Chapel and open to all:
8:00 a.m. Morning Prayer is a prayer service (with no music or Eucharist) drawn from the Daily Offices and following a prescribed format, featuring a lectionary of readings from Scripture and a cycle of prayers for our parish community.
5:00 p.m. Evening Prayer is a prayer service (with no music or Eucharist) drawn from the Daily Offices and following a prescribed format, featuring a lectionary of readings from Scripture and a cycle of prayers for our parish community.
Worship FAQs
What to Expect
Welcome!
New to St. Francis in the Fields? We would like to extend a warm welcome – we are so glad you are here. If it is your first time here, or you are new to the Episcopal Church, the following may help you feel more comfortable. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact us!
We offer four services on Sundays. All of our Sunday services include the celebration of Holy Communion.
8:00 am: Holy Communion, no music: This simple service uses our most traditional prayers, including elegant language like “thee” and “thou.” It is a quiet, contemplative service with a sermon and Communion. This service usually lasts about 45 minutes.
9:00 am: Holy Communion with choir, singing, and Children’s Chapel (Nursery care is also available). The 9:00 a.m. service is still traditional, but uses modern language. Our St. Francis Parish Choir helps lead the service, and congregational singing is encouraged. Before the sermon, children are invited to follow one of our Children’s Ministers to the Davenport Chapel (to the left of the altar) for a children’s service. They then return to their families for communion. This service is also livestreamed and usually lasts about one hour.
10:15 am: Sunday School for all ages. Sunday school begins after the 9:00 a.m. service. For more information, see our formation page.
11:15 am: Holy Communion with choir, singing, Children’s Chapel, and a liturgy featuring traditional Elizabethan English, the original language of the Book of Common Prayer. Our Parish Choir also leads congregational singing in this service.
5:00 pm: A causal service of Holy Communion held in the Davenport Chapel. The 5:00 p.m. service uses a simple liturgy incorporating modern language, a variety of music, and a more casual atmosphere. This service usually lasts about 45 minutes
- You are welcome to park at any open parking spot. Handicapped parking is available near the front of the church.
- When you enter through the front doors, please feel free to check in at our welcome table in the Narthex (the room you enter) for a name tag, directions, or any information you may need.
- Head straight through the Narthex to the large doors at the back of the room to enter the worship space.
- An usher will give you a leaflet with the prayers and readings for the day. The songs are sung from the hymnals in each pew, and hymn numbers are marked in your leaflet and on the boards at the front of the worship space.
- Restrooms are available in the hallway to the left of the main entrance to the worship space.
- Children are always welcome in worship, but we do have Nursery care available at the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services.
- If you’d like to take your child to Nursery, head downstairs to the children’s ministry area. An usher or greeter would be happy to direct you.
- Mothers who need to nurse or tend to their babies are welcome to use the Williamson Room, the room immediately to the right of the main doors to the worship space. The audio from the service is played in this room so that you can listen to the sermon and follow the service.
- There is no dress code at St. Francis in the Fields; you’ll often see gentlemen in khakis, slacks, and button down shirts and ladies in skirts and dresses. Please wear whatever makes you comfortable!
- All Christians baptized with water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are invited to receive communion in the Episcopal Church, even if they were baptized in another denomination. If you are not baptized, or do not wish to commune, you are still invited to come to the altar at the appropriate time to receive a blessing—simply cross your arms across your chest to indicate this. If you would like to learn more about being baptized, please contact us or speak to a member of the clergy.
- An usher will indicate when it is time for you to approach the altar. Follow the other members of the congregation around the altar to receive.
- We use wheat bread and real wine for Holy Communion. If you do not wish to receive the wine, simply cross your arms across your chest after you receive the bread and the chalice bearer will pass you. If you want a gluten-free wafer, please tell the priest administering bread when you are at the rail.
- All baptized children, regardless of age, are welcome to take communion in the Episcopal Church.
- You can read more on our beliefs page. If you have any questions or want more information about the history, theology, and practice in the Episcopal Church, please contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions.
- In the Anglican tradition, we worship God in our bodies. This means that we stand, kneel, and sit during the service. This keeps our bodies as well as our minds engaged in the practice of worship. Feel free to follow the other worshipers and let the rhythm and flow of our service carry you.
