Sacraments and Life Transitions
Baptism
Episcopalians believe that Holy Baptism is the Sacrament by which God adopts us as God’s children and makes us members of Christ's Body, the Church. Persons who wish to be baptized should contact Mother Angie to discuss the spiritual preparation for Baptism. Baptisms occur during Sunday morning worship and are usually celebrated on the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord (the 2nd or 3rd Sunday in January), at the Easter Vigil (the Saturday night before Easter), on Pentecost (50 days after Easter), and All Saints Sunday (the first Sunday in November).
Holy Eucharist
Every week, Episcopalians celebrate the Holy Eucharist. The service consists of two parts: the Word of God and the Holy Communion. During the Word of God, readings from the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures are proclaimed and a sermon is preached. The Holy Communion involves the presentation of bread and wine which are then consecrated by the priest. In this Sacrament, Christ is really present in the mystery of his life, death, and resurrection. All Baptized persons are invited to receive Holy Communion.
Confirmation and Reception into the Episcopal Church
Confirmation is the sacrament where a person makes an adult commitment to Christ and receives the strength of the Holy Spirit to witness to Christ in the world through prayer and the laying on of hands by the bishop. Persons who were confirmed in a Church whose ministry is in the Apostolic Succession and who desire to become members of the Episcopal Church are prepared by the priest to be received into the Episcopal Church by the Bishop.
Marriage
Holy Matrimony (Christian marriage) is the sacrament in which the two adults enter into a life-long union, make vows before God and the Church, and receive the grace and blessing of God to help them fulfill their vows. We marry both opposite gender and same gender couples. If a person desires to be married in the church, at least one member of the couple must be a baptized Christian. For more information, contact Mother Angie at MotherAngie.StJohn.Linden@gmail.com or (908) 986-3354.
Holy Orders
Ordination is the sacrament in which God gives authority and the grace of the Holy Spirit to those being made bishops, priests and deacons. A person who believes they are called by God to ordination begins a process of discernment with the priest of the church who, if a call is discerned, organizes a discernment committee in the parish who continue that process which then moves to the Commission on Ministry in the diocese. Ordination in the Episcopal church is open to all persons, married or single, without consideration of sexual orientation or gender.
Anointing of the Sick
Anointing the sick with oil and laying on of hands is offered for healing of spirit, mind and body. Every Sunday after the reception of Holy Communion, a minister provides Anointing in the Lady Chapel of the Church. When a person requires Unction of the Sick in a hospital, please contact Mother Angie at (908) 986-3354.
Reconciliation of a Penitent
At every Holy Eucharist, the congregation confesses their sins and the bishop or priest gives an absolution. Persons can also individually confess their sins to God in the presence of a priest who assures them of pardon and absolves them of their sins. To schedule a time for the sacrament of reconciliation, please contact Mother Angie at MotherAngie.StJohn.Linden@gmail.com or (908) 986-3354.