What is the Episcopal Church?

The Episcopal Church in the United States is one branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion numbering 60 million members in more than 100 countries.  Although based on the tradition and heritage of the Church of England, the Anglican church in each country is independent.  The name "Episcopal" is a Greek word meaning "governed by bishops."  The Episcopal Church in the United States, which has about 2.5 million members, was organized in 1789,

How does the Episcopal Church worship?

The worship of the Episcopal Church is a liturgical style of worship, similar to that in Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches.  You will find a quiet and reverent beauty in its worship, combined with beautiful choral and congregational singing.  All of its worship services are found in the Book of Common Prayer, which was first written in 1549, when the Church of England declared its independence from Rome.  Most Sunday worship services include the Holy Communion and a sermon.

What should I do when I attend an Episcopal worship service?

All baptized Christians are welcome to receive communion, whether or not you are an Episcopalian.  Our worship combines prayers, hymns, confession and praised based on services in the Book of Common Prayer.  We stand during parts of the worship, sit at others, and kneel at others.  The Sunday worship bulletin contains the page numbers for each part of the service.  Just follow along as best you can and don't worry if you don't quite get it all right.

What do Episcopalians believe?

Anglicanism has historically bridged Protestantism and Catholicism.  In its worship and theology, you will find elements of Roman Catholic and Protestant theology.  Our approach Christianity is based on Scripture, tradition, and reason.  We also believe that Jesus Christ is divine, and that we are saved by turning from our sins and accepting God's love offered through Jesus Christ.   

If you are a newcomer to the Episcopal Church, you can find informative resources at the following web sites:

National web site of The Episcopal Church at www.dfms.org
Anglicansonline.org
Peek Through The Window of the Episcopal Church at www.pttw.org