St Luke’s is a Christian church located in Auburn, California.
St. Luke's is a member parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California.
The Episcopal Church is the American branch of the Anglican Communion.
The Anglican Communion is the worldwide confederation of Protestant churches worshipping in the tradition of the Church of England and recognizing the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
(Adapted from
materials developed by the national Episcopal
Church Visitor’s Center)
The
Episcopal Church is a Christian denomination
with a rich Catholic and Protestant heritage. We
believe in a God of creation, redemption, and
constant presence and love. We believe that
God’s love and grace, which belong to all people
without exception, are expressed through the
Church, which is the Body of Christ. Our faith
is not based on anticipated rewards or
punishment, but on a free commitment of our will
to do God’s will.
Within the Episcopal
Church all people are ministers. Some are called
into special ministry positions to which they
are "ordained." These are deacons, priests, and
bishops who are together called "clergy." All
others are called "lay people." All participate
in the work of the church and in its
governance.
Episcopalians are
"liturgical," meaning we worship using a set of
texts, which are found in the Book of Common
Prayer. Not only will you know pretty much what
to expect when you go to any Episcopal service,
the words for that service are in the hands of
the people.
These services tell a story
and act it out. For instance, in Holy Communion
(a worship service that we also call the
"Eucharist") the people act out the Gospel story
of the Last Supper, eating a piece of bread and
taking a sip of wine because Jesus told us to do
so, in remembrance of him. Similarly, the
baptism of Jesus began for Christians a rite of
acceptance that makes use of the symbolism of
water.
Because the liturgy draws us into
the story through the use of all senses,
services are beautiful, dignified, yet
invariably human. Do not be afraid of "making a
mistake." The Prayer Book provides the words you
will need and the small print gives instructions
about standing and kneeling. But even these
customs vary in different congregations. You
will notice that there are different practices
even in the same
church.