The Episcopal Church is . . .

Part of God's One, Holy Church in the whole World.

The name of our church comes from the Greek word Episcopos which means "bishop" or "overseer." The leaders of our church are called bishops and we are called Episcopalians. All Episcopalians have bishops.

What do Episcopalians believe?

Three important things show us the way to understand our
God and our world.

The Bible: We believe that God and God's people can speak to us through the Bible. All the things we need for a good life are in there.
Our Tradition: We are a church with many old stories. Some of these stories connect us to Jesus and the things he taught us. Some of the stories help us understand what other people think about God and Jesus.
Thinking: The Episcopal Church does not have a human-made set of rules for being God's people. We believe that in our life with God we should use our minds--we should think about the Bible, tradition and our own experience.

What is the Book of Common Prayer?

The Book of Common Prayer belongs to everyone in the Episcopal Church. In this book you will find the words for the many different ways that Episcopalians worship God. Some of the worship services are used every day, like Morning Prayer and the Holy Eucharist. There are other worship services that are used for special times, like weddings and funerals. Also, you will find prayers written there. There is a prayer for almost any situation in the Book of Common Prayer. There is even a section of songs called Psalms. Psalms are songs that have been used by God's people for thousands of years to give God worship and praise. The Book of Common Prayer is at the center of the Episcopal Church as a church that worships God. You can find this book in any Episcopal Church no matter where you go.