Yesterday we received an order for all of the Episcopal Shield Lapel Pins we had in stock, 175 of them. The order came from an Anglican priest in England. His group plans to wear them at their Synod meeting to show support for the Episcopal Church USA that has been sanctioned to include no voice or vote for three years. That action is a response from the part of the Anglican Communion, world-wide, that objects to the Episcopal Church in the U.S. for agreeing to marry couples who are in love, regardless of their gender identity.
Our bookstore staff was saddened at the decision of the Anglican Communion. The actions of the faithful members of the Church of England who purchased the lapel pins lifted our spirits. We were jubilant for their support.
In case you may have ever wondered how the Episcopal Shield came about, here is an informative description of the significance of its different parts;
The shield was adopted by the General Convention of 1940 and is rich in symbolism. The red cross on a white field is the St. George Cross, an indicator of our link to the Church of England, the mother church of the Anglican Communion. The miniature crosses in the blue quadrant symbolize the nine original American Dioceses that met in Philadelphia in 1789 to adopt the constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. They are: Connecticut (established in 1783), Maryland (1783), Massachusetts (1784), Pennsylvania (1784), New Jersey (1785), New York (1785), South Carolina (1785), Virginia (1785), and Delaware (1786). The blue field in the upper left is the color traditionally associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary and is symbolic of Jesus’ human nature, wich he recieved from his mother.
The outline of the miniature crosses is in the form of St. Andrew’s Cross in tribute to the Scottish church’s role in ordaining the first American Bishop, Samuel Seabury, in 1784. The colors red, white and blue symbolize, respectfully, (Red) the sacrifice of Christ and Christian martyrs,(White) the purity of the Christian faith, and (Blue) the humanity of Christ received from the Virgin Mary. In duplicating the colors of the American flag, they also represent the Episcopal Church’s standing as the U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion.
From the Facebook page of the Episcopal Bookstore!
The story of the shield is from St James Episcopal Church, Goshen NY website.
Emphasis is mine!