- Please know that your presence with us is enough. You do not have to “do” anything in church if you don’t want to. If you prefer to sit in the back and just watch, that is perfectly acceptable.
- If you have any questions about what to do, ask an Usher or another worshiper. If you have any questions about why we do something a certain way, please speak to a member of clergy.
- Our Sunday offering is for those who have made St. Francis their spiritual home. Guests and visitors are never expected to give. Instead of giving financially, we’d love for you to fill out a Connect Card (located in the pews in front of you) and to put it in the plate as it is passed.
- There are three ways to enter St. Francis with a walker or wheelchair. If you park in the handicapped spaces in front of the church, look for the door to the left of the main church doors, which has a ramp. There is also a handicapped space available behind the church offices (the white building to the left of the main church) with a ramp to enter the church through the doors between the chapel and the main church. Finally, you can park in the back, enter through the Children’s Ministry doors, and take the elevator to the main floor.
Commemorate with us
Life Events
Weddings
The sacrament of Christian marriage is a solemn covenant between a man and a woman made in the presence of God and the gathered Christian community. As such, we are delighted to celebrate weddings for church members and their children. If you are a new member, or are someone looking for a wedding venue and a church home simultaneously, please contact us.
All weddings at St. Francis are officiated by St. Francis clergy using the form in the Book of Common Prayer.
If you are interested in being married at St. Francis, please review our Wedding Policies and Guidelines and fill out the Wedding Information form, then contact us to set a date.
Baptism
Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body the Church. All baptized persons are expected to live out their commitment by regularly worshiping at St. Francis in the Fields. Adult baptismal candidates participate in a 2-3 month preparation process prior to baptism. Families requesting the baptism of an infant or child are required to be active members of St. Francis and to attend baptism preparation classes.
All baptisms at St. Francis are held on Sunday mornings. We celebrate baptisms on four especially appropriate feasts: All Saints Sunday (Fall), Feast of the Baptism of our Lord (Winter), the Great Vigil of Easter (Spring), and the feast of Pentecost (Spring).
For more information about being baptized at St. Francis, please contact us.
Funerals
The Rite of Christian Burial is a solemn service which is nevertheless an Easter liturgy. Even as we mourn those we love but see know longer, we know that death cannot stop the power of Christ’s resurrection.
If you would like to plan a funeral at St. Francis in the Fields, please review our funeral customary and funeral planning guide. Contact us for more information.
Other Services
Other services include but are not limited to the following:
- Blessing of a Home
- Thanksgiving for the Birth or Adoption of a Child
- Reaffirmation of Faith
- Renewal of Wedding Vows
- Commitment to Christian Service
- Blessing of an Animal
- Blessing of a Civil Marriage
- Confirmation
Please contact us if you would like more information about any of these, or other, services.
Listen to
Sermons, Teachings, and Music
Audio from St. Francis
Click below to hear selections of sacred music from recent worship services, sung by our St. Francis Parish Choir.
Weekly sermons and teachings from our Adult Formation offerings are also available in podcast form on Spotify. To subscribe, search for “St. Francis in the Fields”. Once you subscribe, our sermons and teachings will appear automatically in your feed each week.
Weekly leaflets
Leaflets
These leaflets are your guide to worship services at St. Francis. Leaflets are uploaded each Friday.
Holy Week
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Holy Saturday
Great Vigil of Easter
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
Sunday Leaflets
Sunday Leaflets
Online worship
Livestream
Watch our services and other events here:
Our 9:00 a.m. service will be live streamed on our Facebook page and posted below. Subscribe below to our YouTube Channel to get instant updates as videos are added!
Praise and prayer through
Music
Our Music
The Church has been a center for great musical experiences throughout the ages, bringing people into the Body of Christ and sending them forth into the community. Music reaches the soul and connects with the Spirit in a unique and powerful way. The music program at St. Francis is dedicated to continuing this tradition, as we love God with all of our heart, soul and mind. Our goal is to share our musical gifts and heritage by singing God’s praise to all people and by proclaiming his greatness through our worship.
We believe that many styles of music are acceptable to God and indeed the variety of what is offered in various churches and denominations is basis for great joy. St. Francis is in the relatively rare position of having the resources to offer traditionally-approached, classically-based repertoire. The parish has unusually rich resources and leadership and it serves an educated and culturally sophisticated constituency for whom this literature provides a truly Spirit-filled worship experience.
