What We
Believe
What We Believe
We Episcopalians believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As members of the Anglican Communion in the United States, we are descendants of and partners with the Church of England, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and are part of the third largest group of Christians in the world. We believe in following the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world. We have a legacy of inclusion, aspiring to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being; We believe that God loves you – no exceptions.
Our traditions include an intentional connection to the early church, the riches of Irish and English Christianity, Catholic and Protestant elements incorporated in the English Reformation, and particular American characteristics.
We believe that Scripture is the Word of God and contains all things necessary for salvation. We believe what the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed say about God and Jesus Christ. We place a high value on our common worship and sacramental life. We believe that we live into the Kingdom of God in our community of faith.
The Holy Scriptures are the revealed word of God, which inspired the human authors of the Scriptures, and are interpreted by the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Nicene Creed is the basic statement of our belief about God. It was adopted by the early church founders and is recited every Sunday in Episcopal churches around the world.
Ceremony
The two great sacraments given by Christ to the church are Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. In Baptism we renounce the forces of evil, repent of our sins, and adopt Jesus as our Lord and Savior. In the Holy Eucharist, the center of our worship life, we remember and participate in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ until his coming again. The complete teachings and beliefs of the Episcopal Church can be found in the “Outline of the Faith” in The Book of Common Prayer.
Why “Episcopal?”
The word “episcopal” refers to administration by bishops. The historic episcopate (bishops) continues the work of the first apostles:
Guarding the faith
Promoting unity and the teachings of the Church
Ordaining men and women to continue Christ’s ministry
An Episcopalian refers to a person who belongs to the Episcopal Church, which includes the United States and 14 other countries. The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion
help connect people to faith
Our vision and mission is to
Mission & Purpose
As a community of faith, we are called to welcome all people. We are committed to following our Baptismal vows as we seek to serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves and respecting the dignity of every human being.
