Skip to content

The Episcopal Church, including St. James’s, is welcoming, curious and open to the future, which can feel to some people like our beliefs are fluid. A more accurate description is that we have a very clear and firm set of foundational beliefs, but we also respect new ideas that are extensions of those long-held beliefs.

Among those long-held beliefs are the following: 

    • We believe we are all part of God’s creation, made in the image of a loving and forgiving God who wants to be in relationship with each one of us.
    • We believe Jesus is the only perfect image of the Father, and shows us the path to a relationship with God.
    • We believe the Holy Scriptures are the revealed Word of God, and they contain everything necessary for salvation.
    • We believe the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are a co-equal God in three Persons. We pray to the Father through his beloved Son, by way of the Holy Spirit.
    • We believe the sacraments—including the great Sacraments of Baptism and Communion ordained by Christ himself—are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace.
    • We believe in the power of prayer—and that how we pray influences what we believe and what we believe influences how we pray.
    • We see ourselves as an integral part of the one Body of Christ, which is made up of Churches joined together as one holy catholic and apostolic church throughout the ages.
    • As doers of the word we are Christ-driven in everything we do, seeking to be God’s hands and hearts in a broken and often lonely world. As Christ so clearly directed us to do, we love our neighbors whether they’re around the corner or around the world.
    • We believe the Apostles’ Creed (at right) and the Nicene Creed are sufficient statements of our faith.

To see our beliefs in action, and to learn more about how we pray, join us in worship, check out the Book of Prayer, and meet with one of our clergy.

The Apostle’s 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.

Learning Icon-1

About

Learning Icon-6

We are

Im New Icon_EChurchSeal

The Episcopal Church

OurClergy-v2

Meet the Clergy

Learning Icon-4

Plan your Sunday

Back To Top