The Episcopal Missionary Church
Beginning in the 1960’s, non-scriptural changes in the faith, order and discipline of the Episcopal Church in the United States if America (ECUSA) were implemented in response to pressures from various groups and interests. For many of those within the church, the changes being proposed seemed to be an echo of the popular sentiments of the day, yet were presented as being “updates” or “adjustments” rather than theological changes. Wide-scale acceptance of deviations from the doctrines and principles of the historic Catholic faith took hold before the true, humanistic nature of the reforms became clear.
In an attempt to work within the ECUSA, to restore it to its Biblical and historical beliefs, the Episcopal Synod of America was formed to provide a voice for those not in agreement with breaking from the faith. In 1992, the Episcopal Synod of Americas formed a Missionary Diocese to offer pastoral care tot eh thousands being excluded from their own church. Faced with ongoing rejection and hostility, the Missionary Diocese withdrew from ECUSA in 1992 and formed the Episcopal Missionary Church. The Right Reverend A. Donald Davies, retired Bishop of Dallas and Fort Worth, was named the first Presiding Bishop.
The Episcopal Missionary Church affirms the principles of the ancient Catholic Church, which we believe to be the fulfillment of Christian Faith and order that we have received from Jesus Christ and His Apostles. These principles are true Matters of Faith, incapable of being changed, compromised or ignored by the stewards and ministers of the Church, and they must be upheld for the common and equal benefit of all the faithful. We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain all things necessary to salvation, and are the ultimate rule and standard of faith. We acknowledge the Nicene and Apostle’s Creeds as definitive statements of the Christian faith. We emphasize the necessity of the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, and we unfailingly use the words and elements which our Lord ordained. We support the Historic Episcopate as the means of ensuring the unity of the Church and maintaining true Apostolic Succession.
The Episcopal Missionary Church is a missionary church reaching out to Christians from all backgrounds. We worship using liturgy contained in the 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. Our motto, “Defend the Historic Faith,” is descriptive of both the beliefs and practices of the EMC. All of the traditional values and doctrines which have made the Christian Church the great witness of our Lord’s teachings are alive and well. We invite you to join us as we celebrate Jesus Christ in the Sacraments and proclaim His message of salvation.