Parish Mission Statement
We at Epiphany are called by God
    to journey together in faith,
and to reveal the presence of Christ in the world,
    by sustaining a community
        in which all are welcome,
    by celebrating liturgy
        that nurtures us and sends us forth,
    and by caring courageously
        for our neighbors and ourselves.

Remember, Renew, Rejoice
As people of faith, we remember how God has reached out to us humans throughout the ages. We open ourselves to renewal and ongoing transformation through Jesus Christ. And we celebrate the good news that God is with us always. “Remember, Renew, Rejoice” is a theme of both our faith and our parish.

Missional Faith Community
The Church of the Epiphany has been mission-oriented since its founding in 1842. Throughout its history, Epiphany has reached out to the people of downtown Washington, and then the entire city, and now the Washington Metro Area. For more than a century and a half, we have been called to build inclusive and diverse community, serve people in need, and celebrate the arts. We are an open and affirming Christian community that is passionate about hospitality and justice. The Epiphany Community includes parishioners, downtown poor, downtown workers, friends, and visitors.
See a graphic representation of the Epiphany Community.

Diverse and Inclusive Congregation
At the core of the Epiphany Community is a parish that is diverse in many ways and open to all. We are a welcoming and affirming congregation. The Church of the Epiphany includes the following: parishioners who participate regularly in the worship, ministry and funding of the parish; new parishioners who have recently joined Epiphany; and newcomers who are considering membership. Also connected to the congregation are friends who support the ministry of the parish through prayer and funding, and visitors who are curious and occasional attendees.

Membership in the Parish
To become a member or parishioner of The Church of the Epiphany, baptized Christians state their desire after careful consideration and prayerful discernment. Newcomers that have not yet been baptized will be baptized at a Sunday liturgy. New parishioners are encouraged to attend Journey Course, a series of conversations about the faith and living the faith at Epiphany. Journey Course is offered on four consecutive Sundays, 12:45-2:00, four times a year. The topics include the following: community (compassion), mission (purpose), my journey (personal transformation) and our journey (communal transformation). Each session is free-standing, so participants may attend the sessions at different times of the year instead of all four in one season.
To learn more about the membership process, ask the rector.

Downtown Poor (Outreach Participants)
In addition to the congregation, another primary category of Epiphany Community people is the downtown poor and homeless who participate in our outreach ministries, such as The Welcome Table on Sunday mornings, Street Church midday on Tuesdays, and Sanctuary Ministry on weekdays.
Learn more about The Welcome Table.
Learn more about Street Church.
Learn more about Gospel Art.

Downtown Workers (Weekday Associates)
A third primary category of members of the Epiphany Community is the downtown work force. Weekday associates are downtown workers  who participate regularly in the weekday worship, ministry, cultural events or funding of the parish but are members of other faith communities.
Weekday worship
Tuesday Concert Series

Resident Organizations
Epiphany is honored to provide space in our building for several organizations that share our values of diversity, serving people in need, and celebrating the arts.
AA, Al-Anon, NA, and SLAA are 12-step groups that help people live healthy lives.

Center for Pastoral Counseling provides affordable counseling in the Washington Metro Area.

Committee of 100 is a citizens advocacy group for responsible planning and land use in Washington, DC.

ADAMS, The All Dulles Area Muslim Society, meets on weekdays for prayers and Fridays for a prayer service.

Street Sense is a biweekly newspaper by and for the homeless of Washington, DC.

YSOP (Youth Service Opportunities Project) provides volunteer experiences for young people.

Washington Metropolitan Area
Epiphany is a destination church, which means that people come from all over the Washington Metro Area to worship at Epiphany and to participate in our ministries. Epiphany touches and is touched by people in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs as well as residents of the District of Columbia.

Diocese of Washington
A diocese is made up of local congregations with a bishop as its chief pastor. The Episcopal Diocese of Washington comprises 93 Episcopal congregations in the District of Columbia and the Maryland counties of Montgomery, Prince George's, Charles and Saint Mary's. This diocese also includes Washington National Cathedral. The bishop of the Diocese of Washington is the Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde. There are approximately 40,000 baptized worshipers in the Diocese of Washington. Diocesan congregations are diverse and range from small rural churches to large urban parishes.
Diocese of Washington

The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church, a member of the Anglican Communion, was founded in 1789. The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, previously Bishop of Nevada, is the twenty-sixth Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church. She is chief pastor to the Episcopal Church's 2.4 million members in 16 countries and 110 dioceses.
The Episcopal Church
The Visitors' Center of the Episcopal Church
Episcopal Life Online

Worldwide Anglican Communion
During the Reformation in the 16th Century, Henry VIII declared the Church of England independent of the Roman Catholic Church with himself as its head. It was the result of many factors, some political and some theological, but it has given rise to a distinct form of Christianity, known as Anglicanism.

The Episcopal Church is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, the churches around the world that trace their roots to the Church of England, and maintain a “communion” with it, hence the name “Anglican.” Other members of the Communion include the Anglican Church of Canada and the Anglican Church of Nigeria. In fact, most Anglicans now live in Africa.

The member churches of the Anglican Communion are joined together by choice in love and have no direct authority over one another. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Church of England, is acknowledged as the spiritual head of the Anglican Communion, but while respected, the Archbishop does not have direct authority over any Anglican Church outside of England.

While there are other churches that call themselves “Anglican,” only one Church in any country can be considered “in full communion” with the Church of England and The Episcopal Church is the American member of the Communion.
Anglican Communion
Anglicans Online