Under Construction Under Construction
Advent - This season of Advent is the first season of the church year. Beginning four Sundays before Christmas, Advent is a time when Christians focus on the Second Coming (Advent) of Christ and begin preparations for the celebration of His First Coming (Advent)
Altar of Repose - A special side altar of the church is set up after the Maundy Thursday service. The left over bread and wine are placed on this altar as a symbol of the placing of the body of Jesus in the tomb after his crucifixion. An all-night prayer vigil is held to reflect upon the mystery of Christ's sacrifice and all that it accomplished.
Anglican - St. Michael's and all other Episcopal Churches in our denomination are affiliated with the World-wide Anglican Communion. The Anglican Communion consists of churches in many nations of the world and has millions of members.
Compline - An order of service from the Episcopal Liturgy
Epiphany - The Feast of the Epiphany - this service features a focus on the coming of the gospel to the Gentiles (represented by the three wise men) through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Episcopal - This term comes from the Greek word "episcopos" meaning "bishop." Consequently, the Episcopal Church is a church overseen by Bishops. St. Michael's Episcopal Church is located in the Diocese of Western New York. Bishop Michael Garrison oversees some 66 parishes and missions in the Diocese. There are over one hundred and fifty separate Dioceses in the American Episcopal Church.
Eucharist - This term comes from the Greek word which means "thanksgiving." It describes a service of Holy Communion in which we have a "Great Thanksgiving" as we remember the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ.
Holy Communion - A sacrament of the church in which the congregation participates in consuming the bread and wine which represents the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Last Supper - Before his death Jesus gathered his disciples together to celebrate one final Jewish Passover meal. At this meal He instituted a sacrificial meal which would commemorate his death and the accomplishment of our forgiveness and salvation through that death. This meal became known as Holy Communion, Holy Eucharist, the Pascal Feast, as well as the Last Supper.
Lent - The 40 day period immediately preceding Easter Sunday. For the Christian Church, a time of preparation and repentance prior to the celebration of Easter.
Liturgy - an order of service featuring written down prayers, praises, and scripture taken from the worship forms of ancient Christians and Anglicans. We believe that this form offers a security and soundness of doctrine not subject to the whims of the celebrant in charge of the service. It contains much scripture directly quoted and paraphrased; and provides a depth to our worship that is not often found in more informal and spontaneous worship.
Maundy (Thursday) - Maundy is from a Latin word meaning "Mandate" or Commandment. It reminds us that on the Thursday before Jesus Christ was crucified he instituted the Holy Communion at the Last Supper. At that Supper he commanded his disciples to continue with this celebration of Holy Communion as a way of remembering what his death accomplished. He also commanded his disciples to serve others by using the image of the washing of the feet of his disciples.
Passion of Christ- Refers to the suffering and death of Christ.
Passover - A Jewish Holiday which commemorates the time when the angel of death passed over all of the Jews in Egypt because of the blood of a lamb spread over the doorposts of their houses. Jesus used this image to identify his impending death as the occasion when his blood shed on the cross would cover the sins of his people and would save them from spiritual death. Thus, Christians say in their Eucharistic feasts, "Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast."
Pentecost - This term originated in the Old Testament "Feast of Pentecost" which was 50 days after Passover. The Christian Church adopted this term when, on the Feast of Pentecost," the disciples and apostles of Jesus were in an upper room waiting to be "clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). When the promised Holy Spirit descended upon them, they were all filled and began to speak the word of God boldly. Many spoke in tongues, prophesied and later performed healings. We believe this outpouring of the Spirit continues today as Jesus empowers his followers to be his witnesses and to do the works that he did, and even greater works than these. We believe a person cannot be an effective witness for Christ apart from this infilling.
Resurrection - Jesus predicted that he would raise himself up from the dead (John 2: 19-22). According to the Bible and the changed lives of the previously fearful and downcast disciples, Jesus appeared to them on many occasions over a forty day period. He even appeared to over 500 people at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6), ate food with them (Luke 24:36-44). If Christ did not rise physically as he claimed then either he was a lunatic, liar or evil. Christianity rises or falls on whether Christ rose from the dead.
Sacrament - A Sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. There are seven Christian Sacraments. The two main Sacraments are Baptism and Holy Communion. The other Sacraments are Holy Unction, Matrimony, Ordination, Reconciliation of a Penitent (Confession), and Confirmation. We believe that God works through these Sacraments as means of extending His grace to us.
Sanctuary - For liturgical churches like the Episcopal Church, a sanctuary is the place where the altar is located in a church. It is usually separated from the rest of the church building (Nave) by an Altar Rail. It is in the Sanctuary that the Sacrifice of Christ is recalled during celebrations of Holy Communion. It has its roots in the Sanctuary of the Jewish Temple in which sacrifices were made by the High Priest. Today the Episcopal priest "offers" each Sunday the sacrifice of Christ in symbolic form for each member of the congregation. The elements of bread and wine that are consecrated (set apart) as the Body and Blood of Christ in the service are shared with the congregation just as Jesus shared the bread and cup at the Last Supper with His disciples.
Undercroft - Our "church hall," actually located in the basement of our church. It includes the main hall, a full commercial kitchen, and restrooms. It is handicapped accessible by means of an elevator that also accesses an outside entrance and the main church.