The people of EDSD love to celebrate! In the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, celebration takes many forms, but it can always be seen in the way we live, love, and worship. Our lives are marked by celebrations with each other—birthdays, weddings, quinceañeras, baptisms, and funerals are vital in celebrating life with community. Most of all, we celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ when we come together around the Lord’s table.
Weddings
The celebration and blessing of a marriage is an expression of Christian community in which a couple makes their vows before God and the Church, and the priest blesses the marriage on behalf of the Church.
If you are from outside the church in which you wish to get married, it is, therefore, very important that you do not announce a wedding date until you and your future spouse have met with the priest and the suitability of the celebration of your marriage has been determined.
Marriage Prerequisites in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
- At least one person must be baptized in the Episcopal Church
- Attend at least one Sunday service at the church where you would like your wedding performed
- The couple must participate in pre-marital counseling
- An Episcopal priest must preside
To see the Bishop’s Marriage Policies, please visit this page.
4. Solemnization of Holy Matrimony Report Form
Witnessing and Blessing of Marriage
The Celebration of Holy Baptism
Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s body, the church. It is a public statement of one’s intentional decision to follow the way of Jesus. In the case of infant baptism, it is the parents’ declaration of their intent to raise a child in the way of Jesus. The bond which God establishes in baptism is indissoluble, so this sacrament is only administered once.
When you choose to be baptized, or to have your child baptized, in the Episcopal Church, it means you are choosing to live out the Baptismal Covenant in the context of an Episcopal church community, taking part in the worship, mission and ministries of the congregation. Baptism is open to all people, regardless of age or background. The first step is to attend a local parish regularly and to talk to the clergy about baptism.
If you are new to the Episcopal Church and have already been baptized in another denomination, you may wish to renew your faith life. If this is the case, you may be Received or Confirmed in the Episcopal Church, rites which your clergy person can help you learn about and discern whether they are appropriate for you.
Wherever you come from and whatever your faith background, the Episcopal Church welcomes you! Contact the Rev. Canon Gwynn Lynch for more information.
Funerals
We are deeply sorry for the loss of your loved one. We encourage you to contact a local priest for pastoral care. Find a priest by looking up a church near you.
As Christians we have joy in the certainty that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, not height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
This joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death.
Death is a part of living; thoughtful Christians acknowledge this and prepare for it. Christian burial is an act of corporate worship, rather than a private affair. It is a time to celebrate, commemorate and give thanks for the life of the departed. A funeral is appropriately set in a church within the context of a Holy Eucharist Service.
Parish clergy regard death and funerals as an important part of their work. The Christian funeral generally includes two or three lessons from the Old Testament, the Epistle or from the Gospels. The Bible readings tell of God’s care and of the hope of eternal life.
Some churches have a columbarium to hold cremated ashes. A columbarium is a structure provided for the placement of the ashes of the dead and can be either an interior or exterior structure. Ashes are placed in niches within the columbarium and are marked with a memorial plaque.
Quinceañeras & First Communions
We have compiled some resources in the documents below to assist your congregation in celebrating these culturally significant life transitions. These are important life celebrations in our Latino communities that mark transitions from infancy to the age of reason, and from childhood to womanhood.
En todo que hacemos, damos gracias a Dios, honramos la dignidad de todas personas, y esforzamos sus vidas espirituales. Que la presencia de Dios esté con usted en estos momentos de celebración y acción de gracias. Siéntase libre de utilizar este recurso en sus congregaciones al celebrar la vida con los de su comunidad.
Rito 13 servicio (on Google Drive)
