Wrapping Up Methodist March: Is the Church Simply Episcopal Light?

In January I mentioned the Episcopal Church seemed to be Catholic Light. And from what I experienced this month, I kind of think the Methodist Church is Episcopal Light.

The Methodist Church has tradition, sacraments, and liturgy like the Episcopal Church, but they also go off-script occasionally. They don’t spend every Sunday walking to the front of the church to receive communion, but they do celebrate at least once a month. Methodist clergy wear vestments like their Episcopal counterparts, but they tend to be less ornate, less traditional. In fact, at the church I attended this month, part of the clergy’s vestments matched the decorations of the church. I can’t really picture the Episcopal Church I attended doing that.

Like the Episcopal Church I attended, both Methodist Churches had beautiful sanctuaries made of stone, filled with wooden pews and brilliant stained glass. Somehow the Methodist Church felt more casual, even though many of the church members were more formally dressed than those at the Episcopal Church.

So, some may ask which I liked better: the Episcopal or the Methodist Church. I don’t think I can really say. I’m not trying to pick one church over any other church at this points. I’m just taking it all in.

But overall, I did appreciate my time at the Methodist Church. Having attended so many weddings there, and even pre-school, it was nice to actually worship there for a few Sundays. Is…