Episcopal Worship is rooted in the acknowledgment of God’s love for all of creation.
We gather to recognize God’s love for the world, and God’s loving existence within all living things. Episcopalians participate in seven traditional practices that give us opportunities to experience and participate in God’s presence together, called sacraments. These practices are always done in community, bringing us together, as the Body of Christ.
The sacraments make use of normal, everyday things such as bread, wine, and water to help tell the story of God’s love within all that exists, and to give us an opportunity to experience God’s presence with us as we worship.
We believe that science and faith go hand in hand. The mysteries of faith and divinity emphasize the limits of our own humanity. We lean into that great wonder–the mystery of God. We look to our creator, our redeemer that was born to bring divine love through human wrappings for guidance. This can be seen in the depth of liturgy, prayer, and service practiced throughout the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego.
We believe that all people are created in God’s image—celebrating the dignity of every human being, and we honor that every person, in all their diversity, is essential to building up the body of Christ. We are a diverse community following the way of Jesus. Come journey with us as we seek to fulfill our mission in the world- working for the Kingdom of God by transforming our communities with the infinite love of God.
We believe:
The Holy Scriptures are the revealed word of God, which inspired the human authors of the Scripture, and which is interpreted by the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The Nicene Creed is the basic statement of our belief about God. It was adopted in the 300s by the early church founders and is said every Sunday in Episcopal churches around the world. Read the creed.
We’re a peculiar people whose spiritual arc bends more toward boundless hope and a reasonable faith than hardened surety and entrenched absolutism.
The Episcopal tradition is founded on the affirmation that Jesus Christ is Lord. We believe that Christ’s transcendent presence in the Holy Spirit continually informs who we are.
The Book of Common Prayer was established in 1549 as the official worship book for the church. Episcopalians often refer to it as the BCP.
Our primary identity is as a liturgical community. Our life of prayer shapes our beliefs and behaviors.
We constantly seek to hear the Spirit moving among us as changes in our understanding of Christian belief and practice are seen through additional revisions to the Book of Common Prayer.
The Episcopal liturgy is the “work of the people.” That is what liturgy means. It is communal worship connected to our daily life and work as ministry.
Catechism means the teachings and beliefs of the church; they’re outlined in the Book of Common Prayer.
Our Episcopal tradition represents the continuous tradition of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. The Episcopal Church has often been called the “middle road,” a via media.
Although we have ordained leaders (including the bishops that give us our name – Episcopal) the ministry of all believers is central.
What to Expect:
Expect an inclusive, loving welcome regardless of your age, gender, orientation, ethnicity or socio-economic status. Come join us, won’t you?
At the heart of all Episcopal worship is the Book of Common Prayer, and within it the principal weekly service is the Holy Eucharist—also known as Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper or Mass.
A calendar of readings from the Scriptures, called the Lectionary, gives the Biblical passages for each day. While a priest leads the service, the congregation participates extensively—singing hymns and speaking or singing prayers, the creed (statements of our beliefs), responses and psalms (sacred poems).
During the service, should you be kneeling, sitting or standing? Should you sing or speak the responses? When do you say “Amen?” These can be puzzling for newcomers and for Episcopalians visiting a different church, but please don’t be intimidated. Because the essential form of the service remains the same from one Sunday to the next, you soon get used to it, and after that you will begin to experience what Episcopalians find so satisfying: the mental space that the familiar rhythm opens up to commune more profoundly with God.
The Book of Common Prayer provides a fixed framework, but not a rigid one. One church may begin with an elaborate procession of priest(s), acolytes and choir, while another begins with the priest standing on the steps in front of the altar. Episcopalians infuse their services with their own traditions from around the world and give each of them a unique character. They lift up their voices to the Lord in many languages, and in a multitude of rhythms from jazz to those of traditional choirs.
