The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church is a part of the larger worldwide Anglican Communion. “Episcopal” means “bishop” in Greek. The basic unit of the church is a “diocese”, a geographic region consisting on a reasonable amount of Episcopalians. Each diocese has its own bishop. This bishop chooses and ordains priests and deacons for the churches within the diocese. Each parish has the power to decide how to support its member in their spiritual journey. But ultimately, the Episcopal Church is governed by a general constitution, often referred to as the canons.
Worship styles in the Episcopal Church vary greatly from parish to parish. Each congregation has its own style and personality. Services can range from very formal, multi-sensory rites with lots of singing, music, fancy vestments, and incense to informal services with more contemporary music. No matter what Episcopal church you worship in, all worship is based in the Book of Common Prayer, which provides all services with the same basic structure. Services in the Episcopal Church can be very active and may involve standing, kneeling, and spoken or sung responses.
The Diocese of Washington
Because of our location in Washington, DC the Canterbury Club and the parishes we partner with are members of the Diocese of Washington. This diocese is made up 93 Episcopal congregations in the District of Columbia and 4 counties in Maryland. The diocese is very diverse with over 40,000 members. Since 2002, the bishop of the Diocese of Washington has been the Rt. Rev. John Bryson Chane. The Washington National Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a member parish of the diocese.
For more information on the Diocese of Washington please visit: http://www.edow.org
