who are we and why should you care?

Welcome to the Episcopal Church in Greater Portland!

The Episcopal Church, people who see God in all creation with open hearts, open minds, eclectic acceptance, uplifting liturgy that stands the test of time.

We are nine congregations filled with people who try their best to love and serve God with gladness and singleness of heart, and to seek and to serve Christ in all persons. That the simple answer, straight from the Baptismal Covenant – what you say (or your parents and Godparents say on your behalf if you’re just a tyke) when you are baptized and from the Book of Common Prayer, which we use as the basis for our prayers and worship.

Recently we asked Episcopalians from all of the state’s 65 year-round congregations how they would describe their church community and the ministry we do together. We also asked what they would say to people who were interested in finding out more about God and the role a faith community might play in their lives.

We figured hearing what real people have to say about why, in the midst of their busy lives, they take the time to be a part of a church is a lot more interesting than some stock answers.

So click on the “answers” links below to see what real Mainers – who actually go to church – have to say about the Episcopal Church in Maine and why they invite you join them.

Question: What would you say to welcome someone who might be interested in spiritual things and perhaps interested in trying church but who doesn’t know much about the Episcopal Church … or any church … or even God?
Answers!

Question: What is our worship like and why would anyone want to join us?
Answers!

Question: As Christians we’re called to emulate Jesus? How do we love our neighbors? In our local communities? Within the state of Maine? Across the wider world?
Answers!

There is as many ways to invite someone to church as there are people. Here are some invitations to you!

If you are hungry for good and caring friends,
If you are hungry for deeper connection with the Holy and all of creation,
If you are hungry to pose questions and be open to new answers,
If you are hungry to find meaning in your life,
If you are hungry to serve others,
If you are hungry – come, join us for the feast in the Episcopal Church!

I invite you to visit an Episcopal Church in Maine. Try several, if possible. If the church has more than one service, try them all and choose the one you like best. You are sure to find welcoming folks, enlightening sermons, uplifting music, and time for peaceful reflection.

We Episcopalians have been around, doing more or less the same thing every Sunday, for almost 500 years. We may not have everything right — do you know any one who does? — but we keep on trying. Why not join us and see for yourself?

Join us!! Come for a visit, and if you like what you see, “stay for a lifetime”. Many Episcopalians are those who come to us as adults, seeking something they can’t seem to find in previous worship experiences, and finding that the Episcopal Church is a “good fit”! You can be as “public” or “private” about your worship as YOU choose to be!

Do the words “church” “preaching” and “religion” suggest stiffness, restrictions, and rules-and-punishment to you? Come find out why “worship” isn’t dreary, see how laughter and music fit into meeting God’s expectations, and how one hour spent well can change your whole week. Learn here what it is about us that you want in your life too!

We invite you to join us in this exciting journey as we seek a deeper understanding of God’s loving acceptance of all people. In uncertain times, we walk together in the light of the love of God, which casts back all darkness and shows us the glory of the world in which we live.

Please come join us. Sit with us in service and during coffee hour. Please feel free to come and ask questions, even those of faith. We would love to have a conversation with you. And if you can not make it Sunday, please give us a call and we will meet you at another time and even in another place.

My mom always says, ‘Come to the Episcopal Church! It’s a new show every week!’

Every question is welcome, seekers are welcome, you don’t have to shut off your mind, faith and science are compatible. We are not fundamentalists but strive to live with integrity and do what Jesus did and be about what Jesus was about. Join us!

Come, be with us – worship with us, work with us on a community service project, and join in our ongoing discernment of how we are Christ’s hands, feet and voice in the world today.

The Episcopal Church in Maine is a group of people who seek to know God and Christ through worship, prayer, and service. We have a rich tradition that informs how we worship and pray. But at the same time, we know that the church in the 21st century is changing, and we know that we must learn how to be a new church for the 21st century. As you are on your own spiritual journey, you can join us in exploring how to be a new church! This is your opportunity to help form the church that you need.

Come and visit us on Sunday for our service of worship and for coffee and goodies afterward. We offer friendship, support, and a haven; we strive to embody God’s love in the world.

I began my search for a new religion after wandering in the desert as a young person, and it only took walking in the door of the local Episcopal Church for me to know I had come home at last. Your search may not be that brief or decisive, yet there is a world of discovery and meaning and love awaiting you if you will dare to go exploring!

Come. Worship and work with us. Listen, question, and reflect in the safety of our community. Help us to understand how you understand God and let us share our understanding so that we can both become stronger together.

Come on in to a safe fellowship of seekers where your heart and brain will get involved in a venture that will feed your soul and lead you to be more a servant for others.

To visit the website of one of the Episcopal Churches in Greater Portland, please check out the links on the right sidebar.