Joining the Cathedral Family
Membership at the Cathedral Church of Saint Luke’s begins when the date and place of one's baptism are recorded in the parish register. All persons who have been baptized in any Christian Church with water and in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are full members of the Episcopal Church when this registration occurs.
If a person is not baptized, baptism in the Episcopal Church makes one a full member thereof.
The Cathedral offers Newcomers Classes and a Newcomers Dinner twice a year, as well as inquirers classes on the Episcopal Church, for people desiring additional information about membership. These sessions can lead to a public renewal of one’s baptism as a testimony to one’s new identity as an Episcopalian and/or Cathedral member.
Persons seeking to become members should contact the cathedral office, either to be baptized, or so that the date and place of their baptism can be recorded in our register.
What are the Responsibilities of Membership?
The Episcopal Church expects all of its adult members to make a "mature public affirmation" of their faith in and commitment to Jesus Christ. This is done through:
· Baptism (if a person is not already baptized)
· Confirmation (if a person was baptized at an early age or has never made any sort of mature commitment to Jesus Christ)
· Reception (if a person is joining the Episcopal Church from another Christian denomination in which a previous mature commitment to Christ was made)
· Confirmation and Reception occur during the Bishop's visit to the Cathedral or at another celebration at which the Bishop is present. Baptisms occur according to the parish's baptismal policy.
Formation classes are held on an ongoing basis which prepare people of all ages and backgrounds for meaningful membership in the Church through baptism, confirmation, or reception. The clergy in conjunction with other staff and volunteers lead them.
All Members (established and new) are expected to take the vows and responsibilities of the Baptismal Covenant (Book of Common Prayer, p. 304) seriously. The Catechism (Book of Common Prayer, p. 856) describes what this entails:
The duty of all Christians is to follow Christ
· to come together week by week for corporate worship
· and to work, pray, and give for the spread of the kingdom of God.
· to work and pray for the spread of God's kingdom involves a daily discipline of prayer, Scripture reading, and devotion.
Following Christ is a commitment to live each day as a witness and disciple of Jesus Christ. Not only is our time volunteered for the work of the Church, but each hour of our home and work lives is consecrated to Jesus and lived according to God’s will.
What Would Membership Do for Me?
At the Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, you can expect to receive:
· A sense of belonging in a caring, welcoming, and accepting community
· A safe, uplifting environment for yourself and your household
· Purpose and direction for your life as you are challenged and empowered to be the person God created you to be
· Quality Christian formation opportunities for all ages
· Friendship and fellowship, recreation and fun
· Support and guidance in living the Christian life
· Hope for the future
· Spiritual growth with a deepening awareness of God's joy and love in your life and in the world
What Can You Tell Me About the Episcopal Church?
The Episcopal Church in the United States is part of the ANGLICAN COMMUNION. This is a worldwide fellowship of Christians who trace their origin to the Church of England. The Archbishop of Canterbury in England serves as the symbolic head of the Communion.
In the United States, the Episcopal Church has about 2.5 million members in several thousand parishes and missions. Across the world, there are around 70 million ANGLICANS. Many of them live in countries that were not part of the British Empire, testifying to the missionary vitality of the Church. Most ANGLICANS now live in Africa, where the Church continues to experience explosive growth.
"Episcopal" means "governed by bishops." It indicates the importance that Episcopalians attach to the historical continuity of the Church as represented in the office of Bishop. While the Church of England (the parent church of the Episcopal Church) separated from the Roman Catholic Church during the reign of Henry VIII at the time of the Reformation, it did not begin or start then. The Church in England has a long history going back almost to the time of the Apostles. For the first 400 years of its existence, it was largely independent from Rome. After the Reformation, it again became independent.
Episcopalians believe that the authority of the Church lies in the Bible, in the history and Tradition of our forbears, and in the use of our own Reason. Together, Scripture, Tradition, and Reason guide and inform us as we seek to live the Christian life within our modern world. We encourage people to explore the faith and ask questions. We are unafraid of doubt and the quest it can inspire, because we believe Truth ultimately resides in Jesus Christ. Thus, an honest exploration in search of Truth cannot be detrimental to our faith.
