OUR BELIEFS
Though not a comprehensive list of our beliefs,
here are the pillars of our Episcopal faith and some of the values of our Parish
We Believe...
in a loving,
liberating,
and life-giving
God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in following the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world.
We Believe...
in inclusion, curiosity, and community. We believe we should aspire to better share and exemplify God’s love for every human being. We believe in justness, empathy, and science.
We believe in the guidance offered by religion and the value of Episcopalian traditions and teachings.
We believe in welcoming all people regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, ability, or marital/parental status to be members of and leaders in our Episcopal church.
We believe that God loves you unwaveringly, just as you are – no exceptions. None. Beyond that, we value you. And we believe you'll make our congregation even better.
We believe you shouldn't have to check your mind at the door.
Questions are invaluable, and we don't—and won't— pretend to have all the answers. The Episcopal Church follows the via media, or middle way, in our theology and discussions meaning we leave space for you to explore, grapple with, and define your own ever-evolving relationship with God. Our leaders are here to support and guide you, not to dictate your thoughts or restrict your worship.
It is a most invaluable part of that blessed ‘liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,’ that in his worship different forms and usages may without offence be allowed, provided the substance of the Faith be kept entire
The Book of Common Prayer
New to the Christian faith?
Welcome! Click the button below to explore the framework of our religion.
The Creeds:
Statements of Our Basic Beliefs
Creeds —from the latin Credo, meaning 'I Believe'— are statements of our basic beliefs about God. If you're new to the Episcopal faith, the Creeds are a great overview of our faith.
While we will always have questions about God, the Church, and our own faith, we have two foundational creeds that we use during worship: the Apostles’ Creed used at daily worship and baptism, and the Nicene Creed used at communion. Click on the buttons to read the creeds.
Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Catechism:
A Brief Summary of the Church’s Teaching
Offered in a question-and-answer format, the Catechism is a commentary on the creeds and is intentionally organized so as to “provide a brief summary of the Church’s teaching for an inquiring stranger who picks up a Prayer Book,” with headings such as Human Nature, God the Father, The Old Covenant, The Ten Commandments, Sin and Redemption, God the Son, The New Covenant, The Creeds, The Holy Spirit, The Holy Scriptures, The Church, The Ministry, Prayer and Worship, The Sacraments, Holy Baptism, The Holy Eucharist, Other Sacramental Rites, and The Christian Hope.
Human Nature
God the Father
The Old Covenant
The Ten Commandments
Sin & Redemption
God the Son
The New Covenant
The Creeds
The Holy Spirit
The Church
The Ministry
Prayer & Worship
The Sacraments
Holy Baptism
Holy Eucharist
Other Sacramental Rites
The Christian Hope
What are we by nature?
We are part of God’s creation, made in the image of God.
Why then do we live apart from God and out of harmony with creation?
From the beginning, human beings have misused their freedom and made wrong choices.
What help is there for us?
Our help is in God.
What does it mean to be created in the image of God?
It means that we are free to make choices: to love, to create, to reason, and to live in harmony with creation
and with God.
Why do we not use our freedom as we should?
Because we rebel against God, and we put ourselves in the place of God.
How did God first help us?
God first helped us by revealing himself and his will, through nature and history, through many seers and saints, and especially through the prophets of Israel.
Important elements of our faith
Holy Trinity
One of the most difficult to explain, and often misunderstood concepts in the Christian faith is the belief in a trinitarian God, one God with three aspects. Often characterized as the ‘Father,’ Son,’ and ‘Holy Spirit,’ the trinity represents God the Father/Creator, Jesus Christ the Son and Savior, and the Holy Spirit, or the creative, inspirational force at work in the world.
We believe Jesus is the fully human incarnation of God on Earth who was sacrificed and resurrected. Will he come back to Earth? Maybe. We hope so. Do we known when? Absolutely not.
Heaven, Hell, & forgiveness
By heaven, we mean eternal life in our enjoyment of God;
by hell, we mean eternal death in our rejection of God.
What do heaven and hell look like? We really don't know. They may be places above and below us, they may be experiences or states of being, they may even be here on Earth.
What we do believe is that Hell is a chosen state of separation from God, not God's angry punishment for misdeeds. This state or place of separation from God is closely related to the concept of human free will. We freely choose to accept or reject God.
The Bible
The Holy Scriptures are the revealed word of God, which inspired the human authors of the Scripture, and which is interpreted by the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We aren't literalists (so feel free to wear poly cotton blends and enjoy a lobster roll!).
“Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 236).
The Bible is our foundation, understood through tradition and reason, containing all things necessary for salvation. Meaning, its a resource, and a compass. It also has some amazing stories!
Sacrament
the two great sacraments given by Christ to the Church are Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. Sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual graces.
In the waters of baptism, we are lovingly adopted by God into God’s family, which we call the Church, and offered forgiveness for our sins. Our baptisms are performed with gently poured water, no swimming required.
Holy Communion, known also as the Eucharist (which literally means “thanksgiving”), is the family meal for Christians during which we receive the bread and the wine to be in communion with God and each other.
There are also 5 sacramental rites: unction, confirmation, marriage, ordination, and reconciliation of a penitent (see Spiritual Markers for more information).
Spiritual markers
We recognize several milestones in our spiritual journeys
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Baptism
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the Eucharist
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Confirmation: the adult affirmation of our baptismal vows
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Reconciliation of a Penitent: private confession
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Matrimony: Christian marriage
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Orders: ordination to the diaconate, priesthood, or episcopacy
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Unction: anointing those who are sick or dying with holy oil
Observed Holidays
The calendar of the church year includes two cycles of feasts and holy days. One cycle is based on the movable date of Easter Day, the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus (the first Sunday after the full moon that falls on or after 21 Mar.) The other cycle is based on the fixed date of Christmas Day (25 Dec.) when we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
We also color code our calendar year! (e.g. white for Easter and green for Epiphany)