The Episcopal Handbook: Revised Edition

by Church Publishing Incorporated (Compiler)

Overview

A classic best-selling manual on Episcopalian faith for lifelong followers, newcomers, and those wishing to sample and explore the beliefs and organization of the denomination.

The original Episcopal Handbook, published in 2008, was an instant classic and has been a best-seller ever since. Still providing helpful and insightful information about the Episcopal ethos with a certain amount of whimsy and complete accessibility, this revision maintains the best features of the original work, but adds an update and an expansion on the church today.

This revision highlights Episcopal diversity—including more women and people of color in the biographical material—and focuses more on Episcopal, rather than Anglicans. Additions to this edition include updated illustrations, an expanded glossary, and new sections on church governance, the origins of religious belief, and a capsule summary of church history.

The Handbook is suitable for use in Sunday school, confirmation classes, inquirer sessions—and for everyone from visitors to vestries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780819229571
Publisher:	Morehouse Publishing
Publication date:	03/01/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	952,003
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Church Publishing Incorporated, founded in 1918, is a publisher of trade books for general readers (inspiration, leadership, financial wellness, social justice), academic works, and professional church resources, including a suite of electronic products. It publishes The Book of Common Prayer, The Hymnal 1982, and content used in the liturgy, faith formation, and mission of The Episcopal Church.

Read an Excerpt

The Episcopal Handbook

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By Barbara S. Wilson, Arlene Flancher, Susan Erdey

Church Publishing Incorporated

Copyright © 2015 Church Publishing Incorporated
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8192-2957-1

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CHAPTER 1

HOW TO SURVIVE A BAPTISM

We start with baptism because this is the sacrament of beginnings.

Episcopalians understand baptism as full initiation into Christ's body, the Church, which is why we often start early—with infants.

Most baptisms are performed in a church setting where priests or bishops preside. But in an emergency, any baptized person can baptize.

The essence of the ceremony boils down to water and words: one sentence, "N., I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," said by the officiant as water is poured over the candidate's head, or as they are immersed.

Other than in emergency baptism, it is normal for there to be a time of preparation for candidates—or the sponsors (including godparents) in the case of a young child or infant. The role of sponsors or godparents is to support those being baptized and to make promises on behalf of children. The whole congregation also joins in by pledging their support for those being baptized, whether children or adults.

Often a baptismal candle is lit and presented to show the newly baptized person has received the light of Christ. It's appropriate to light these candles annually, on one's baptismal anniversary.

After baptism in water, the priest or bishop traces the cross on the baptized person's forehead, often with anointing oil (called "chrism"), and declares that he or she is sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ's own forever.

The container that holds the water is typically called a font. Many fonts have eight sides as a reminder of the "eighth day"—the day of circumcision for the Hebrews and a day of beginnings—the first day after seven.

Baptism is received as a sign of trust in Christ and joining in his death and life. In the case of infant baptism, the child relies upon the care and faith of his or her parents and sponsors—and the whole congregation—as they grow in maturity and knowledge of God.

Water is an ancient symbol of cleansing and deliverance, evoking both the Creation and the deliverance at the Red Sea. The Lord uses it to wash away sins and make us new. It is the tangible and effective symbol of the invisible power of God's forgiveness and acceptance, and of the grace of new life in God.

Note: Episcopalians baptize people of all ages—not just infants. And we recognize all baptisms performed in other churches that use water and the threefold invocation of God in the rite.

HOW TO RECEIVE COMMUNION

The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist (also called the Holy Communion, the Divine Liturgy, the Lord's Supper, or the Mass) is the central event in Episcopal worship. All five senses are engaged, and it is the most interactive part of worship. Local customs for receiving communion can be confusing or complex, so it's wise to pay attention and prepare.

Determine which method of distribution is used. Verbal directions or printed instructions will likely be given prior to the distribution of communion. The most common methods for communion of the Wine are the common cup and intinction.

Note: Many congregations commune gathered at the altar rail as the ministers move from person to person; some practice "continuous communion" with the Bread and the Wine administered by ministers standing at a specific location (a "station"), and some do both. Standing and kneeling to receive are both common.

Look for guidance from the usher. The usher will direct the people in each row or pew to stand and take a place in line to approach the altar or station.

Proceed to the place at which communion is administered, at the rail or a station. Best practice is often simply to follow the person in front of you and do as they do. (Hint: Don't sit right on the aisle on your first visit; that may give you a pew-mate to follow.)

Kneel if that is the custom and you are able. Congregations that commune at altar rails normally provide comfortable kneelers. When this happens, remember to stand slowly to avoid jostling your neighbor. Assist people who are elderly with altar rail navigation when they need help.

Common Cup

Receive the Bread. Extend your hands with palms facing up, resting one hand on the other. The minister will place the bread in your open hands, while saying something during the administration, either, "The Body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven," or some other form of words. You may respond, "Amen," and then either raise your palm to your mouth or take the Bread with the other hand and eat It.

