Worship is at the heart of Christian life. It is the most elementary response to the movements of God. We worship together and alone. The experience is unique to every individual but there are many things which we share in common.
The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) is used throughout the Episcopal Church in the United States. It is the red covered book which you will find in the back of the pews. It was first ratified in 1789 following the American Revolution. The Anglican Church, in the newly liberated colonies, became the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States. Our roots go back to the missionaries who brought Christianity to the British Isles in the fourth century, and earlier, through Apostolic Succession, to the twelve disciples themselves.
The prayers, psalms and order of services found in the BCP have come down to us through history. The Nicene Creed, which summarizes the the underpinnings of the faith, dates from the fourth century after Christ. The service connects us to the earliest worship of the Church.
The BCP helps us celebrate the life events that are observed in the Church, such as baptism, marriage and burial. The BCP was written so every Christian could grow in faith with simple devotions.
The Bible is the foundation of our faith. It is comprised of the Old Testament, which we share with the Jewish faith, and the New Testament, which was written after Christ’s death by his followers. Reading and understanding the Bible is a lifelong process.