We are so fortunate at St. Francis in the Fields to be continuing in this centuries-long tradition of offering great music to bring people into the Body of Christ and sending them forth into community.
Our Choirs
Read the description of each of our choirs below and click through to fill out the Sign-Up Form if you are ready to join!
Cherub Choir (Kindergarten-2nd Grade) Jessica Vanover, Director
Children who are in Kindergarten, first, or second grade begin their musical training in the Cherub Choir. Cherubs learn the basics of matching pitch, rhythm, and reading music. They sing several times in our services throughout the year and participate in our annual St. Nicholas Supper. The Cherub Choir rehearses each Wednesday from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m.
Primary Choir (3rd-4th Grade) Jessica Vanover, Director
Children who are in the third and fourth grades continue their musical formation in the Primary Choir. They dive deeper into music theory and singing technique, and they develop behavioral habits that prepare them to be leaders in worship. Primary Choir members sing at several services throughout the program year and participate in our annual St. Nicholas Supper. This choir rehearses each Wednesday from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Choristers (5th-8th Grade) Dr. Kirk Rich, Director
This intensive training program prepares children to take on musical leadership in the liturgy. Following the Royal School of Church Music model, choristers receive training in singing, reading music at sight, and working together as an ensemble. They deepen their faith through study of sacred music and regular participation in our 9:00 a.m. Sunday Eucharist. Choristers rehearse twice each week: Mondays, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.; and Wednesdays, 5:00 to 5:55 p.m., followed by supper at 6:00 p.m. They stay and rehearse with the Parish Choir from 6:30 until 7:00 p.m.
Teen Singers (High School) Dr. Kirk Rich, Director
Teen singers are treated as adult members of the choir with the understanding that they follow adult singer guidelines.
Parish Choir (Choristers, Teen Singers, and Adults) Dr. Kirk Rich, Director
The Parish Choir is comprised of both volunteer and professional singers who provide musical leadership for the Sunday 9:00 and 11:15 a.m. liturgies, as well as monthly Choral Evensong. The ensemble performs music of the classical Anglican tradition, from the Renaissance through the present day. The Parish Choir also participates in special concerts with orchestra and tours internationally. Interested singers are asked to schedule a vocal interview with Dr. Rich.
Choral Scholars Dr. Kirk Rich, Director
Our Parish Choir is augmented with several choral scholars, young people pursuing music in college or very recent graduates, who receive a modest honorarium. They learn skills necessary to be professional choristers and provide vocal support to our volunteer singers. Choral Scholars frequently offer solos or duets during worship.
Schola (Adults) Dr. Kirk Rich, Director
The Schola is an auditioned
ensemble of professional musicians from the parish and community. This choir is
assembled at various times throughout the year to sing special services or
concerts, occasionally with orchestra.
Music Programs
Our Choirs
We believe that singing can be learned and enjoyed by all ages! We have a number of different choirs for all ages, all led by trained musicians/directors. This includes:
Cherub Choir (boys and girls in Kindergarten-2nd grade), Primary Choir (boys and girls in grades 3-4), Choristers (boys and girls in grades 5-8), Parish Choir (men and women, 9th grade and up), and Schola (high school and adults by audition).
For more information on singing in a choir at St. Francis, see above and/or contact our music director, Dr. Kirk Rich.
Organ Scholars Program
Beginning in 2024, St. Francis in the Fields is proud to support our own Organ Scholars Program. Through this program, two students from the IU Jacobs School of Music and Cincinnati College Conservatory are able to gain practical experience in a parish promoting traditional Anglican liturgy and music. You can learn more about this program by clicking here.
Evensong and Recitals
We praise God in song every Sunday, and are also pleased to offer special recitals and services throughout the year. At 5:00 p.m. on the first Sunday of the month during the program year, we gather for Evensong, one of the most musically splendid services in the Anglican tradition! We are also blessed to invite visiting musicians, directors, and singers throughout the year. Visit our upcoming events page for more information about upcoming recitals and services.
Our Organs
We are blessed with several unique pipe organs, each with its own history. Learn more here.