Note: Bread may be distributed as fragments of a loaf or a large wafer, or in smaller, individual wafer form.

Receive the Wine. The Wine will be administered in a large cup or chalice, as a sign of unity. The server will present the chalice with a form of words. "Amen" is again appropriate. Assist the server by placing one hand alongside the cup and the other guiding its base. Help the server guide the chalice to your lips, but don't try to take it. Drink a small sip from the chalice.

Intinction

Note: The word intinction is from the Latin word intingere, which means "to dip."

Receive the Bread. Follow the same procedure as above, but do not eat the Bread yet.

Receive the Wine. The preferred method is for the server administering the chalice (the "chalicist") to take the Bread from your palm, dip it in the Wine, and then place it on your tongue. This is preferred because the chalicist can see the level of the Wine and dip appropriately. If the local custom is for the individual to intinct, take the Bread between two fingers and wait for the chalicist to hold the chalice low enough for you to see into it. Dip just the edge of the Bread into the wine, raise your hand carefully to avoid touching the rim of the chalice, then place the Bread in your mouth.

One Kind

Some people do not wish, or are unable, to receive Communion in both forms (Bread and Wine). Receiving only one element counts as full participation in communion.

Once You Have Communed

Return to your seat. If communion is distributed in one continuous line, you may immediately return to your seat. The same may be the case at an altar rail, but ...

Wait until your "rail" is complete. If you're being served as a group at the altar rail, it may be local custom to wait until all other worshipers in that "set" have received before returning to your seat. This is an appropriate time to close your eyes, pray, or listen to the communion music.

Continue to participate when seated. After returning to your place, you may join the congregation in singing communion hymns, or pray in silence. A particularly suitable prayer is on page 834 of the Prayer Book.

Be Aware

• Some congregations offer the option of non-alcoholic Wine in addition to Wine during communion, or gluten-free Bread for those with allergies. Verbal or written instructions will be given prior to distribution so you will be able to identify these options.

• After receiving the Bread and Wine, there is no need to say "Thank you" to the server. The Eucharist itself is "the Great Thanksgiving" to God, whose gifts are the Body and Blood. If you wish, "Amen" is appropriate.

• Pastoral blessings are often available for any who are not communing. Simply cross your arms over your chest if you wish to receive such a blessing.

WHY YOU WON'T GET SICK SHARING A COMMUNION CUP

In this age of readily available hand sanitizer, it may appear a bit unseemly for a whole church full of people to drink out of the same chalice. Won't I catch a cold or pass on the flu? Actually, sharing a common cup isn't as hazardous as one might suspect. And the hand sanitizer is a clue as to why: hands are a preferred path for spreading germs.

Most Episcopal churches use real wine—and then some; most use fortified wine such as port or sherry. This has a higher alcohol content, killing off many germs.

Not long ago a Canadian doctor named David Gould did research into illnesses passed through a common cup and found churchgoers more likely to get sick from airborne infections than from a shared chalice. "If communion cups were a danger, there would be cases of mass infections," he wrote; and there aren't. Moreover, the ministers, who regularly consume anything remaining in the chalice, generally have very good health and longevity.

However, if you still feel uncomfortable drinking the Wine (or are a recovering alcoholic), this is not essential to receiving Communion. Episcopalians believe Christ is equally present in both the consecrated Bread and the Wine, so receiving one assures you of full participation and Christ's presence through the Sacrament.

HOW TO SING A HYMN (AND WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO)

Music is an important part of the Episcopal tradition and an enjoyable way to build community. (See page 91 or "Ten Famous Hymns Written by Episcopalians.") One can sing hymns without demonstrable emotion, but many otherwise prim and proper Episcopalians appropriately channel emotion into their hymn singing and are therefore loud.

Locate hymns in advance. As you prepare for worship, consult the worship bulletin or the hymn board to find numbers for the day's hymns. Bookmark these pages in the hymnal using an offering envelope or bulletin insert. Many choir members have long since learned the virtue of Post-it Notes (invented by a choir member to keep his place in his hymnal!).

Familiarize yourself with the hymns. Note the lyricist and composer credits, the years they lived, and the tune name. Note how the hymn is categorized in the hymnal. The Hymnal 1982 groups hymns into categories, such as "Holy Eucharist" and "Christmas."

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Using a hymnal can be confusing. If your neighbor seems to be in the right place, ask them to help you find the correct page; this may be a good way to meet a member of the congregation.

Adopt a posture suited to good vocal performance. Hold the hymnal up rather than arching over to see it. Place one hand under the spine of the binding, leaving the other hand free to hold the pages. Keep your chin up so your voice projects outward.

