We're a Catholic family that's been considering converting to Episcopalian. One of the many thinks I dislike about Catholic churches around here is how many people show up ridiculously early to Easter and Christmas masses and save entire rows of seats. So it feels like we need to spend an inordinate amount of time planning and attending, or stand squeezed in the back the whole time. Are local Episcopalian churches like this? We were thinking we may attend one for Easter instead of our Catholic parish and consider making the full conversion thereafter. We're in McLean. |
Hey so the fact that you posted this means that it's time to make a change. Catholicism is so icky for many reasons. My family is full of ex Catholics |
They're more crowded than usual but I've never encountered anything like you're describing. |
They are fuller than usual, and on Easter you don’t want to show up at one minute until,the service, but there should be seats. Our church has two services - little kids go to the early one, do Easter egg hunt, go home. Older folks tend to go to the later one. We do the egg hunt in between the two services so any kids could participate. |
You don’t really have to convert. You can join at any time, and if you are a baptized Catholic you are considered as having met the requirements. It’s the Catholics that don’t recognize anyone else’s sacraments. At some point you can ask to be received into the Episcopal church, but I’m 20 years in and never bothered. |
The Episcopal Church welcomes you! It's not just a slogan. We'd be happy to have you at our parish, and it's always more popular during Holy Week and Eastertide, but not completely jammed--there would be seats. Happy Easter! |
And the Episcopalians likely wouldn't chastise you for coming only for Easter, making ore likely that you'll come back. |
It’s crowded, yes. But you can find seats |
Our Anglican church is packed including overflow seating, but not sure about the Episcopalians. |
Mine was. |
Oh, our churches were packed too. Just not with bigots. |
Our episcopal church was as full as I’ve ever seen it this Easter. Definitely at least twice and maybe even 3x as many people as a usual Sunday.
Our attendance has been holding steady overall. We are really trying to bring in new families. |
Ours was packed with younger (Gen Z) people likely having a day of Eastertainment. Lots of seat saving by people I have never seen before. |
You should adjust your language here to something like "new folks" or "new members" to be more inclusive. -- on vestry at an Episcopal church |
The irony. |