If you’re curious about the Episcopal Church and what Episcopalians believe, here are a couple of well-stated starting points. To learn more, come worship with us and get to know us! Rev. Miranda is always willing to meet for coffee and conversation; use the Contact link at the top of the page to send a note.
“What’s an Episcopalian? We follow Jesus with our souls, minds, and arms open wide, ready to love God, our neighbors, and the world. Jesus Christ was and is a ‘both/and’, drawing together both human and divine within himself. We hope to be ‘both/and’ Christians, drawing together and embracing both ancient traditions and the wisdom just over the horizon; both reason and mystery; both beauty and justice; both catholic and Protestant; both discipline and freedom; both body and Spirit; both deep faith and probing questions; both the cross and the Resurrection.”
– The Episcopal Way, Stephanie Spellers & Eric Law, 2014
Kyle Oliver, of the Center for the Ministry of Teaching at the Virginia Theological Seminary, wrote this brief “elevator pitch” for, and about, the Episcopal Church in March 2014.
“The Episcopal Church is a faith community for grown-ups. That doesn’t mean we exclude children or that we don’t sometimes act like them. It does mean we are comfortable with mess and skeptical of easy answers. We worship a God whose will is sometimes hard to know—but whose love knows no bounds.
We are not the one true church, not the biggest, hippest, or best organized. We’re a ragtag bunch united primarily by our firm conviction that praying together forms us into the people God is calling us to be.
What do we believe about Jesus? It’s a bit more complicated than we have time for in this elevator. Basically: (1) Being born into the world was the way God continued reaching out to it in love. (2) Living, loving, seeking, and serving as Jesus did leads us more deeply into abundant life. Not easy. Abundant.
Episcopalians share a hunger for justice, a love of beauty, a curiosity about the world. We know we need God to save, sustain, and transform us. We know God needs us to be the hands and heart of Christ today.
Life is hard, and the world faces many challenges. It needs as many reminders of God’s love as it can get: the Bible, yes, but also inspiring worship, service to others, loving relationships, respect for all persons.
The Episcopal Church welcomes you. Bring your whole self. Drink deeply from the well of God’s love. Help us be a sign of that love to others.