​​The Episcopal Church of the Nativity

Celebrant:    Do you believe in God the Father?
People:          I believe in God, the Father almighty,
                       creator of heaven and earth.

Celebrant:     Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
People:          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.

Celebrant:    Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
People:         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.

Celebrant:     Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and
                        fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the
                        prayers?

People:          I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant:      Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever
                        you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
People:           I will, with God’s help.

 Celebrant:     Will you proclaim by word and example the Good
                        News of God in Christ?
People:           I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant:      Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving
                        your neighbor as yourself?
People:          I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant:      Will you strive for justice and peace among all
                        people, and respect the dignity of every human
                        being?
People:          I will, with God’s help.

I am an Episcopalian

The Baptismal Covenant

Holy Eucharist

&

Communion

The Sacraments

As Episcopalians, we are followers of Jesus Christ, 
our Lord, and we believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Episcopal Church has members in the United States and the territory of Puerto Rico; 
and also in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Venezuela, Curacao, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Haiti, Honduras, Micronesia, Taiwan, and the Virgin Islands.

We strive to love our neighbors as ourselves and respect the dignity of every person.

The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, 
and traces its heritage to the beginnings of Christianity.
Our liturgy retains ancient structure and traditions and is celebrated in many languages.
Both men and women, including those who are married, 
are eligible for ordination as deacons, priests and bishops.

We believe in amendment of life, the forgiveness of sin, and life everlasting.
Lay people exercise a vital role in the governance and ministry of our church.
Holy Communion may be received by all, not only members of the Episcopal Church.
We uphold the Bible and worship with the Book of Common Prayer.
We affirm that committed relationships are lifelong and monogamous. Episcopalians also recognize that there is grace after divorce and do not deny the sacraments to those who have been divorced.
We affirm that issues such as birth control are matters of personal informed conscience.
We celebrate our unity in Christ while honoring our differences, always putting the work of love before uniformity of opinion.
All are welcome to find a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church.

The sacrament of Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body in the church. The bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble. Each candidate for Baptism is sponsored by one or more baptized persons. 

​Eucharist is a Greek term meaning “thanksgiving.”  Holy Eucharist is the sacrament by  which we express our deep thanksgiving for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  At Holy Eucharist, the Communion of Christ’s body and blood is administered in bread and wine.  In faith we say that Christ is present in these holy elements by the mystery of God.  The grace imparted through Holy Eucharist is three-fold.  It is backward-looking in blessed memory to the manifestation of God’s love on the cross.  It is in the present moment for us a spiritual nourishment for our journey in faith.  It is future-oriented as a foretaste of God’s heavenly banquet in which the creation will be made whole and all people will eat at the feast of the Lamb.  

Our Beliefs & Traditions

A sacrament is an outward and physical sign of an inward and spiritual grace. Through sacraments, God meets us where we are, bringing love, compassion, and mercy. God’s grace meets us in countless, and often unexpected ways. 

 
The sacraments of the Church are those rites in which God has promised always to meet us. The two primary sacraments of the Church are Baptism and Holy Communion. These sacraments are necessary for all Christians. The Book of Common Prayer also includes 5 other sacraments, offered as experiences of grace for individual lives. These are Confirmation, Marriage, Reconciliation of a Penitent, Unction, and Ordination.

Holy Baptism

In the Episcopal Church, Christian faith is more than a creed, it is a way of life.  We find our beliefs and our way of life expressed most succinctly in the Baptismal Covenant.  We enter into this covenant with God at baptism and renew it regularly as part of our common life.

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Questions?

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