The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement is made up of individuals, small gathered communities and congregations whose way of life is the way of Jesus and his way of love.
By God’s grace…
Overview
The Episcopal Church is rooted in The Book of Common Prayer, 75% of which comes directly from the words of Scripture. Our common worship brings us together, creating space for all kinds of people to worship God, love one another and serve as the hands and feet of Jesus.
While we offer the historic sacraments of the church (baptism, communion, confirmation, ordination, marriage, anointing with oil & reconciliation of a penitent), the Episcopal Church and its clergy do not view ourselves as gatekeepers or rule enforcers who get to determine who is worthy to take part. All people are welcome into the waters of baptism, at God’s table, to make their faith their own, celebrate their love in marriage, ask God for healing and strength, pursue one’s calling and share with another human being their shortcomings and experience God’s forgiveness. One way this posture is expressed is in ordaining LGBTQIA+ people to be deacons, priests and bishops.
Our Presiding Bishop The Most Rev. Michael Curry
"Being a Christian is not essentially about joining a church or being a nice person, but about following in the footsteps of Jesus, taking his teachings seriously, letting his Spirit take the lead in our lives, and in so doing helping to change the world from our nightmare into God’s dream."
Crazy Christians: A Call to Follow Jesus
The Most Rev. Michael Curry
The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry is presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church. In 2015, he was elected to a nine-year term in this role and installed at the church’s 78th General Convention; he serves as The Episcopal Church’s chief pastor, spokesperson, and president and chief executive officer.
Throughout his ministry, Bishop Curry has been a prophetic leader, particularly in the areas of racial reconciliation, climate change, evangelism, immigration policy, and marriage equality. The animating vision and message of his ministry is Jesus of Nazareth and his way of radical, sacrificial love, and he regularly reminds Episcopalians they are “the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement.”
Bishop Curry rose to international prominence during his sermon at Harry & Megan’s royal wedding in 2019. His sermon on the power of love was viewed by over 1 billion people.
Bishop Curry was ordained a priest in 1978 and served parishes in North Carolina, Ohio, and Maryland until his 2000 election as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. He graduated with high honors from Hobart and Williams Smith Colleges and earned his Master of Divinity degree from Yale University. Bishop Curry is the author of five books and a regular guest on national and international media outlets.
If it’s not about love, it’s not about God.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
Presiding Bishop Curry is leading The Episcopal Church to focus our ministry on three focus areas:
- Sharing God’s Good News – We seek, name and celebrate Jesus’ loving presence in the stories of all people – then invite everyone to MORE.
- Racial Reconciliation – We engage the spiritual practice of seeking loving, liberating and life-giving relationships with God and one another, and strive to heal and transform injustice and brokenness in ourselves, our communities, institutions, and society.
- Creation Care – We follow Jesus, so we love the world God loves. Concerned for the global climate emergency, drawing on diverse approaches for our diverse contexts, we commit to form and restore loving, liberating, life-giving relationships with all of Creation.
The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, made up of 80 million Christians in 165 countries around the world. Anglicans and Episcopalians around the world share many aspects of their traditions and ways of worship. But there is diversity too – often even within a diocese. Anglicans and Episcopalians have always worked and worshipped together across national borders to support each others’ lives and ministry.