Note: Information on reception of the sacraments at Trinity Church may be found here.
What are the Sacraments?"
"The sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace."
(Book of Common Prayer, page 857)
Richard Hooker, leading Anglican theologian and apologist of the sixteenth century, wrote of the sacraments:
"When we say that the sacraments are visible signs of an invisible grace, we are really saying that grace is actually the purpose for which these heavenly mysteries were instituted. The sacraments are powerful instruments, and by means of them God imparts to us the grace that leads to eternal life." (Ecclesiastical Polity, Volume 5, Chapter 28). "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men." (Titus 2:11)
"The necessity of the sacraments lies in the fact that the saving grace which Christ possesses for the general good of the whole Church is conveyed to every member of the Church by means of the sacraments. Our Lord explicitly commands us to use them, and upon the fulfillment of his command the results depend."
"We do not, therefore, consider baptism and the Eucharist as bare symbols or memorials of things long past, and we do not consider them bare signs and testimonies which assure us of grace that has been received in times past. Baptism and the Eucharist are, in reality, effective means which portray and symbolize that grace by which, through reception of these sacraments, eternal life is made possible." (Ecclesiastical Polity, Volume 5, Chapter 57)
The seven sacraments are:
Baptism
Holy Communion (Eucharist)
Confirmation
Penance (Reconciliation)
Marriage
Holy Unction (Anointing of the Sick)
Holy Orders
Sacrament of Baptism
Holy Baptism is the sacrament by which God adopts us as his children and makes us members of Christ's Body, the Church, and inheritors of the kingdom of God. Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's Body the Church. The bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble.
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Sacrament of the Eucharist
The Holy Eucharist is the sacrament commanded by Christ for the continual remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection, until his coming again. It is the sacrament of the reception of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation)
Reconciliation of a Penitent, or Penance, is the rite in which those who repent of their sins may confess them to God in the presence of a priest, and receive the assurance of pardon and the grace of absolution." (Catechism, The Book of Common Prayer, p. 861). The ministry of forgiveness is a vital part of the Gospel and lies close to the heart of the Church. After his resurrection our Lord said to the group which comprised the nucleus of the Church, "Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." (Luke 44:46-47).
Click here for information on the celebration of the sacraments at Trinity Church.
Sacrament of Confirmation
Confirmation is the rite in which we express a mature commitment to Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands. It is required of those to be confirmed that they have been Baptized, are sufficiently instructed in the Christian Faith, are penitent for their sins, and are ready to affirm their confession of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord." (Catechism, The Book of Common Prayer, p. 860). Confirmation fits so closely with our Lord's teaching and was so clearly the practice of the Apostolic Church that it is widely held to have been one of the things pertaining to the kingdom which he discussed with the Apostles before his Ascension.
Click here for information on the celebration of the sacraments at Trinity Church.
Sacrament of Marriage
Holy Matrimony is Christian marriage, in which the woman and man enter into a life-long union, make their vows before God and the Church, and receive the grace and blessing of God to help them fulfill their vows". (Catechism, The Book of Common Prayer, p.861). Holy Matrimony is one of the sacraments of the Church. Like all sacraments, it was instituted by God. The ministers of marriage are the man and woman. The matter and form are the mutual consent and marriage vows. In Holy Matrimony a sacramental mystery occurs in which the man and woman become one. It is a mystical union like that between Christ and the Church.
Click here for information on the celebration of the sacraments at Trinity Church.
Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick (Unction)
Unction is the rite of anointing the sick with oil, or the laying on of hands, by which God's grace is given for the healing of spirit, mind, and body." (Catechism, The Book of Common Prayer, p. 861). When we are concerned only with the physical mechanics of bodily health we miss two very important considerations. First, we ignore the moral and spiritual factors which determine the right and wrong use of a healthy body. Second, we overlook the fact that the moral and spiritual condition of a person has much to do with our physical machinery. A human being consists of something more than muscle, bone and sinew and our health depends on mental attitude and spiritual strength. If we are to be really well, we must be all well. If we fall sick, all of our body, mind and soul needs to be treated. This is the reason for the Church's Ministry of Healing, which was part of the Commission given by our Lord to the Church.
Click here for information on the celebration of the sacraments at Trinity Church.
Sacrament of Holy Orders
"Ordination (Holy Orders) is the rite in which God gives authority and the grace of the Holy Spirit to those being made Bishops. priests and deacons, through prayer and the laying on of hands." (Catechism, The Book of Common Prayer, p. 860). All of the sacraments are dependent upon the Holy Orders of the ministry. Christ gave the authority to administer the sacraments to his Apostles, and they have passed on to their successors this divine authority--the Apostolic Succession.
Click here for information on the celebration of the sacraments at Trinity Church.
*Click here for an in-depth explanation and teaching of the Sacraments in the Episcopal Church.
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