Church Structure and Organization
The Church is essentially organized as an episcopal polity, a form of church governance which is hierarchical in structure, and in which the chief authority over a local Christian church rests with a bishop. The external governmental structure of the Church is based upon a portion of Swedenborg's writings that describes a 'circle of life' composed of a 'descending line' and an 'ascending line'; the priesthood corresponds to the former and the laity to the latter.
Headquartered in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, U.S., the Church has ministries or societies in Africa, Europe, and the United States. It has a worldwide membership of approximately 1000, with the majority of these residing in southern Africa.
The headquarters of the church, with its main church building, are located adjacent to the Pennypack preserve, west of the Pennypack creek and the creek road trail.
The Church is supported by a non-profit corporation of the same name.
Read more about this topic: Lord's New Church Which Is Nova Hierosolyma
Famous quotes containing the words church, structure and/or organization:
“There was on old person of Fratton
Who went to church with his hat on.
“If I wake up,” he said,
“With my hat on my head,
I shall know that it hasn’t been sat on.””
—Anonymous.
“Who says that fictions only and false hair
Become a verse? Is there in truth no beauty?
Is all good structure in a winding stair?
May no lines pass, except they do their duty
Not to a true, but painted chair?”
—George Herbert (1593–1633)
“Democracy is the wholesome and pure air without which a socialist public organization cannot live a full-blooded life.”
—Mikhail Gorbachev (b. 1931)