The Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Magnolia

FAQ

What does "Episcopal" mean?

What does "Ascension" mean?

What is the Book of Common Prayer

What do we call the ministers?

What are the beliefs that this Church professes?

What does "Episcopal" mean?

Episcopal refers to the fact that our church has bishops. We are a part of a worldwide communion known as the Anglican Church. Prior to the Revolutionary War we were part of the Anglican Church of England. After the war, the Church was organized and named "Episcopal" to distance it from its English roots and association with the English crown. The full name of the church is the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

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What does "Ascension" mean?

Ascension is the name of a feast day celebrated within the church. It marks the end of Jesus' earthly ministry. After Jesus' resurrection, he remained with his disciples for forty days. Then, gathering them in the town of Bethany, he instructed them to await the coming of God's Spirit which would empower them for ministry. The disciples then watched as Jesus ascended as though carried by a cloud into heaven.

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What is the Book of Common Prayer?

The Book of Common Prayer (the red book) is the worship resource that guides all worship within the Episcopal Church. At Ascension, we follow the prayer book service closely, yet we have found it helpful to reproduce the service in a "service booklet." This booklet is distributed by the ushers at our 10:15 a.m. service and provides service music in addition to our prayers.

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What do we call the ministers?

In the Episcopal Church, there are various titles used for ministers, including Father, Mother, Mr., Ms., and pastor. The preference of our ministers is that they be addressed by their first names. However, the question arises, "What should our children call you?" We believe the term "pastor" is best.

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What are the beliefs that this Church professes?

Our Church is a credal church that most clearly professes its beliefs every Sunday when we stand and affirm our faith in God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This creed is found in the Book of Common Prayer on page 358. A further explanation of Church beliefs can be found in the Catechism, in the Book of Common Prayer on pages 845-862. Opportunities to learn more about the Church and its beliefs are available by attending a series of Inquirers' Classes offered periodically throughout the year.

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