Begin singing. If the hymn is unfamiliar, listen to others for the first verse, then join in the melody for the second. If you read music, explore the harmony parts during the remaining verses. Loud-singing neighbors may or may not be in tune, so follow them with caution. (Hymns meant to be sung in unison will usually only have the melody.)

Focus on the hymn's verbal content. Some of the lyrics may connect with a Scripture reading of the day. Certain ones may be especially inspiring.

Avoid dreariness. Enjoy the music. Sing with energy and feeling.

Be Aware

• Hymnals are not just for use at church. Consider ordering a personal copy of The Hymnal 1982 for further reference and study. Hymnals also make excellent baptism or confirmation gifts.

• Some hymns use words and phrases that are difficult to understand (such as, "Here I raise my Ebenezer," from the hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" in Lift Every Voice and Sing II). Use a dictionary or a Bible with a concordance to clear up any uncertainty.

• Some church organists and music directors like to improvise between verses or to play alternate harmonies on some of the verses. This is part of their ministry in adding richness to the worship, so listen carefully as well as singing joyfully. This is especially important if you are singing the harmony parts while the organist is playing an alternate harmonization. Composer Charles Ives was a church organist, and perhaps this was how he developed some of his distinctive style.

HOW TO RESPOND WHEN SOMEONE SITS IN YOUR PEW ...

... or you sit in theirs! We all carry a bubble of personal space. For some people, it's several feet. For others, it's about a millimeter. Wherever on the spectrum you happen to fall, there are certain situations in which we invite visitors into our little sphere of experience—such as at church. Furthermore, human beings are territorial in nature and sometimes see strangers inside the bubble as an affront. These situations need not be cause for alarm.

Smile and greet those who are new to you. Often they may be visitors to the congregation—and you may be the first face they see. Make courteous eye contact so they know you mean it, shake hands with them, with no impression that anyone has done something wrong. (The days of "pew rental"—in which the church was funded by the actual rented ownership of pews—is long past, though many have their "favorite spot.")

Make this "intrusion" an opportunity. Remember, no one owns the pew; all just borrow it once a week. If you discover someone in your favorite place, take the opportunity to get out of your rut and sit someplace new. This will physically emphasize a change in your perspective and may yield new spiritual discoveries.

If you can tell that your new friends feel uncomfortable, despite your efforts to the contrary, make an extra effort at courtesy. Consider the possibility of an after-church brunch.

WHAT ARE ALL THOSE BOOKS IN THE PEW?

Episcopalians are a people of the book. Actually, several books.

While the Bible is the foundation of our library, it is not the only book we rely on to help us worship. That's why you'll find several books in the pews of most Episcopal churches.

The most common (by far) is the 1979 edition of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). Inside you'll find over 1,000 pages of some of the richest and most beautiful liturgies ever written. In addition to regular Sunday morning worship, the Prayer Book provides liturgies for Baptism, Matrimony, and Burial (sometimes humorously described as the "rites of the three elements"—water, rice, and earth). There are also many prayers, historical documents, and much more. It abounds in scriptural imagery and phraseology. We like to think of the Book of Common Prayer as the Bible rearranged for worship.

A second book is The Hymnal 1982. This includes a rich collection of service music (in the front section) and hymns. Some of these selections are over a thousand years old. Others are just a few decades new. One thing they all have in common is that they're widely considered to be some of the best worship music ever written—not just in the last forty years, but in the last twenty centuries.

Other books you may find in the pews include Bibles or Lectionaries (a volume containing the Scripture passages read in worship) and additional hymnals such as Lift Every Voice and Sing II, Wonder, Love and Praise, Voices Found, and My Heart Sings Out. We told you Episcopalians like to sing! You may also find visitors' brochures and the occasional coloring book (proof that not every Episcopalian knows how to read).

While some people consider written prayers and prescribed liturgy tedious and lacking spontaneity, it can also be said that writing things down is a high form of respect and sincerity. The care with which these books are written, edited, and arranged bespeaks the reverence, foresight, and values Episcopalians bring to their worship—even if this also means they have to bring their glasses.

About Bulletins

In earlier days, before photocopying became available, most parishes would indicate which hymns were to be sung by putting up numbers on one or more "hymn boards"—wooden racks designed for that purpose. Many churches still have hymn boards and put the hymn numbers on display even though they also produce a printed bulletin. These bulletins can vary from a simple sheet listing the order of service with page and hymn numbers, to a fully printed order of service with everything to be said or sung, including the music. Most churches do something in between these two extremes. Often churches will provide additional sheets with parish news or prayer intentions or announcements. Not only do these provide important information, but they can serve as handy bookmarks for you to place in the hymnal.