Episcopal belief is centered on Jesus Christ and is represented pre-eminently in the Nicene Creed. The Creed is an ancient statement of Christianity that was born of the early Church's struggle to understand and vocalize its experience of God in the Risen Jesus Christ.
Our sense of ministry and vocation flows from our Baptismal Covenant (Book of Common Prayer p304-305). Our worship is focused upon the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (or Communion). We believe that we are united to Jesus and grow in His image as we receive His life in the bread that is His Body and the wine that is His Blood.
Active involvement and interaction, as well as the "beauty of holiness," characterize our worship services. Experiencing the beauty of God, we strive to reflect and convey God's Presence through the beauty of our worship. We also seek to involve the congregation as active ministers, imparting to the people the message that the Christian life is not passive, but rather to be lived out in the world. Thus, Episcopalians pray with the priest, sing, kneel, stand, cross themselves, partake of Communion, and perform many functions within the service.
The Episcopal Church is a church of commitment. Because we believe God’s Presence permeates this world through the Incarnation of Christ in Jesus as continued through Christ’s Body the Church, we expect our members to be proactive in being Christ's presence in the world. Episcopalians are expected to worship faithfully and regularly with their parish and on their own, to deepen their knowledge and love of the Lord through devotion and education, to give a tithe for the work of the Church, and to pray and labor for the values and reality of the Kingdom of God in their community and throughout the world.
Come and find Jesus Christ, alive and present today in the Episcopal Church!
What Does the Episcopal Church Value?
If you are searching and find these concepts appeal to you, we believe you will find a home in the Episcopal Church. If you do, we welcome you to the family of Christ Church.
· WORSHIP that brings you in, instead of putting you on the sidelines.
· A THEOLOGY that demands our intelligence rather than ignoring it.
· A WILLINGNESS not only to tolerate, but also to celebrate differences.
· A HERITAGE that takes the Bible seriously yet is not bound by literalism.
· A strong sense of COMMUNITY in which our consensus is in our common relationship to Jesus Christ rather than to an enforced conformity of opinion.
· A devotion to the SACRAMENTS as instituted by Jesus through the Tradition of the Church and which evoke awe rather than factual explanation.
· A sense of MINISTRY that is rightfully the obligation and privilege of every baptized person.
· An insistence on MORALITY (what is good and loving) as opposed to MORALISM (judgmental salvation by code instead of Christ).
Adapted from the Church of the Good Shepherd, Bonita CA.
What Is Expected of Your Parish Leaders?
All who enter into leadership positions at The Cathedral Church of St. Luke are asked to sign, and work to keep, our parish "Rule of Life." The language "Rule" comes from an old monastic term, and does not imply a legalistic requirement, but rather an ideal and a goal. We know that no one can perfectly keep our Rule all of the time. Yet it is a standard towards which we strive. We believe that in the journey towards it, our life is enriched and our experience of God made more profound. As leaders, it also enables us to model a daily Christian practice for our congregants.
The Parish Rule of Life
· By the grace of God, I affirm that as a baptized minister of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke I commit myself to strive to journey toward the full living of the following
Christian Rule of Life:
· I will take as my standard of life the Baptismal Covenant (Book of Common Prayer, p. 304), making every effort to fully live its faith and precepts.
· I will pray for, support, uphold, and further the mission of the Church (Book of Common Prayer, p. 855 and the parish Mission and Vision Statements).
· I will undertake a program of personal spiritual growth through daily Bible reading and study, daily personal and intercessory prayer, continued Christian education, and, when possible, annual spiritual retreats and regular spiritual direction.
· I will regularly attend weekly worship, at which I will listen to the Word of God and receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
· I will work toward tithing my income (offering 10% of gross income) as a sign of my trust in God and of my commitment to God's work, and as a way of offering thanks to God for the blessings and life given me in Jesus.
