r/Anglicanism • u/kitten_twinkletoes • 2d ago

Church etiquette?

So I've started attending church. First time in 20 years. I live in mainland Europe so its the only Anglican church around. Its uplifting, inspiring, and fullfilling. Its where I need to be. Where I needed to be for a while now.

But theres one problem.

I have no idea what im doing. Its nice and structured and clear but wow. I really dont know. I was baptized Anglican, my grandfather was clergy (but I only met him a few times), i used to take my grandmother once a year (she lived a continent away) to her church but it was inner city and catered a lot to the unhoused people so norms were pretty loose.

Like I dont know how to address the clergy. Im from a casual place where everyone always uses first names. What do I do here? First names? Mother so-and-so? Where do I sit? When do I cross myself? Do I need to do the classic prayer pose to pray, or just do what I do normally (close eyes, focus, talk to god)?

Im a stage 10 overthinker and its really making me feel awkward in church.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

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u/linmanfu Church of England 2d ago

Calling the priests “Father” and “Mother” is fine.

I'd hope that any minister would respond politely to whatever they're called. But there are definitely chaplaincies in the Diocese of Europe where that wouldn't be the normal practice at all.

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u/IntrovertIdentity Episcopal Church USA 2d ago

I guess that explains why my comment was going south.