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Who
are Episcopalians?
Am
I welcome to attend?
Will
everyone believe the same things in an Episcopal Church?
What
do I need to do in order to become a member?
How
do I learn more about the Episcopal Church?
Who are Episcopalians?
Episcopalians are followers of Jesus Christ. We say that God
was uniquely present in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. One word
we use to describe this belief is that God was "incarnate"
 in Jesus, that is, God’s own self was present in Jesus’
very body. Following his death, his disciples found that Christ
still lived in their midst. Thus, they found themselves connected
to God as they discovered themselves to be part of Christ’s
resurrected body. And that is still the case today. We Episcopalians
say that we human beings are united to God through Christ.
Photo: House Blessing for a Parish Family
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Am I welcome
to attend?
All people are welcome to attend any event at St. Thomas Episcopal
Church, but attending a worship service on Sunday morning is
probably the best way to get a sense of our church. Worship
is at the heart of what we do—in fact, we say that worship
changes us. When we worship we are called to see the risen Christ
in the persons around us. In our daily lives we are called to
see the risen Christ in family, acquaintances, and co-workers.
Ultimately, we are called to seek and serve Christ in all persons,
to strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect
the dignity of every human being.
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Will everyone
believe the same things in an Episcopal Church?
Our church is not a community of like-minded people. We do
not exist for ourselves alone. Instead, we are a people set
apart to be the personal presence and witness of God to the
world. We struggle with many issues and we disagree with one
another, but we still gather each week to hear the story of
God’s love for us, to ask for forgiveness from one another
and God, and to offer our lives up to God.
In our teaching, we learn the grace to live with questions
that cannot be answered with certainty. In our worship we are
nourished for life’s journey. In our faith we trust that
God is working through every one of us, and that one day God’s
very self will be evident in all creation. This is the good
news that we proclaim, and we believe that it is the good news
that leads us to lives of peace, self-control, and hope for
the future. We invite everyone to join us in that journey.
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What do I need
to do in order to become a member?
Baptism is how we officially become a part of the Christian
church. In the Episcopal Church we baptize people who come requesting
it, and we also accept baptism done in any other church. Please
contact a member of the clergy or the church office if you are interested in becoming
a member.
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How do I learn more
about the Episcopal Church?
First, read our Book of Common Prayer to discover how we worship.
Talk to a member of the clergy or another Episcopalian. See
if a church near you has tracts or booklets about life in the
church, or ask the priest for a book recommendation. You can
also learn more by going on-line to our national church’s
Web site. But, most of all, come and worship with us and see
how God might be active in your life. Wherever you are on your
journey of faith, you are welcome here!
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