O heavenly Father, who hast filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works; that, rejoicing in thy whole creation, we may learn to serve thee with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Book…

A Lutheran Proposal for a Revision of the Concordat of Agreement As amended and adopted by a more than two-thirds majority vote (716-317) as a relationship of full communion with the Episcopal Church by the 1999 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on August 19, 1999, at Denver, Colorado. Introduction Our churches…

Sanctify, O Lord, those whom you have called to the study and practice of the arts of healing, and to the prevention of disease and pain. Strengthen them by your life-giving Spirit, that by their ministries the health of the community may be promoted and your creation glorified; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. -Prayer…

Seasonal Resources As the Christian church has done since ancient times, The Episcopal Church follows the annual rhythm of the liturgical year. The liturgical year begins four Sundays before Christmas and includes seven seasons, counting Holy Week. The calendar can be found in the Book of Common Prayer (pgs. 15-33, with instructions on how to determine Easter Sunday on pgs. 880-885).   Each season features its own liturgical color, seen on…

O gracious God, we give thee humble and hearty thanks that thou hast preserved through the pain and anxiety of childbirth thy servant, who desires now to offer unto thee her praises and thanksgivings. Grant, most merciful Father, that by thy help she may live faithfully according to thy will in this life, and finally…

Who We Are Photo: David Rider We are a thoughtful church, rooted in the truth of Scripture, tradition, and reason. We are an inclusive church, welcoming all who seek to know and walk in the way of Jesus Christ. We are a hopeful church, always looking for signs of God’s redeeming love at work so that we might participate in it.  The Episcopal Church is a multinational denomination, with about 1.5 million members in more than…

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What We Believe Photo: Christopher Sikkema We believe in the God whom Christians name the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, the three in one. We believe that God was fully present in human form in Jesus of Nazareth; that Jesus was raised from the dead after being…

A catechism is a set of questions and answers developed by a religious body to offer foundational teaching to its members on the content of the faith. Sometimes, a catechism is very detailed, specific, and prescriptive. The catechism of The Episcopal Church, titled “An Outline of the Faith” in the Book of Common Prayer (pp….

The Easter season—which begins sometime between March 22 and April 25 (see the Book of Common Prayer, pgs. 880-885)—celebrates Jesus’ resurrection after his crucifixion. The season begins with the Great Vigil of Easter on Easter Eve and continues for 50 days, ending with Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem,…