Our doors are open all day, every day, for everybody.

 

Welcome to St. Alban’s Chapel! We hope that you will quickly feel at home here. Thank you for joining us! We believe that God regularly leads men and women into this place to pray, reflect, sing, listen, make new friends, learn, find support in the middle of life’s struggles, and to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are glad you are here.

 

What is the mission of St. Alban’s Chapel? As a mission congregation of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, we are blessed to have a clear purpose here on the campus of LSU. We are called to be the evangelical presence and presentation of the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this university community. That mission is accomplished in an environment of reverent worship, open inquiry, intellectual challenge, spiritual honesty, devoted leadership, and physical safety. Our motto is, Our doors are open all day, every day, for everybody. In fact, our sanctuary doors are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

 

How do I take part in the worship here? The Episcopal Church draws on a rich history of corporate worship which we call “common prayer.” The form of our service can be found in the red Book of Common Prayer, or you can follow along in your church bulletin. There are also several places in the service where we use the blue 1982 Hymnal.

 

Should I receive the bread and the wine at communion? In the Anglican tradition, anyone who has been baptized "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" may receive the bread and wine. You do not have to be an Episcopalian. To receive the bread, reach out your hands and the priest will place the bread ("the host") in the palm of your hand. To receive the wine, guide the cup ("chalice") to your lips. If you do not wish to receive either the bread or the wine, simply cross your hands across your chest. That will signal to the priest to ask God's blessing. If you have not been baptized but wish to receive the bread and the wine, please speak to our priests who would be happy to meet with you to explain the Anglican understanding of baptism and the Holy Eucharist. For convenience of distribution, our choir receives first. Those at the back of the church then come to the altar rail. We then proceed, pew by pew, to the front row. It is appropriate to either stand or kneel when receiving the bread and wine.

 

Are children welcome at St. Alban’s Chapel? Children are always welcome and included in our worship. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me; do not hinder them. For it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs" (Mark 10:14). Nursery care is available from 10:15 until the end of the service each Sunday morning. For children ages 3 - 7, a Sunday school class meets during a large portion of the 10:30 service when LSU is in session. Those children begin the service with their parents. Then, during the singing of the sequence hymn (immediately before the Gospel is read) children ages 3 - 7 follow their teachers out of the sanctuary to their classroom. Parents are asked to retrieve their children from the Sunday school room at the beginning of the distribution of communion. Parents are also always welcome to keep their children with them in the pew for the whole service.

 

How can I find out what’s happening around here? The main ways that we communicate the news and events at St. Alban’s Chapel are through the Sunday bulletin, a weekly email newsletter, and Facebook. If you are new, please fill out on of the Newcomer cards found in the pew, place it in the offering plate, and we will get you on our contact lists. We want to help you to find your place here! If you are interested in becoming an Episcopalian and a member of St. Alban's Chapel, please speak to our priest. Our bishop visits this parish once a year to receive and confirm new members. A confirmation/membership class is offered in the fall.

 

Should my child receive communion?

In this congregation, children who have been baptized may receive the bread when they can put their hands out to receive it, and can consume it reverently at the rail. Parents should speak with the chaplain if they have questions about when their children should receive communion.

 

I’m not sure when I should stand, kneel, sit, or cross myself. If you’re unfamiliar with the Anglican tradition of worship, our service can be confusing. The Book of Common Prayer directs us to sit, kneel, or stand. Usually, we stand to sing, kneel to pray, and sit to hear God’s Word. In most cases, the priest or the bulletin will clearly direct the congregation. Otherwise, do what feels most comfortable to you. You will notice during our service that some people make the sign of the cross at various times, some bow ("genuflect"), some kneel, some stand, some even raise their hands. These gestures are meant as signs of respect and reverence, particularly for the person of Jesus Christ. These gestures are a matter of private devotion. 

 

How can I join in the prayers? Prayer has a central place in all our services of worship. At the 10:30 service, a "Prayer Requests" sheet is placed on the small table in the center of the chapel next to the bulletins. You may add requests for prayer at any time before the service begins and during the service up to the time of the Nicene Creed. Those prayer requests are then read aloud during "The Prayers of the People." At the 6:00 service, prayer cards are put in the offering plate and then read during “The Prayers of the People” after the Offertory.

 

Where are the bathrooms? You can reach the men's room and women's room by exiting the sanctuary into the common hall. Go across the hall towards the kitchen. The bathrooms are located across the hall from the kitchen.

 

Becoming more involved at St. Alban's is easy. Newcomer cards are available in each of the pews. If you fill one out and place it in the collection plate, we will send you more information about St. Alban's Chapel. The chaplain will contact you if you indicate that you would like a call from clergy. You can become active at St. Alban's Chapel very quickly. Even if you are not an Episcopalian, you can serve on committees, attend workdays, and involve yourself in any of our main programs and ministries.

 

If you have any other questions or concerns about your worship experience with us, don't hesitate to ask! Fr. Drew Rollins, our chaplain, would be happy to meet with you. You can call or text him at 225-933-0241 to set up an appointment in his office, or for coffee or lunch at a location convenient for you.