A Brief History of the Episcopal Church and St. Timothy’s Parish |  | The Episcopal Church derives its name from the Greek word episcopos, which means “bishop” or “overseer.” The very name of the church indicates its participation in the Apostolic Succession or the historic episcopate, the passing of teaching and authority across the generations through bishops, beginning with the apostles. Therefore, although we might say that the Episcopal Church has its roots in the Church of England, it is an ancient tradition that begins with the first followers of Jesus. |
Much of what separates the Episcopal Church from other Christian denominations can be understood from its history as part of the Church of England. The Church of England was born out of King Henry VIII’s separation from the Roman Catholic Church in 1534. That break was prompted, among other things, by the Pope’s refusal to invalidate Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon so that he could marry Anne Boleyn. At that time, Parliament enacted a law which made the king “the supreme head of the Church of England.” Although the church was separated from the authority of the Pope, its structures, practices and teaching remained similar to that of the Roman Catholic Church. Perhaps most importantly, bishops remained as overseers of the church. Upon Henry’s death, the crown went to his young son, Edward VI, under whom Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, published the first Book of Common Prayer in 1549. Under Queen Elizabeth I, in a country whose religious expression and belief ranged from Puritan to Roman Catholic, this Prayer Book, rather than a statement of doctrine or allegiance to the Pope, was able to unite the kingdom in common worship while allowing great latitude for varying opinions. Any moderate form of Protestantism was acceptable as long as it participated in the common worship of the Church of England. The roots of Anglicanism’s wide tolerance of opinion and expression were, in large part, laid during this time. The Church of England came with English settlers to the American Colonies. But because Anglican (English) clergy had sworn allegiance to the Crown, the American Revolution presented great difficulty for the Church of England in the newly-formed United States of America. The church remained the Church of England, with the sovereign as its head. To make matters more difficult, there were no bishops in the United States. Without them, no new clergy could be ordained. Two men emerged during these post-war years to help reorganize the Anglican Church into an American denomination. William White led the effort to form a legislative body (the General Convention, which first met in 1785) and to gain recognition from the Church of England. The other, Samuel Seabury, was consecrated bishop by Anglican bishops in Scotland so that the newly formed Episcopal Church could ordain clergy and take root in America while maintaining the apostolic succession that was so critical to its identity. The Episcopal Church authorized its own Book of Common Prayer in 1789. As in the case of the American colonies, English colonists brought the Church of England to other parts of the world. Importantly, churches in these colonies were able to import the basic framework of Anglican worship, prayer and tradition, while allowing for local and cultural adaptation and expression. As those colonies became independent from England, so did the churches. At the same time, however, these churches remained connected to (“in communion with”) the Church of England and each another. This group of churches is now known as the Anglican Communion, which is comprised of 38 self-governing member churches or provinces in over 160 countries. Each church in the Communion is governed independently. The Episcopal Church in the United States of America is one member of the Anglican Communion. St. Timothy's Parish | St. Timothy’s is a parish church which ministers under the leadership of the Rt. Rev. Marc H. Andrus, Bishop of the Diocese of California. Episcopal worship services have been offered in Danville by traveling clergy in homes and rented facilities since before the turn of the century. It was not until 1952, however, that steps were taken to form a permanent congregation. Under the direction of the Rev. Wilfred Hodgkin, Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Walnut Creek, seminary students came to Danville to lead worship in the homes of residents. The following year St. Timothy’s Mission was formally organized, and its first vicar, the Rev. William Goodall, was appointed. Its name, St. Timothy’s, was intended to reflect its relationship to St. Paul’s, just as the New Testament ministry of St. Timothy of Ephesus sprang from a relationship with St. Paul the Apostle. St. Timothy’s first regular meeting place was |  | | a community center on the site of the old movie theater on Front Street. An organ and everything else needed for worship was carried each Sunday from parishioners’ homes to the church. Later, the congregation moved its services to the Veteran’s Hall on Hartz Avenue. In 1958, the Parish Hall (pictured above) was built on the present five-acre site and served as the church for 18 years. The Rev. Robert Tsu became the second vicar of the mission. During his ministry the Education Wing was built in 1963. The Rev. James McLeod became St. Timothy’s third vicar in 1967, and the Rev. George (Ted) Ridgway its forth in 1970. Under the Rev. Ridgway the mission became a self-supporting parish in 1975, and the church building in which we now worship was completed in 1976. St. Timothy’s called its present rector, the Rev. Steven Strane, in 1988. During his tenure St. Timothy’s has become one of the largest congregation in the Diocese of California. In 1996 St. Timothy’s opened Noah's Ark Preschool. The plant has also expanded to include Grace House (completed in 1996 and the home of parish administration, staff offices, music and conference rooms and dedicated youth space) and the St. Timothy’s Columbarium. In 2003 a labyrinth was completed on the northeastern side of Grace House, and will be the center of a Meditation Garden and Stations of the Cross which were completed in 2007. The ministry of St. Timothy’s has been enhanced by the presence of other clergy and staff over the years. But it has been the countless parishioners who have given their hearts, their time, their talents and their treasure to the work of St. Timothy’s who have shaped its history and will carry it into the future. |
|
