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 (Posted July 15, 2009)

Answer from Amma Taylor Dinsmore:

My name is Taylor Dinsmore and I am the Assistant Rector at Good Samaritan. I am writing in response to your question that came to us through our Web site.  Our Rector (Senior Pastor) is away right now at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, which is held every three years. This year it is being held in Anaheim, California, and will conclude next week.

First of all, let me invite you and your daughter and granddaughter to come and worship with us. Our form of worship is somewhat different from the Southern Baptist Church, but our people are welcoming and are willing to help a newcomer find their way through our prayer book and our service.

The Episcopal Church is also different from some other denominations in that we do not have a set of rules, beliefs, or dogmas to which members must subscribe. From the beginning, the Church of England (which became the Episcopal Church when it came to this country) has been based on a "middle way." A way for people with various viewpoints to come together to worship God in a community of believers. For example, if you take your four-year-old granddaughter bowling, you may be in a place that uses those bumper guards to keep the ball in the alley. This is sort-of like the "middle way." As long as a person's views fall within the "bumpers" on the sides, they are acceptable within the church.  Also a person is "able" and "encouraged" to decide what they think is right for themselves and for their children. Therefore, it is acceptable in the Episcopal Church to be both "pro-life" and believe in the equality of all people regardless of sexual orientation.

We have a number a gay people in our congregation who are very active in the worship and ministry of the church.

Sometimes the theology of the Episcopal Church is hard to understand when you have been in a denomination where you have been told what is right and what is wrong. That is not a part of our worship. We do not have sermons that focus on our views of topics such as abortion, war, sexuality, etc. Each week our worship includes the reading of an Old Testament reading, a Psalm, a New Testament reading and a reading from one of the Gospels....and it is from those readings that our sermons are drawn trying to determine what these lessons from the Bible have to say to us as followers of Christ in this world today.

If you have other questions, please contact me at taylordinsmore@knology.net. I would also be glad to meet with you and your family. I hope you will come and worship with us one Sunday. Also our Vacation Bible School will be July 20-24 and if you would like for your granddaughter to come (call for a reservation at 693-9591) or if you would like to drop by for a visit, please feel free to do so.

I hope that you and your family will find Good Samaritan to be the place you want to be, but if it is not, I pray that you will soon find a place that nourishes your faith, your spirit and your family.

God Bless, Taylor+

My name is Taylor Dinsmore and I am the Assistant Rector at Good Samaritan. I appreciate your questions and hope that I can help. I, too, was raised as a child in the Baptist church as were many of our present members.

The worship in an Episcopal church is different from what you will find in the Baptist tradition. We have our order of service from the Book of Common Prayer, which is made up about 75% from Scripture. Each service has an Old Testament Reading, Psalm, New Testament Reading, Gospel reading and Sermon.

Good Samaritan is a very welcoming (we hope) place and there is no right or wrong way to do things. We usually stand to sing, kneel to pray and sit to listen to Scripture lessons and the sermon.

One thing that is different is that our clergy wear vestments (robes) and the service starts with a procession of clergy, servers and acolytes (cross bearers and torch bearers) from the back of the church.

Another thing that is different is that communion, which we call Holy Eucharist (Greek for Thanksgiving), is celebrated at most every service. The procedure for that is to follow people forward to the altar rail, kneel if you are able, then put out your hands when the priest comes by and he/she will place a wafer on it. You may eat it right then or wait until the server with the wine comes by and then dip it in the wine. If you only want a blessing you can fold your arms across your chest. If you are new and uncomfortable and just want to watch that is OK, too.

We have an 8:30 a.m. service that has more traditional language (thou shalt) and no music and an 11:00 a.m. service that has music. We just started an Inquirer's Class at 9:45 for those who want to know more about the church. It will be held in our main fellowship hall, which is off the church. Another thing that is different in the Episcopal church is that there is no pressure to join. Once a year, the Bishop comes and "confirms" people who want to become members and some of those people and older youth are in this Inquirer's class.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to e-mail me directly at taylordinsmore@knology.net.

Thanks for your interest and we hope to see you Sunday,

Taylor Dinsmore

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