Gifts are the bread, wine, collection plates, and any other offerings brought up that Sunday. Sometimes, like at Thanksgiving, baskets of food are brought up for offerings. The Anthem is sung to focus everyone towards the front for the second half of the service. This is clearly the second half of the service. The celebrant and assistants move up to the altar.
All attention moves away from the choir or the readers.
All attention is on God, and welcoming Christ in a very special way into the service and to connect with us each in a personal way. You see, not every worship service is the same, nor should they be. This, there are a total of six Eucharistic prayers. Too bad, as it's actually pretty good at summing up the Christian story. We Episcopalians believe during the Eucharistic prayers and throughout Communion when we all go up to receive communion, Jesus Christ is spiritually present and very real.