The Episcopal Church is the American branch of a worldwide fellowship called the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Communion, because of 2000 years of catholic and apostolic tradition, can trace its roots to Christ himself. The history of the Episcopal Church started when the first British colonists came to America. While they desired to emulate the character and tradition of the Church of England, they also wanted to create a church that would reflect the unique and individual character of the colonies of the New World.

Some very good basic information about the Episcopal Church can be found on the Anglicans Online web site. This site briefly discusses the history and beliefs of the Church in a very understandable manner. If you wish to explore the traditions of the Church in greater detail, there are many excellent books available. Two very good ones are: A History of the Episcopal Church by Robert Prichard which details the history of the church from colonial days to the present; and A Dictionary for Episcopalians by John N. Wall which does an excellent job explaining the various terms used in the Episcopal Church. These books and many others are available for checkout at the St. Andrew's library.

The tenets of the Episcopal Church come from Acts 2:37-47. This scripture directs us to be Christ-centered, Bible-based, regular in fellowship, eucharistic in worship, daily in prayer and have a servant ministry. Other important scripture references include:

• Mark 12:28-31 - The Summary of the Law
• Matthew 28:16-20 - The Great Commission
• Luke 6:20-31 - The Beatitudes
• Luke 10:29-37 - The Parable of the Good Samaritan
• Luke 15:11-32 - The Parable of the Prodigal Son
• Matthew 6:9-13 - The Lord's Prayer

The term eucharist comes from the Greek work eucharistia meaning "thanksgiving." It was originally derived from the Jewish ritual of blessing over a meal, as Jesus did at the Last Supper. Today, the service is also referred to as Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper. The eucharist is the principal act of worship on the Lord's day and other major feast days. The 1979 Book of Common Prayer includes three versions. Rite One is in traditional language. Rite Two is in contemporary language. Rite Three (the Order for Celebrating the Holy Eucharist) is used on special occasions. The eucharist is the sacrament of Christ's resurrection and his ongoing presence among us.

St. Andrew's normally uses Rite Two for Sunday services.

The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) is the official prayer book of the Episcopal Church. It forms an essential role in the culture of the Episcopal Church, since it contains the regular services for public worship, the daily offices (prayers) and the principal feasts and fasts of the church. Episcopal congregations vary greatly — some conservative, some liberal, some formal, some informal, etc. But all use the BCP. The BCP also contains the services for baptism, marriage and burial, the collects (KAHL-ekts — short prayers that collect the silent prayers of the people), the psalter (translations from the Hebrew Bible for use as liturgical text) and the church calendar.

An important part of the Book of Common Prayer is the Catechism. Traditionally the term refers to the prebaptismal instruction of children and adults. Today it refers to an outline for instruction, often cast in a question and answer form. The official catechism in the Book of Common Prayer is titled "An Outline of the Faith." It is meant to provide a brief summary of the church's teachings for an inquirer.

The Book of Common Prayer was first composed by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in 1549 to gather the complicated rites of the medieval church in a single book for clergy and laity. This compilation also marked the beginning of the conducting worship in the native tongue instead of Latin. The first American prayer book was ratified in 1789, with new editions appearing in 1892, 1928 and 1979.

Current and historic versions of the The Book of Common Prayer can be found online at a site maintained by the Society of Archbishop Justus. You can read the various versions online, or download them in various formats.