Ancient Faith, Living Tradition
The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion - a family of 100 million Christians across 165 countries. We're sometimes called the "middle way" because we hold together seemingly opposite things: catholic tradition and protestant reform, ancient liturgy and contemporary questions, strong convictions and genuine humility.
At our best, we're a church where thinking people can worship with integrity, where beauty and justice go hand in hand, and where everyone truly belongs.
What Makes Us Episcopal?
We Worship Together
Worship is at the heart of who we are. Every Sunday, Episcopalians around the world gather around a common table to break bread, share wine, hear scripture, and encounter the living God.
We use the Book of Common Prayer - a collection of prayers, liturgies, and rites that connects us to centuries of Christian worship. The "common" in Common Prayer means we pray together, across time and space. When you worship at Emmanuel, you're joining your voice with millions of others using these same prayers.
Our Worship Is:
Sacramental - We believe God meets us in physical things: water, bread, wine, oil, touch
Liturgical - We follow a pattern that roots us in tradition while leaving room for the Spirit
Beautiful - We believe beauty itself is a way of knowing God
Participatory - Everyone has a part; worship isn't a spectator sport
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We Think and Question
The Episcopal Church takes the Bible seriously without requiring everyone to interpret it the same way. We encourage study, questions, and honest wrestling with faith. You don't have to "believe everything" to belong here - in fact, we think doubt and questioning are part of a mature faith.
We Value:
Scripture - The Bible as the inspired word of God, read through reason and tradition
Reason - Your mind is a gift from God; use it
Tradition - We learn from 2,000 years of Christian wisdom
Experience - Your lived experience matters in understanding God
This approach means you'll find a wide spectrum of theological views in the Episcopal Church. Some of us are more evangelical, some more progressive, some more catholic. We don't demand uniformity of belief, but we do ask for unity in worship and commitment to the common good.
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We Believe in Full Inclusion
Following Jesus means opening doors, not closing them. The Episcopal Church ordains women and LGBTQ+ people to all levels of leadership, welcomes divorced and remarried members fully, and actively works for justice and dignity for all people.
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This isn't "watering down" the faith - it's taking seriously Jesus' own ministry of radical welcome. When others are excluded from the table, we ask: "Is this really what Jesus would do?"
How this Shows Up:
Women serving at every level of leadership
Our LGBTQ+ Affirmation Ministry
No barriers based on divorce or remarriage
Active work for racial, economic, and social justice
Genuine welcome for people from all faith backgrounds or no faith background
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We Serve the World
"Faith without works is dead," writes James. We agree. Following Jesus means getting your hands dirty in the work of healing, feeding, housing, and advocating for those in need.
The Episcopal Church has a long tradition of engagement with the world - from the civil rights movement to refugee resettlement, from food pantries to international relief. We believe the Gospel calls us beyond the church walls into the messiness of the world God loves.
At Emmanuel, this looks like partnerships with Wakefield Food Pantry, Horizon House, Ruth's Way, Episcopal Relief & Development, and more. We don't just believe in a better world - we're working to build it.
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We Govern Democratically
Unlike churches with a single authority figure, the Episcopal Church makes decisions together. Bishops provide spiritual leadership and oversight, but major decisions are made in conventions where clergy and lay people vote together as equals.
This Means:
Your voice matters
Decisions are made in community, not by decree
Transparency and accountability are built into our structure
Women and men, clergy and lay people, share equal power
At Emmanuel, this shows up in our vestry (elected lay leaders), our committee structure, and our practice of discerning together what God is calling us to be and do.
Why Episcopal? Why Now?
In a world that often demands you choose between intellect and faith, tradition and progress, conviction and humility - the Episcopal Church says: you don't have to choose.
If You're Looking For:
Beautiful, reverent worship that engages your whole self
A community that takes the Bible seriously while respecting your intelligence
Ancient tradition that speaks to contemporary questions
A church that practices the radical inclusion Jesus preached
Fellow seekers who aren't afraid of doubt or hard questions
A place to serve and make a real difference
Then you might be looking for the Episcopal Church.
Want to Learn More?
About the Episcopal Church:
About Emmanuel: