Perfect for newcomers and confirmation classes The Episcopal Church has a language and a practice all its own. For a newcomer, these can seem intimidating at first glance. This book takes readers through a Sunday worship experience, and explains the what, the why, and the how of what they might encounter. Worship is explained, with a quick survey of the Book of Common Prayer, along with frequently encountered vocabulary. How we read the Bible and what we believe about core points of theology are also discussed, especially as these points may differ from what many people assume to be Christian norms. How faith is practiced and its connection to our social and moral lives is discussed. What is the Jesus Movement and how can the Way of Love be lived every day? Finally, a short overview of Episcopal history is included, for the visitor who wonders how we came to be here. The book concludes with a few of the most frequently asked questions by adults who join the Episcopal Church.

The perfect book for inquirers and new members, as well as current Church members who may be unfamiliar with some of the Church s history, beliefs, and practices. This new introduction to the history, polity, spirituality, worship, and outreach of the Episcopal Church is written in an easy-to-read conversational tone, and includes study questions at the end of each chapter, making it an excellent resource for adult parish study and inquirers' classes."

This guide for newcomers to the Episcopal Church is written and designed to provide accessible and user-friendly reading, with an easy-going look and style that's packed full of substance.

Beyond the Scripture, this book delves into all other aspects of the Episcopalian service, from the vestments and gestures to the church calendar, that result in a deeper appreciation of the faith. The perfect book for newcomers who are often confused by the worship service, Welcome to Sunday is also an excellent book for those who have been sitting in the pews without fully understanding what happens on Sunday morning. Episcopal priest Christopher Webber takes the reader from the sidewalk outside the church, guides them through the service, and sends them out again when the service has ended. Webber explains the postures, the Christian year, the colors we use during various seasons, and all the elements in the Service of the Eucharist. As in Webber's very popular Welcome to the Episcopal Church, the tone of the easy-to-read book is conversational, making it useful for parish study.

A foundational volume for seekers in formation programs and a “refresher” study volume for individuals and congregational study groups. We live in a world increasingly separated from the Christian tradition and the basic understanding of the faith that previous ages might have taken for granted. The voices of faith seem increasingly strident and off-putting to many. There is a need for a calmer, basic introduction to faith that recognizes the value of doubt and the questions raised in a secular society. A systematic introduction to Christianity for newcomers needs to begin with a discussion of faith itself and then move on to a discussion of such Christian basics as God, Trinity, Church, sin, atonement, prayer, and Christian living.

A tour through the dates, colors, and other traditions of the Church year. This third volume in the popular Morehouse series explains why we do what we do and when, and it does so in a user-friendly, thoroughly interesting way.

Take a journey through The Book of Common Prayer, the Christian life, and basic beliefs of our faith, guided by two Episcopal priests - Scott Gunn and Melody Wilson Shobe. Walk through the liturgical year, the sacraments of the church, habits of daily prayer, and the teachings of Anglican Christianity. See how our prayer shapes our belief and our lives and how our beliefs lead us into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

In the section entitled “Concerning the Service of the Church,” the Book of Common Prayer identifies the normative services of the Episcopal Church: The Holy Eucharist, the principal act of Christian worship on the Lord’s Day and other major Feasts, and Daily Morning and Evening Prayer, as set forth in this book, are the regular services appointed for public worship in the Church. (BCP, 13) Eucharistic propers (collects, Scripture readings, and proper prefaces) are provided in the Book of Common Prayer for the days when the Eucharist is the principal service. As celebration of the Eucharist has become more frequent, many congregations and other communities of faith now celebrate weekday Eucharists on days for which the Prayer Book does not assign propers. To facilitate the use of these authorized options, this resource contains weekday propers for the seasons of the Church Year (the temporal cycle), the Common of Saints (the sanctoral cycle), and Various Occasions from the Prayer Book and from resources authorized since the adoption of the Prayer Book. The propers in this resource are grouped into three sections by type for the temporal cycle, the sanctoral cycle, and various occasions.

New Episcopalians may be nervous about opening the Bible; others simply don't know how to begin. An often-overlooked gift of the Episcopal Church is that the texts and doctrines of the Bible are embedded in its prayers, liturgies, and creeds. Making that knowledge explicit and placing it in context can open the way for further and more in-depth study.

If you listen closely enough to teenagers, you’ll hear their deep yearning to connect with God, and a powerful instinct to belong. And you’ll find out right away the one thing they really hate—being preached to. Here in My Faith, My Life, teenagers learn all about the Christian faith they’ve been baptized into – and the Episcopal Church that offers them a spiritual home. With lively writing that’s always informative and never condescending, the book gives them all the basics they need to know to understand their faith – and claim it as their own. Closely linked to the Book of Common Prayer, My Faith, My Life covers everything from scripture, church history, and sacraments, to the meaning of prayer and ministry in the lives of real teens today. This is the essential handbook for teens in the Episcopal Church – an excellent resource for confirmation classes, youth study groups, and high school Christian education programs. Also available: A complete guide for Christian educators who are using My Faith, My Life as a confirmation resource for teenagers in the parish. It will contain detailed lesson plans, background information, suggestions, newsletter articles, and a wide variety of other materials to help teachers make the best use of My Faith, My Life. This leader guide will be a downloadable PDF for $5.95 from the Church Publishing website