Lexicon

An international association of autonomous churches consisting of the Church of England and national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with it.

A Christian denomination that evolved from the Church of England following the American Revolution. For more details, see en.wikipedia.org/Episcopal_Church_United_States

The term for the church’s sacramental rites, texts, and music used in public worship.

Originally referred to the geographic area assigned by a bishop to a church; in contemporary use, it is often used to refer to the congregation of members and participants affiliated with a particular church.

A title by which Christians refer to Jesus. The word is a Greek translation of the Hebrew messiah, meaning “the anointed one.”

The Christian ceremony commemorating the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed.

The style of Christian worship practiced by the ecumenical Taizé community in France, characterized by the repetitive singing of simple harmonized tunes, often in various languages, interspersed with readings, prayers, and periods of silence.

A person ordained to sacerdotal or pastoral office and authorized to celebrate the sacraments; a member of the clergy; minister. In the Episcopal church, a member of the clergy below that of bishop.

The priest who has been consecrated by the bishop to be clergy leader of a church community.

The official non-ordained volunteer leader of a in congregation.

The official non-ordained assistant to the senior warden, often designated as the warden responsible for overseeing buildings and ground.

An ordained minister of the Episcopal Church called to lead church members in service to the poor, needy and oppressed. The deacon has specific ceremonial and leadership responsibilities which differ from those of a priest.

Spiritual practices based on the teachings of the 16th Century Jesuit priest, Ignatius of Loyola. These practices include contemplative prayer, discernment, and Music thanatology is a vital part of hospice care for patients struggling with terminal illness. As part of a hospice team, the music thanatologist soothes and comforts each patient with prescriptive musical sessions.

Historic and traditional rites, prayers, and psalms incorporated into Christian worship from ancient Hebrew and Christian traditions.

A comprehensive book of Christian worship, prayers, scripture readings, and instruction compiles in 16th Century England, with subsequent adaptions and revisions throughout the Anglican Communion. The current authorized version of the Episcopal Church in the United States was revised and adopted in _______.

The altar is the center of worship, around which worshipers gather to be in holy communion. Members of the altar guild prepare the table for worship.

An act of reverence by those who bring forward the bread and wine to be offered to the assembled congregation during the Eucharist or holy communion commemorating the last supper of Jesus.

Those who read the scripture lessons and lead the psalm reading during worship.

A dispersed Christian ecumenical community working for peace and social justice, rebuilding of community and the renewal of worship centered in Iona, with a pilgrimage center in Iona, a tiny and beautiful Hebridean island off the west coast of Scotland, and a cradle of Christianity in Scotland, where in 563AD the Irish monk Columba established a monastic settlement that evangelized large parts of Scotland and the north of England and became an important center of European Christianity.

Basically refers to writings in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible; the Old Testament being pre-Christian Hebrew works and the New Testament being early Christian writings compiled into Holy Scripture in the ___________. The writings of scripture inform the basic teachings of the church.

The term refers to all the members of the body of the church who are not ordained, but are called through to be followers of Christ and minister to others. The Episcopal Church teaches that through Baptism one is called into the “priesthood of all believers” that makes all believers equal in the sight of God.