The Synod of Saint Timothy is an assembly of Christian congregations and ministries that has freely assembled together in fellowship and mutual support, in order to know Christ, and make him known to the world.

Each assembly is governed by the provisions of our Common Life, which allow a great deal of diversity from congregation to congregation, while still maintaining the essential unity of faith provided for by the ancient Creeds and, of course, by the Holy Scriptures.

Within the Synod of Saint Timothy, we seek to actively follow the example of Jesus Christ while also following the teachings of of Ignatius (a father of the early Church) in our method of Church government.  Writing to the Smyrnaeans, Ignatius says:

"You must all follow the lead of the bishop, as Jesus Christ followed that of the Father; follow the presbytery as you would the Apostles; reverence the deacons as you would God's commandment. Let no one do anything touching the Church, apart from the bishop. Let that celebration of the Eucharist be considered valid which is held under the bishop or anyone to whom he has committed it. Where the bishop appears, there let the people be, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not permitted without authorization from the bishop either to baptize or to hold an agape; but whatever he approves is also pleasing to God. Thus everything you do will be proof against danger and valid."

In Ignatius' day, there was a bishop in nearly every city, and while there were circumstances where presbyters might celebrate the Eucharist in his absence, the normative method of celebrating Communion was to be in the presence of the Bishop, united with as many of the congregation as could be gathered together on the Lord's Day.

We believe that it is imperative to return to this primitive discipline in our own time, and as a result, the normative model of each congregation affiliated with this Synod shall be a bishop as pastor, assisted by deacons, and (when necessary) aided by presbyters.

Deacons and Deaconesses, both of whom were ordained in the ancient Church, were benevolence ministers, assigned to assit the poor and unfortunate in their times of distress.  In addition, they were evangelists in the community, teachers of men and women (respectively), and assisted in the baptism of candidates.  Only deacons carried out a liturgical order of preaching and assisting directly at the Lord's Table, though deaconesses did minister the consecrated wine.

Presbyters are ordained with authority to celebrate all of the Sacraments and Rites of the Church except for ordination. 

For more information on the various ministries within our Synod, both ordained and lay, please contact a congregation near you, or use our handy Contact Us feature and ask for more information.

Within the Synod of Saint Timothy, we strive to ensure that the faith and order of the apostolic era is maintained whole and undefiled.  That faith, manifest in the witness of Scripture and the Early Church, is the one that holds us together and unites us in spite of differences of opinions on other subjects.  To that end, the Synod holds to Biblical moral standards and retains the practice of committing the ministry of the Church to successors through the laying on of hands in an unbroken line of Apostolic Succession.  More information on our faith and order is avaliable by researching our Book of Common Life, or by contacting us.