What’s an Episcopal Church?

That is a bit of an interesting story.

The Episcopal Church in America is an heir of the 16th-century reformation, which birthed the Church of England. In 1559, Queen Elizabeth I passed two acts, commonly known as the Elizabethan Religious Settlement, together establishing the Church of England and severing all relationships with the Catholic Church. The Act of Supremacy established the English monarch as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Over time, and as a consequence of English colonial expansion, the Church of England developed into the global Anglican Communion.

As may be imagined, post-Revolutionary War America would not allow King George III to remain the Supreme Governor of any churches based in the former colonies. As such, previous Church of England communities became Episcopal, and the American Episcopal Church was born. It was still episcopal in oversight (that is to say, we maintain bishops and have a presiding bishop) and still Anglican in practice (we maintained use of the Book of Common Prayer in our worship), but no longer under the governance of the reigning English monarch or the spiritual oversight of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Thus, when we talk about the Anglican Communion and the Episcopal Church, we’re really talking about members of the same extended family gathered around a common table – kind of like when relatives gather at Thanksgiving. The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and yet distinct from it. We share a common heritage in the Book of Common Prayer, a liturgical rhythm of worship, and a theological middle way that seeks communion through common worship instead of common theology. Consequently, Episcopal worship often emphasizes inclusivity and theological openness.

Our worship follows ancient patterns and most Episcopal worship will follow liturgical seasons and lectionary readings. Like many other Christian traditions, Episcopal worship tends to forefront the sacrament of the Eucharist, and in that sense we are very similar to formal Lutheran, Presbyterian, Catholic and Orthodox traditions. At the same time, and like many other Protestant traditions, the Episcopal church also centers the ministry of proclamation in our worship. Our worship services will usually celebrate the Word of God proclaimed both in sermon and sacrament and this tends to be an Episcopalian distinctive.

In this sense, the Episcopal Church stands both with and between — catholic in spirit and heirs of the Protestant reformation. Ever open to where the Spirit is leading next.

What’s an Episcopal Mission?

The Episcopal Church differentiates between a parish congregation (a self-supporting congregation with its own rector) and a mission congregation (a congregation that is not yet self-supporting and remains under more direct authority of the diocesan bishop). We are a mission congregation, and this means we are led by a vicar and not a rector and our congregational leadership comes from a bishop’s committee and not a vestry.

As the Episcopal Mission of Warren County, we seek to cultivate a faithful Christian community, worshiping within the Episcopal tradition, ministering to all of Warren County, PA.