Church of the Advent is a parish of the Episcopal Church USA, presently part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.  Perhaps you wonder what sets the Episcopal Church apart from all the other churches.  Perhaps you’re wondering whether this Episcopal Church community would be a “good fit” for you.

We’re glad you asked.

The Episcopal Church has its roots in the Church of England, coming to these shores with some of the earliest colonists.  The Episcopal  Church USA is the modern, independent offspring of the Anglican church, with its own elected bishops.  There are about 2 million Episcopalians in the United States today. Although not one of the largest denominations, it is a vibrant, active church whose leaders and members strive to live the gospel message in a world that cries out for it.  Here are some of the hallmarks of our faith and church.

• Protestant, yet Catholic.  Anglicanism stands squarely in the Reformed tradition, but considers itself as directly descended from the Early Church as the Roman Catholic or Orthodox churches.  Episcopalians celebrate the Mass, much like Catholics, yet do not recognize a single authority. The American church is, in fact, quite democratic in style.
  
  
• Anglicans use the Book of Common Prayer, so that people can read liturgy and scripture in their own language.  The prayers and rites that unite us are translated into native languages all over the world.  The present prayer book was published in 1979. It serves as the main guideline for our Episcopal life, explaining Christianity and the main beliefs of the church.  Episcopal tradition includes many other prayers to enrich our worship, and a compelling body of ancient and modern music.
  
  
• The Anglican approach to reading and interpreting the Bible was first articulated by Richard Hooker in the 16th century.  Episcopalians look to the Bible as the word of God, and believe that it must always speak to us in our own time and place. Episcopalians believe that every Christian must build an understanding and relationship with God’s word in the Bible.  To enable that, God has given us intelligence and our own experience, which we refer to as “Reason”.  When we study the Bible, and the thought and experience of Christians through the ages, we are called to develop our own understanding of it in our own lives.  The Episcopal Church supports us with a long tradition of theological scholarship and active engagement with the world.