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St. John's Episcopal Church is a family called by Christ to grow spiritually, to share life with others, and to make known His love through word and deed. Please feel free to explore our website, it contains information on our church and its ministries. If you are looking for a place to fullfill your spiritual needs, we hope you consider St. John's. If we can answer any question feel free to contact us. We would love to hear from you! We could use some help adding content to our new website. If you are knowledgeable of. or responsible for a St. John's ministry or program and would like to contribute to a St. John's web page, contact the Website Administrator. |
What We Believe
Excerpts borrowed from the website of Trinity Wall St. Manhattan, NY.
St John's Episcopal Church is a parish
within the Diocese of Massachusetts. This means that
St John's is part of the Episcopal Church and the
worldwide Anglican Communion, whose members trace
their spiritual lineage to the Church of England.Anglicans, as as members of the Communion are generally called, typically pursue God's love through Scripture, tradition and reason. The Anglican ethos values patience and tolerance, and generous participation in the cultural life of the world.
We profess two principle creeds in the Episcopal Church, the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. The Apostles Creed is the ancient creed of Baptism, and the Nicene Creed summarises the beliefs of Christians. Read both here.
Learn more about being an Episcopalian here.
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History of St
John's
(1854-1995) Gail C. Fryer
Historian Posted by John Wudyka on March 8, 2011 |
Top 10 Reasons to be an Episcopalian - By Robin Williams
Frequently Asked Questions
Posted by John Wudyka on February 18, 2010
All are welcome, regardless of faith, creed, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age. Not to put too fine a point on it: all are welcome.
I have small children. Can we attend services?
By all means. St. John’s is family-friendly, and your children may either remain with you during services or you may take advantage of Sunday nursery care. We also offer our Sunday School where kids can have fun while learning about God and the church.
How are you different from a Roman Catholic Church?
There are theological differences between the two churches – some subtle, some not-so-subtle. There are several key differences, though: The Pope is not the head of the Episcopal Church, although we recognize him as the head bishop of another branch of the Christian Church. In the Episcopal Church, women, as well as men, can be priests and bishops, and priests can also be married. Also, all Christians are welcome to take communion in Episcopal churches, not just Episcopalians.
Can Episcopalians believe whatever they want?
When the Church of England (which is the mother church of the Episcopal Church) was established in the 16th century by Queen Elizabeth, it was conceived as the "middle way" between Catholicism and the Protestant Reformation that was sweeping Europe. And so, the Episcopal Church traditionally has been a place where many points of view – and many questions – are welcomed as part of the life of faith. That faith is based on what we call the "three-legged stool": Scripture, tradition, and reason.
Do I need to be baptized to take Communion?
At St. John's, the clergy regularly invite all present to partake in Communion. If you have questions or wish to know more about Communion, one of the principle sacraments of the Episcopal Church, speak with any member of our clergy following a service or contact a member of the pastoral staff here.
Can I get married in your church?
Every Episcopal parish has their own requirements for weddings. We welcome those who wish to be married at St. John's. Learn more about getting married at St. John's here.
Differences Between Anglicans, Episcopalians, and Roman Catholics
Borrowed from Reverend Rebecca's Explaination and Guide to all Things Anglican
History
In order to really get this,you first have to know a bit about the history behind the church. In the sixth century the Catholic Church arrived in England through missionaries from Rome and Ireland. This church grew and spread and was an integral part of the wider Catholic communion. In the sixteenth century the church in England declared itself independent from Rome under Henry VIII and then in 1570 Pope Pius V excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I. The church in England then became "The Church of England" and later was referred to simply as the "Anglican Church" (from the word "Anglo").
Anglicans settled in many countries throughout the world and were among the first to settle in North America shortly after the Puritans arrived. However, when the Revolutionary War occurred in North America, the U.S. declared its independence from England and American Anglicans quickly changed their name to "Episcopalians" in order to avoid persecution and obvious ties to England. "Episcopal" simply means "to have bishops."
Today the Anglican Communion consists of churches on every continent. In order to be a member of the Anglican Communion, a Church must be in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury in Canterbury, England. There are currently many Anglicans in countries where the British established colonies and focused missionary efforts including Africa (particularly the Sudan and Nigeria), India, and China, but Anglicans can be found in every country today. Anglicanism is the third largest Christian religious body in the world.
Anglicans and Roman Catholics
Many people are also confused by the similarities they see between Anglicans and Roman Catholics. Obviously these similarities are due to their common roots and heritage (since they used to be the same church), but Anglicanism was heavily influenced by the Protestant Reformation and this accounts for some significant differences. An Anglican worship service or "mass" is almost identical to a Roman Catholic service except for a few minor differences. The most obvious difference is the fact that most Episcopalians ordain women to the Diaconate, Episcopate, and Priesthood, unlike the Roman Catholic Church. But many other differences exist between Roman Catholics and Anglicans as well. For example, all Anglicans allow their clergy to marry and celibacy is never mandated for clergy unless they are under Religious vows as a monk or nun. Many Episcopal Dioceses (not all) ordain homosexuals and bless homosexual unions. While Anglicans respect the Papacy, they are not under Papal authority. Anglicans allow for family planning among their members and encourage the use of contraceptives. Divorce and remarriage are also allowed in the Episcopal Church with the counsel and consent of one's priest and Bishop.
Heritage and Tradition
At the same time, Anglicans treasure their heritage and tradition and are very strong believers in maintaining those ancient traditions, particularly in the areas of worship, liturgy, sacraments, architecture, and patristic theology. If you really want to upset most Anglicans, tell them that the Eucharist is merely a symbol and not really the Body and Blood of Christ! Anglicans also insist on maintaining Apostolic Succession: the direct lineage of ordination that can be traced back to the apostles. In other words, when my Bishop laid hands on me to ordain me, he had the authority to do so because the Bishops who laid hands on him had hands laid on them who were in the direct line of Bishops going back to the apostles. Anglicans honor and respect their traditions and the writings and practices of the early church and seek to find ways to both maintain their heritage while moving forward to address current issues, thereby living out the middle way or "via media," which is an Anglican ideal.
Moving Forward
The Episcopal Church USA has entered into full communion with the ELCA, the Lutheran Church in America and in so doing, we have reversed nearly 500 years of schism between the churches since the Reformation. Anglicans continue to work with other churches and denominations in many ecumenical efforts to bring unity to the world wide Church. Anglicans are also at the forefront of interfaith dialogue and seek to work together in unity with people of other religions rather than oppose them.
Why St. John's?
Posted by John Wudyka on February 18, 2010
The Episcopal Church is made up of between two and three million worshipers in about 7,500 congregations across the United States and related dioceses outside the United States. The St. John’s parish of Sandwich, Massachusetts, is made up not only of lifelong Episcopalians, but also those who grew up in other faiths. We welcome you all! What you’ll find when you visit and worship with us at St. John's is a vibrant community of parishioners and friends.
Is there more?
Yes! Please visit our the Newcomers Table after the 10 AM service to learn more about St. John’s.
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St.
John's Church Bylaws 01-31-2000 St. John's Church - Bylaws |
To contribute to this or any other St. John's web page, contact the Website Administrator.
