Frequently Asked Questions
If you were formed as a Methodist and now find yourself exploring the Episcopal Church, you're in the right place. If you have another question, just reach out to us!
Does the Episcopal Church have hymns written or composed by John and Charles Wesley?
Yes! The Episcopal Church has one major hymnal - Hymnal 1982 that includes over 20 hymns by John and Charles Wesley. In addition, the Episcopal Church has several supplemental hymnals, one of which, Wonder, Love, and Praise, was entitled as a tribute to Charles Wesley's hymnody.
Does the Episcopal Church have something similar to The Book of Discipline?
Sort of. The Book of Common Prayer contains our clearest expressions of theology and includes a short catechism. The Episcopal Church contains its polity within its Constitutions and Canons.
Do Episcopalians still read the Bible? What is your source of truth?
Yes. Episcopalians believe that the Old and New Testaments contain "all things necessary for salvation." Episcopalians have three main sources of truth: scripture, reason, and tradition. You may recognize this as the first three elements of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral because they are! John Wesley emphasized human experience as a source of truth throughout his ministry, but largely, our sources of truth are the same. Episcopal worship services include readings from the Old and New Testaments, the Psalms, and the Apocrypha.
I am firmly theologically Wesleyan. Will I be welcomed into the Episcopal Church?
The short answer is yes. The Episcopal Church, and Anglicanism as a whole, is a fairly "big tent" of expressions and theological beliefs. Congregations range from very high-church Anglo-Catholic parishes influenced by the Oxford Movement to very low-church parishes that were influenced by Anglican Evangelicalism. All congregations conform to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Episcopal Church, found in the Book of Common Prayer, various versions of which Methodists have used for generations.
I don't want to leave the UMC, but is there a way to create relationships with my local Episcopal Parish?
We don't aim to pressure anyone to leave. The UMC and Episcopal Church have been exploring full communion for decades. While we have not achieved full communion yet, in 2006 these discussions led to the adoption of an interim communion sharing agreement. Under the agreement, UMC Pastors and Episcopal Priests are authorized to celebrate communion together in recognition of a strive toward shared ministry. This has opened the doors for collaborative services, congregational interaction, and mutual ministry.
I have started attending an Episcopal Parish and there are many terms I do not understand. Is there a dictionary of these terms?
How are Episcopal Parishes (congregations) run?
Parishes are run by a Vestry which is similar to a Church Council. Vestry members are normally elected annually at a meeting of the whole parish. The "Junior Warden" and "Senior Warden" are elected laypersons on the Vestry that help lead and administer the parish. The size of a vestry differs from parish to parish.
How do I address a Priest or Deacon?
This largely depends on the Parish you are attending. Some Priests go by "Reverend" others "Father" or "Mother" and some just use their first name. "Pastor" is not often used by Priests in the Episcopal Church.
How do I actually become an Episcopalian?
Go to an Episcopal Church! No seriously, for that vast majority of Methodists coming to the Episcopal Church, that's all you need to start doing. Confirmation, Covenant/Catechumenate classes, or some other formation program may be necessary for some individuals to do things like run for Vestry, pursue ordination, or in pursuit of continual holiness.
What can I expect when I go to an Episcopal Church for the first time?
Your experience will likely be very similar to a particularly-liturgical United Methodist worship service. Episcopalians do kneel, stand, and sit during the services at various times. Some parishes will have additional adornments or liturgical elements such as icons, incense, vestments, etc., that may be very unfamiliar. It is totally fine to feel like you don't know what you are doing. Feel free to talk to the Rector about why their congregation does certain things.
Will the UMC and Episcopal Church ever have full communion?
Due to COVID-19 and uncertainty on the future of the United Methodist Church, full communion between the denominations is unlikely for some time, and has been officially paused until the current draft of the communion agreement can be more duly considered.
What is the Anglican Communion?
The Episcopal Church is the Anglican Province in the United States; in other words, the Episcopal Church is a member of the global Anglican Communion, a family of churches in more than 165 countries that are in full communion and descendants of the Church of England. Unlike the UMC, which is a global denomination and governed by a single General Conference, each church within the Anglican Communion is autonomously governed.
What is the Book of Common Prayer?
The Book of Common Prayer commonly referred to as "the BCP" or simply "BCP" is the primary liturgical and theological resource of the Episcopal Church. Every parish in the Episcopal Church uses the BCP for worship on Sundays and throughout the week, in addition to personal devotional practices. On the1662 BCP - an earlier version of the current BCP John Wesley stated that "I believe there is no liturgy in the world, either in ancient or modern language, which breathes more of a solid, scriptural, rational piety, than the Common Prayer of the Church of England.”
For a helpful explanation of the BCP and other discipleship resources, check out Dr. Lisa Kimball's video for the MSEC.
What are the major differences between the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church?
Since the Methodist Movement began within the Church of England, the theology of the Episcopal Church and UMC is mostly similar. Both churches believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, there are similar patterns for worship, and common histories within the English Reformation. This being said, the culture and expressions of faith within Episcopal Churches and UMCs are often quite different. "Contemporary" worship styles are quite rare within the Episcopal Church since our own split, and the sacramental emphasis in the Episcopal Church is far greater than in most UMCs.
What are the Episcopal equivalents to Districts, Conferences, and General Conferences?
The Episcopal Church is organized into Dioceses, led by a Bishop, that are roughly equivalent to a Conference. The Episcopal Church has no real equivalents to Districts, though some people called Canons can have similar jobs to District Superintendents. General Convention in the Episcopal Church is similar to General Conference, but the decisions made in General Convention are only effectual in the Episcopal Church (US).
Where does the Episcopal Church stand on issues of human sexuality and married Clergy?
Priests, Deacons, and Bishops as well as other leaders in congregations are permitted to be married. Leadership is a gift from God and can be expressed by all people in The Episcopal Church, regardless of gender, sexual identity, or orientation.
What is the Episcopal Church’s stance on LGBTQ+ inclusion?
The Episcopal Church is an affirming community with a history and legacy of LGBTQ+ inclusion. Read more about it here: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/who-we-are/lgbtq/
Why did the UMC and the Episcopal Church ever split?
The history of 18th Century Anglicanism, especially in the years following the American Revolution, is extremely complicated, nuanced, and often difficult for us to fully comprehend. Anglicans (to include early Methodists) in the US following its independence were in relative chaos attempting to organize. The Methodist Episcopal Church (the predecessor to the modern UMC) and the Episcopal Church were both attempts to rectify issues for early Anglicans, and eventually, they developed separately. It may be helpful to view the UMC and the Episcopal Church as "equal heirs" of the Church of England in the United States, though only the Episcopal Church remains in full communion with the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.
Are Episcopal Priests Itinerant?
No. Episcopal Priests are "called" by the Vestry of a Parish to serve their Parish. There is normally a very intentional and intensive search process. Parishes are normally served by an interim Priest in between Rectors.
Are there equivalent organizations to UMM and UMW?
Daughters of the King® and the Brotherhood of Saint Andrew are organizations that are similar, especially on the Parish level.