Our Beliefs
What We Believe
We affirm the ancient Christian beliefs as summed up in the Nicene and Apostles Creeds:
- We believe in God the Father, the creator of the universe.
- We believe in Jesus Christ, God made flesh, born of the Virgin Mary, who died, and rose for us.
- We believe in God the Holy Spirit who dwells with us and within us, and works to help us be more Christ-like.
- We believe that Holy Scripture is God’s Word, though we allow room for members to come to differing conclusions about how particular passages are to be interpreted.
What is the Episcopal Church?
The Episcopal Church is a part of the Anglican Communion, a worldwide fellowship of churches, with over seventy million members, the third largest group of denomination. The word Episcopal derives from the Greek word episkopos, which means “overseer” or “bishop”. The Episcopal Church is a church with bishops and ours is the Right Reverend Cathleen Chittenden Bascom, Bishop of Kansas. For more information on the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas go to www.episcopal-ks.org.
Are We Protestant or Catholic?
Both. We trace our history back to the Protestant Reformation. Yet, of all the Protestant churches, we retained the most elements of the ceremony and worship of the Roman Catholic Church. Unlike many Protestants, our worship is centered on the Eucharist (Communion) every Sunday. We use wine (not grape juice), and our clergy wear vestments/robes. Unlike Roman Catholics our clergy (bishops, priests, and deacons) are permitted to marry, we ordain both women and men, and communion is open to ALL Christians. In determining matters of faith we rely on scripture, tradition and reason. Our church is governed democratically by both clergy and laity.
What can I expect when I join you for worship?
Our service has two basic parts. The first half is centered on the Word, in which we listen to Bible readings, a sermon and offer prayers. The second half is focused on the Sacrament of Holy Communion, during which we bring bread and wine to the altar table, asking God’s blessing so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
