Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is
an inheritor of 2000 years of catholic and apostolic tradition
dating from Christ himself, rooted in the Church of England. The Church of England,
the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church of Australia,
the Anglican Church of South Africa, and so on are autonomous components of the Anglican
Communion. The Most Reverend Rowan
Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, is the leader of the Anglican Communion. There are
around 70,000,000 Anglicans world-wide, about half of whom are in Africa.
Bishop
A bishop is a chief minister (servant) and chief pastor (shepherd) in
the Episcopal Church, serving a diocese. A large diocese may have more than one bishop,
in which case the chief bishop is called the diocesan bishop.
The Church of the Nativity
is in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina.
Our diocesan bishop is the Right Reverend Michael B. Curry, whose office is in Raleigh.
The Rt. Rev. Chip Marble, based in Greensboro, and the Rt. Rev. William Gregg, based in
Charlotte, assist Bishop Curry.
Book of Common Prayer
One of the major works of English literature,
the Book of Common Prayer has had an enormous influence on everything written
in English since its introduction in the sixteenth century. It contains all material
used for regular public worship in the Episcopal Church, as well as material for
private devotions.
The Book of Common Prayer has been revised many times, both in England and in
the other countries of the Anglican Communion, but the original text is still
comprehensible and relevant. The current version used
in the Episcopal Church was published in 1979.
Deacon
A deacon, like a bishop or priest, is an ordained minister. Deacon comes from
the Greek word, diakonos, meaning servant. Deacons usually serve in local
congregations and have a special ministry to the poor, the sick and the troubled.
Deacons are addressed as deacon, mister, miss, mrs., etc. according to preference
or local custom. Our deacon is the Reverend Nancy Titus.
Diocese
A diocese is the fundamental unit of organization in the Episcopal Church. Dioceses consist
of all congregations in a defined geographical area.
Episcopal
"Episcopal" is an adjective derived from the Greek word, episkopos, meaning
overseer or bishop. "Episcopalian" is a noun. Episcopalians attend the Episcopal Church.
Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church is the American branch of the Anglican Communion.
The Episcopal Church
came into existence as an independent denomination after the American Revolution.
Today it has around 2,400,000 members in the United States and a lesser number in
Latin America. The leader of the Episcopal Church is the Presiding Bishop,
the Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori.
Narthex
The entrance hall, where you are greeted and given a bulletin for the
worship service.
Nave
The pew area of the church building, where the congregation sits, stands or kneels
during public worship. The nave is more than an auditorium, where people listen,
because worship in the Episcopal Church involves everyone as participants.
Parish
A congregation that is financially self-supporting and in full union
with the diocese.
Priest
This word comes from a Greek word, presbyter, meaning elder. Priests
are ordained for sacramental ministry. Forms of address, like father or
mother, depend upon the priest's preference and local custom. Our priests are
the Reverend Diane Corlett, known as "Mother Diane"; and the Reverend Jay
Lawlor, known as "Father Jay".
Rector
The priest in charge of a parish.
Sanctuary
The area immediately surrounding the altar, often enclosed by an altar rail. In
some other denominations, "sanctuary" refers to the entire worship space.
Vestry
The vestry handles the parish's business matters and serves as a council of advice
for the rector. Vestry members are elected by the congregation at an annual meeting.
The rector presides at meetings of the vestry. Nativity's vestry consists of 12
lay persons, serving staggered 3-year terms, and is headed by a senior warden and
junior warden.
Warden
A lay person elected to a leadership position.
Need more information?
An excellent dictionary of Anglican church terminology, written by the
Reverend John Wall, an
Episcopal priest and professor of English at North Carolina State University, can be
obtained
here.
| 
