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Visiting any new place can be daunting, but a church can hold special challenges. Here are a few hints to help when you visit St. James by-the-Sea:

Parking
Our location in the heart of downtown La Jolla can make parking seem difficult, but you can park each Sunday at 800 Silverado St., a short block away from St. James.

The Bulletin
As you arrive at the church, an usher or greeter will be at the door of the church. They’ll give you a guide to the service that we call a bulletin. It will have all the information to guide you through the service, such as hymn numbers, prayers, and readings. In the sanctuary, you can sit anywhere you feel comfortable.

Books for the Service
The smaller book in the pew racks is the Book of Common Prayer, also referred to as the prayer book or the BCP. The larger book is the Hymnal.

The Order of the Service
After the prelude, the opening hymn begins and the procession of clergy and lay ministers enters, led by the cross.  You may see people bowing to the cross as it passes by as a gesture of respect.

The service proceeds with prayers, readings, a sermon, and “The Peace”. By saying “Peace be with you” to one another, we are preparing ourselves and each other to take communion. People may shake hands or embrace each other. The Peace is followed by announcements, and then a monetary collection is taken. It is fine for you to put in any amount of money or to put in nothing at all.

Receiving Communion
After a Eucharistic prayer, it’s time for communion. The ushers will let you know when it is your turn to come forward. All baptized Christians are welcome to receive communion at St. James, but if you’d rather not receive communion you may stay in your seat or go forward for a blessing. Just cross your arms across your chest and the priest will offer a blessing.

After the service, please come join us for coffee hour.  We’d love to meet you!

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