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The Episcopal Church
PENTECOSTAL    CHURCHES

Religious Program Specialist 3 & 2, Module 01-Personnel Support
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LUTHERAN   CHURCHES.—Lutheran   churches   resulted   directly   from the  reforms  initiated  by  Martin  Luther  who  emphasized  “justification  by faith  alone”  but  retained  a  formal  liturgy.  In  1619,  a  Lutheran  Christmas service  on  the  American  continent  was  held  at  Hudson  Bay.  By  1649,  a Lutheran  congregation  was  worshipping  in  New  Amsterdam.  In  the  19th- century,   the   Lutheran   church   in   America   expanded   rapidly   due   to   the massive  influx  of  Lutheran  immigrants  coming  into  America  from  the predominantly  Lutheran  countries  of  Northern  Europe.  At  the  end  of  1973, Lutheran   membership   in   the   United   States   was   approaching   9   million. Currently, there are ten major Lutheran bodies within the United States. In  America,  Lutheran  churches  have  conventions  which  elect  presidents who have limited terms and authority. Each Lutheran congregation owns its own building and property and is self-governing. The congregation is usually administered  between  its  annual  meetings  by  a  church  council—the  pastor and  elected  lay  officers  who  are  called  elders,  deacons,  and  trustees. Congregations  are  united  in  synods  (conferences  or  districts)  which  may  be national  or  international. In  most  Lutheran  churches  the  emphasis  of  regular  worship  has  shifted from the altar to the pulpit. The stress laid upon the Bible and preaching by many  Lutheran  groups  has  contributed  markedly  to  this  shift  to  make  non- eucharistic worship both popular and standard in many American Lutheran churches.  Other  Lutheran  groups,  however,  retain  the  older  liturgical Lutheran  worship  form  centered  on  the  altar.  There  is  then,  a  shifting emphasis  between  the  pulpit  and  the  altar  in  American  Lutheranism  which has  yet  to  be  resolved.  The  two  Lutheran  sacraments,  Baptism  and  the Lord’s   Supper,   are   considered   not   merely   as   signs   or   memorials   by Lutherans but as channels through which God bestows His empowering and forgiving grace. Lutherans believe in the real presence of Christ in commun- ion bread and wine. Lutheran Eucharistic elements may be subject to special handling requirements. METHODIST   CHURCHES.—The   Methodist   church   was   born   in   the Church  of  England  through  the  work  of  John  Wesley,  Its  name  arose  from the  “methodical”  habits  of  the  club  which  John  Wesley,  and  his  brother Charles,  founded  at  Oxford  University.  John  and  Charles  Wesley  came  to Georgia  in  1736,  the  former  as  a  missionary  to  the  Indians.  The  Methodist church  was  flourishing  at  the  time  the  United  States  Constitution  was adopted. The  organization  of  the  Methodist  church  in  America  parallels  in  many ways  the  pattern  of  American  government.  The  executive  branch  of  the church  consists  of  a  Council  of  Bishops,  whose  members  are  elected.  The legislative power of the Methodist church is vested in a General Conference, which  meets  every  4  years  and  is  composed  of  both  clergy  and  laity.  The supreme  judicial  power  of  the  church  rests  with  a  Judicial  Council,  whose makeup and qualifications are determined by the General Conference of the church  which  is  presided  over  by  a  bishop. The  Methodist  church  retains,  to  a  considerable  degree,  the  theology  of the Anglican church from which it sprang. Methodist worship and liturgy are strongly   influenced   by   the   English   Book   of   Common   Prayer   and   many Methodist  churches  preserve  much  of  the  Anglican  liturgical  tradition.  Yet some  Methodist  churches  may  have  worship  services  which  are  quite 2-19







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