An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Glossary of Terms


North Tokyo, Missionary District of

The name of the Missionary District of Tokyo was changed to the Missionary District of North Tokyo on Oct. 15, 1925. In 1938 the name was changed again to the Missionary District of North Kwanto.

Northern California, Diocese of

The 1874 General Convention voted to divide the Diocese of California. The new missionary district included of the following counties: Amador, Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba. The primary convocation of the Missionary […]

Northern Indiana, Diocese of

The 1898 General Convention voted to divide the Diocese of Indiana. The new diocese included the following counties: Adams, Allen, Benton, Blackford, Carroll, Cass, DeKalb, Elkhart, Fulton, Grant, Howard, Huntington, Jasper, Jay, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Marshall, Miami, Newton, Noble, Porter, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, White, and Whitby. The primary convention of […]

Northern Luzon, Diocese of

The 1901 General Convention established the Missionary District of the Philippines. In 1973 the Missionary District of the Philippines was divided into three missionary districts. One of these was the Northern Philippines Missionary District. In 1985 it became the Diocese of the Northern Philippines. On Sept. 9, 1984, the House of Bishops voted to divide […]

Northern Mexico, Diocese of

The General Convention of 1904 established the Missionary District of Mexico. The 1972 General Convention divided the Missionary District of Mexico into the Missionary District of Central and South Mexico, the Missionary District of Western Mexico, and the Missionary District of Northern Mexico. All three of these Missionary Districts became dioceses on Jan. 1, 1980. […]

Northern Michigan, Diocese of

The General Convention of 1892 voted to divide the Diocese of Michigan. The primary convocation of the Missionary District of Northern Michigan met at Grace Church, Ishpeming, on May 31, 1893. The 1895 General Convention received the Missionary District as the Diocese of Northern Michigan. The primary convention of the diocese met at St. Paul's […]

Northern New Jersey, Diocese of

The Diocese of Newark was named the Diocese of Northern New Jersey from Nov. 12, 1874, until May 19, 1886. See Newark, Diocese of.

Northern Philippines, Diocese of

The 1901 General Convention established the Missionary District of the Philippines. In 1973 the Missionary District of the Philippines was divided into three missionary districts. One of these was the Northern Philippines Missionary District. In 1985 it became the Diocese of the Northern Philippines. In July 1988 the House of Bishops voted to release the […]

Northwest Texas, Diocese of

The 1910 General Convention created the Missionary District of North Texas from territories ceded by the Diocese of Dallas and the Diocese of West Texas. The Missionary District of North Texas became the Diocese of Northwest Texas when the primary council met at the Episcopal Conference Center, Amarillo, on Oct. 31, 1958. The diocese includes […]

Northwest, Missionary District of the

The 1859 General Convention passed “That all those portions of our country, North of a line running along the Northern boundary of the Cherokee country and New Mexico, until it reaches the Diocese of California, not yet organized into Dioceses, or included in Missionary districts, be within the Jurisdiction of the Missionary Bishop of the […]

Northwestern Pennsylvania, Diocese of

The 1910 General Convention voted to divide the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The primary convention of the new diocese met at St. Paul's Church, Erie, on Nov. 16, 1910. It chose the name Diocese of Erie. It includes the following counties: Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Venango, and Warren. On […]

Norwich University

It opened on Sept. 4, 1820, as a military academy at Norwich, Vermont. In 1834 it became Norwich University, and in 1866 moved to Northfield, Vermont. It had an Episcopal connection from 1850 to about 1880. Four Episcopal priests served as president: Edward Bourns (1801-1871), 1850-1865; Roger Strong Howard (1807-1880), 1869-1871; Malcolm Douglass (1825-1887), 1871-1875; […]

Notes of the Church

The Nicene Creed describes the church as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic (see BCP, pp. 358-359). These four characteristics are the notes, or marks, of the church. The church is to be “notable” or distinguishable by its unity, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity. The Prayer Book Catechism discusses the meaning of the notes of the church […]

Notitia Parochialis

“Parish Reports” sent by clergy in colonial America of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG) to the secretary of the society. These reports gave statistical information concerning their missionary work. Despite possible inaccuracies, these reports provide useful statistical evidence of the size and growth of the Church of England […]

Novice

A trainee in a religious community. After being a postulant, aspirant, or candidate (the vocabulary varies), the novice is prepared for the religious life according to the rules, constitutions, and customs of the community. Novices use this time to deepen their spiritual life and to test whether the community fits their own sense of vocation. […]

Novice Guardian or Novice Master or Novice Mistress

Director of the process of discernment and formation that leads to the incorporation of new members in a religious order or community. The title refers to the novice guardian's responsibility for training the novices in the novitiate of the religious order or community. The novice guardian also may handle inquiries from prospective members and direct […]

Novitiate

The period of training of novices in a monastery or religious community. It may lead to temporary vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience that, in most communities, will be replaced later by final or perpetual vows. It is a time of mutual testing. The community discerns the novice's personal call and capacities, while the novice […]

Nun

A woman who is a full member of a religious order. The term may be seen as the female equivalent of a monk. The term may be distinguished from a “sister,” who is a member of a religious order with an active or mixed expression of community life. See Monastic.

Nunc dimittis

Canticle based on the words of Simeon, who recognized the infant Jesus to be the Messiah at the Presentation of Jesus in the temple by Mary and Joseph (Lk 2:29-32). It had been revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah. When Simeon saw the […]

Nuptial

Concerning a marriage. The term is from Latin words for “wedding” and “to take a husband.” A nuptial blessing is the blessing of the husband and wife at the marriage (BCP, pp. 430-431).

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Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.