Some churches have gone high-tech and use projectors to display the lyrics or music, or other worship texts. Welcome to the twenty-first century.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from The Episcopal Handbook by Barbara S. Wilson, Arlene Flancher, Susan Erdey. Copyright © 2015 Church Publishing Incorporated. Excerpted by permission of Church Publishing Incorporated.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Brief Explanation of the Episcopal Church Shield,
Introduction,
Church Stuff,
How to Survive a Baptism,
How to Receive Communion,
Why You Won't Get Sick Sharing a Communion Cup,
How to Sing a Hymn (and Why You Might Want To),
How to Respond When Someone Sits in Your Pew ...,
What Are All Those Books in the Pew?,
Why Is Everybody Kneeling?,
Why Some Episcopalians Bow and Cross Themselves (and Why Some Don't),
How to Share the Peace,
What Is the Book of Common Prayer?,
Why Do Episcopalians Read Their Prayers?,
How to Listen to a Sermon,
How to Pass the Plate,
How Much Money Should I Put into the Offering Plate?,
Why Is the Altar Bigger than the Pulpit (or Vice Versa)?,
Why Is That Empty Chair Near the Altar?,
Telling the Season of the Year by the Color of the Altar Hangings,
The Seasons of the Church Year,
Why All the Stained Glass?,
Do Episcopalians Believe in Saints?,
Why Episcopalians Dress Up (Especially the Clergy),
Do Episcopalians Leave Church Early?,
Is Coffee Hour Really Another Sacrament?,
How to Join an Episcopal Church,
How to Get Married in an Episcopal Church,
How to Get Re-Married in an Episcopal Church,
How to Enroll Your Child in Sunday School,
How to Become a Christian,
What to Say at a Viewing or after a Funeral,
Why More People Don't Go to Church,
Why (Most) Episcopalians Don't Kick Dogs,
Why 70% of Episcopalians Weren't Born That Way,
Why the Episcopal Church Is (and Isn't) Catholic Lite,
Do Episcopalians Believe in Confirmation?,
Do Episcopalians Believe in the Creeds?,
Do Episcopalians Go to Confession?,
How Episcopalians Use Three-Legged Stools,
Why Are Episcopalians So Wishy-Washy?,
A Short Chronology of the Episcopal Church,
Five Episcopalians Who Shaped the Church,
Five Inspiring Black Episcopalians,
Five Inspiring Women Episcopalians,
Five Famous Episcopalian Writers,
Five Famous Performing Episcopalians (OK, Ten),
Ten Famous Hymns Written by Episcopalians,
Five Famous Scientific Episcopalians,
Episcopal Church Snapshot,
What Do You Call the Clergy,
Provinces of the Episcopal Church,
Everyday Stuff,
How to Care for the Sick,
How to Console a Grieving Friend,
How to Cope with Loss and Grief,
How to Forgive Someone,
How to Pray,
How to Resolve Interpersonal Conflict,
How to Work for World Peace,
What Are the Millennium Development Goals?,
Where to Find a Trustworthy Relief Agency,
How to Go to Heaven If You're Rich,
How Episcopalians Engage Congress,
How Episcopalians Evangelize,
How Episcopalians Make Disciples,
Why (Some of) Our Church Doors Are Red,
How to Tell a Sinner from a Saint,
Ten Important Episcopal Missionaries and What They Did,
Monks and Nuns and Friars, Oh My!,
How to Become a Missionary (Short Term),
How to Become a Missionary (Long Term),
What Is the Anglican Communion and How Do I Join?,
What Is Indaba?,
Ten Beautiful Episcopal Churches,
Why the Episcopal Church Welcomes Everyone,
Bible Stuff,
How Episcopalians Read the Bible (and Why More Should),
Who Wrote the Bible?,
Common Translations of the Bible,
Types of Bibles and Their Features,
How to Choose a Bible That's Right for You,
How to Read the Bible,
How to Read the Entire Bible in One Year,
Why Episcopalians Have Their Own Version of the Psalms,
The Top Ten Bible Heroes,
The Top Ten Bible Villains,
Four Rebellious Things Jesus Did,
Five Unpopular Prophets,
Five Inspiring Women in the Bible,
The Top Ten Bible Miracles and What They Mean,
Jesus' Twelve Apostles (Plus Matthias and Paul),
The Five Biggest Misconceptions about the Bible,
Do Episcopalians Believe in Evolution?,
Does the Bible Condemn Gay People?,
Maps, Charts, and Diagrams,
The Exodus,
The Ark of the Covenant,
Jerusalem in Jesus' Time,
The Passion and Crucifixion,
Family Tree of Christianity,
Anglican Stuff and Glossary,
Where Anglicanism Stands,
What Is General Convention?,
Provinces of the Anglican Communion,
Glossary of Episcopal Terms,
Prayer Book Stuff,
The Baptismal Covenant,
An Outline of the Faith Commonly Called the Catechism,
The Ten Commandments,
The Lord's Prayer,
Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families,
A Short Selection of Prayers,