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As Episcopalians, we affirm the ancient creeds of the Church—the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed—both of which summarize our beliefs about God and the Church and are central to our worship.

We believe in one true God, revealed as a Trinity of Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth, lived among us as fully human and fully divine. He came out of God’s eternal love, and through his sinless life, death, and resurrection, he conquered the powers of sin and death, redeeming all of creation.

God offers the free gift of grace and salvation through Jesus Christ, and it is by faith in him that we receive forgiveness, resurrection, and the promise of eternal, abundant life.

We believe that God inspired the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. The Bible contains everything necessary for salvation, revealing God’s truths to us. While the Scriptures require interpretation,  and we are guided by the Holy Spirit, the Tradition of the  Church, and human reason as we seek to understand and apply God’s Word in our lives today.

The central message of the Bible is the Good News of God’s love for us, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit’s promise of eternal life in Him.

We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ, called to proclaim the Good News to a hurting and broken world.

We believe that we are united with all believers, living and deceased, through the Communion of Saints,  and supported by the love and prayers of those who have gone before us.

Because God has loved us, we are called to love one another. In Christ, our lives are transformed, and the love he gives us empowers us to work toward a world of healing, wholeness, and peace

Here are some other important aspects of what we believe and who we are:

  • The Episcopal Church is part of the global Anglican Communion, tracing its roots to the early Christian Church.
  • Our worship has a rich structure with deep historical origins, which has been adapted over time to meet the needs of the Church in the world. It is celebrated in many languages but always in a language that is accessible to the people.
  • We believe baptism is the sacrament through which God adopts us as his children, making us members of Christ’s Body, the Church, and heirs to the kingdom of God. Baptism is inclusive and open to all who wish to follow Christ.
  • Holy Communion is the sacrament instituted by Christ for the continual remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection. Through Communion, we partake in Christ’s body and blood, receiving forgiveness, strengthening our unity with Christ and one another, and gaining a foretaste of the eternal life to come. Holy Communion is open to all baptized Christians, regardless of denomination.
  • We affirm that marriage is meant to be lifelong and monogamous, and we extend the sacrament of marriage to all couples, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. We also recognize grace after divorce and do not withhold sacraments from those who have been divorced and remarried.
  • Both men and women, including those who are married, are eligible for ordination as deacons, priests, and bishops.
  • Lay people play a vital role in the governance and ministry of the Church.
  • We believe that matters like birth control are decisions of personal conscience, informed by faith.
  • We celebrate unity in Christ, honoring our differences, and always striving to prioritize love over uniformity of opinion.

All are welcome to find a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church.

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