What is an Episcopalian?
The Episcopal Church is a national “mainline” denomination with historic ties to the Church of England. “Episcopal” comes from an old Greek word meaning “overseer”, which refers to the way we prefer to organize ourselves. Each congregation in our diocese (the State of Maine) sends representatives to the annual diocesan convention, which elects our bishop (or “superintendent”). The bishop is the head of our diocese and our chief priest.
We believe in a loving, nurturing God - expressed in the person of Jesus Christ - who taught us through word and example how to love others as we love ourselves. We believe in using our God-given reason to understand the world around us, and that the Bible should be understood in its proper historical context. We believe that people of all genders and sexualities are not just welcome at the table, but called to all expressions of ministry, lay and ordained alike. In the Episcopal Church, our faith is an ever-evolving journey, and none of us have all the answers. Together we ask questions, we discuss, and we continue to learn. And with almost 2,000 years of Christian tradition to explore, you’ll find a huge range of beliefs and practices among us: Ample material for developing your own understanding and way of relating to the divine.