St. Mary's and the Episcopal Church
We embrace the following core values.
Commitment—We are committed to God in Jesus Christ, to one another, and to Jesus' mission to the world.
Care—We enjoy and care for one another at St. Mary's. We express this value through our healing ministries.
Compassion—We reach out in God's compassion to the world around us, including people from all backgrounds and cultures.
Celebration—We rejoice in God's love through worship, fellowship, and special events.
St. Mary's is a member of the Episcopal Church of America and is a parish congregation of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California, consisting of over 70 churches.,
The word Episcopal means "pertaining to Bishops". We are part of a world wide association, or communion, known as the "Anglican Communion". Together we join with our brothers and sisters all over the world in worshiping Jesus Christ in common prayer.
What do we Believe?
Essential to our common faith is the belief that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, who died upon the cross to forgive our sins and rose again from the dead on Easter Sunday to give us new life. Our faith is "Trinitarian", that is, God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit, are one God. Through the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, God's will for us has been revealed in Holy Scripture - The Bible.
We hold a firm belief in the essentials of faith contained in the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds, so the Episcopal Church is part of a "Universal" or "Catholic" faith shared with other Christian churches.
We say the Church is One because there is one Lord: Jesus Christ. We say the Church is Holy because the Holy Spirit dwells in it and guides its members. We say the Church is catholic because it proclaims the whole Faith to all people to the end of time. We say the Church is Apostolic because it continues in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, and is sent to carry our Christ's mission to all people.
How Do I Become a Part of St. Mary's Church?
The way to feel part of any church is simply to make some friends in that church. Also, it always helps to become involved.
There are many ways to do this. The easiest is to start attending Church on a regular basis. As you do, you will find opportunities to join a small group... whether it is a Bible Study group, the Choir, a social event, or any one of our service groups.
We also have newcomers classes offered about every 4 to 6 months as well as quarterly newcomers dinners.
At St. Mary's, we want people to feel welcome without feeling pressured. Our style is to let people become involved at their own pace. We are happy to have you as part of our parish family.
Membership:
What constitutes membership can be confusing. Normally, any baptized person who has received Confirmation by a Bishop at St. Mary's or a confirmed Episcopalian who has transferred his or her membership by letter is a member of this parish. Also, any baptized children of parents who are members are considered members. However, one need not be a confirmed Episcopalian to be listed as a member of this parish; any baptized person who regularly participates in worship and contributes financially to the support of the Church is also considered a member of the parish.