Gordon Atkinson offers a blog, Tertium Squid, on his journey into the Episcopal Church. Observations and learning from a newcomer’s point of view. He writes:
So that’s how I’m going to learn what it means to be an Episcopalian. Slowly and one step at a time.
Now this next part is important. Because I’m going to learn as I go, I’m going to be wrong sometimes. I’ll experience something at church, make my best guess at what was going on, write to you about it, and then a more experienced Episcopalian will leave a comment and help me see that I was mistaken.
That’s okay with me. I like the idea of being a novice and getting mixed up or confused and having wise people help me out. It takes all the pressure off of me. Also I have an idea that the Episcopal Church might need to know how reasonably intelligent and willing newcomers are misunderstanding things.
So maybe my observations will be helpful to us all.
At the very least I hope it’s entertaining. I took myself entirely too seriously with my last faith tradition. This time I’m in the mood to laugh a little bit and enjoy the journey.
Read more of Atkinson’s observations here.
And this gem for newcomers – maybe even those who have been Episcopalians all our lives:
I highly recommend a spiritual exercise that I made up myself. I call it, “Closing your eyes and listening to an entire Episcopal worship service without speaking.” Without your eyes to mislead you, the room will shrink to its actual size. Everything will feel like it’s happening right at the end of your arms. Which of course it is. And you might even begin to feel that God is at the end of your arms. Which of course God is.