So you have bishops?

On October 26, Bishop Shannon S. Johnston visited our church to confirm, to receive, and to reaffirm a number of people. We had a great service and a great day -- you can view pictures from the day on our website, http://www.spoth.org/gallery.htm . People who are new to the Episcopal church often ask why it is, or what it means, that we have bishops. People wonder, are we Protestant or Catholic? We combine elements from both the Roman Catholic tradition and the Protestant tradition. We have bishops, priests and deacons, and we also value highly the ministry of the laity. All people, both clergy and lay, are ministers of the church. We respect our bishops and look to them for guidance and leadership, but our commitment to a democratic system of church governance makes us different than the Roman Catholic Church. We believe in the great reformation idea of the "priesthood" of all believers. At the same time, every Episcopal Church is a member of a diocese. We are in the Diocese of Virginia. We have responsibilities to our diocese, and we benefit greatly by sharing in the resources of the diocese. When you join an Episcopal Church, you are joining in the ministry of a diocese, the national Episcopal Church, and the world-wide Anglican Communion.