The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, based in the United States. It is a mainline Protestant denomination, with roots in the Church of England, which formed from the Catholic Church during the English Reformation (think: Henry VIII’s divorce).

Depends what it’s about. Our rector, or priest-in-charge, oversees our staff and ministries, especially worship and education, and serves as our general leader. She reports to both our bishop, who oversees our whole diocese or region, and our vestry. Our vestry, or council, is made up of twelve church members who serve overlapping three-year terms to oversee our property, finances, and overall health. We aslos have a number of committees and ministries that focus on special areas.

Yes, in the Episcopal Church, clergy and other leaders at every level include individuals of all genders and sexualities and can be married. Rev. Emily joined us in 2018 and is the first woman rector in our parish history. Our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Bonnie A Perry, was consecrated in 2020 and is the first woman and first lesbian bishop in our diocese.

The current sanctuary was built from 1860-63. It replaced a wooden chapel that had been built on the same site in 1846. Christ Church was founded in 1845, making it the oldest Protestant church at its original location in Detroit.

No, you do not need to be a member of this or any church to be married here; however, at least one member of the couple must be baptized in any denomination. Weddings at Christ Church are services of the Episcopal Church, and thus follow a particular flow and occur with the blessing and collaboration of our clergy. We joyfully welcome and affirm all couple, inclusive of all genders and sexual orientations, who wish to be married in the Episcopal Church. If you are divorced, you may be remarried with approval from our bishop, and our priest will guide you through the process.

Back in the day, families made annual donations to the church by “renting” a pew. The divides help to partition the pews into family-size units. You can see an old seating chart on the wall in the narthex (Episcopal-speak for “lobby”) Inside the Jefferson Avenue doors, and if you look closely on the ends of some pews, you’ll find a few small plaques indicating who sat there.

Attend services, go on a tour, watch the livestream videos on our YouTube channel, explore more of this website and socials (@christchurchdetroit, drop us a note at officestaff@christcd.org, give us a call (313-259-6688), send a carried pigeon, or whatever works!