Our Mission

We are enriched by your presence with us and welcome you no matter where you are on your own journey.

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Our Beliefs

We believe in one God who creates all things, redeems us from sin and death, and renews us as children of God. As Episcopalians, we promise to follow Jesus Christ and we believe the mission of our God is restoration of all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.

We are enriched by your presence with us and welcome you no matter where you are on your own journey.

Who We Are

This information is designed to give you a brief introduction to our life and faith and to tell you a little about who we are as Episcopalians.

St. Barnabas Episcopal church is a member of the worldwide Anglican communion with 70 million members in 163 countries. We are a community of Christians bound together by our belief that Holy Scripture contains the very core of all Christian faith. Through the many ancient - as well as modern - stories that connect us to Jesus in his teachings, we discover daily God’s hope and call to us in our life together.

Celebrating God’s Presence

In our worship services, we celebrate God with us through water, bread, and wine. Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us through water that we are united with God. We call this Baptism. The Episcopal church believes through baptism in any Christian denomination we become brothers and sisters in God’s family (If you are not baptized and wish to be, you may contact the church office for more information).

Jesus shared bread and wine with his first followers and is with us today in this family meal we call Holy Communion. Through it we receive the forgiveness of our sins in a strengthening of our union with God and one another as we remember Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.




Our Worship

In worship, we are united, acknowledging the holiness of God, to hear God‘s word, to offer prayer, and to celebrate God‘s presence among us. 

All are welcome to participate in our worship because it is in worship that we live out our lives as a Christian family, together. Scripture is the foundation of our worship. Services follow an order found in the Book of Common Prayer or BCP.

The Book of Common Prayer includes a variety of ancient and modern prayers, as well as worship services for occasions when the whole community gathers, or for individual use. The Book of Common Prayer allows everyone to participate, reminding us that each person is an important part of the worship experience, whether the service is a celebration or a solemn occasion. It is a guidebook for daily Christian living. Music – both traditional and contemporary – is an integral part of uniting our prayers and scripture.

A calendar for reading through the entire Bible every three years is included, which we use to designate the scripture readings for any worship service. The Book of Common Prayer also contains an outline of the Episcopal faith and church history.

The Book of Common Prayer is meant to complement daily individual prayers, not to replace them. Every service in the book includes time for personal prayer requests, either silent or aloud.

The Book of Common Prayer has been a source of comfort, joy, and inspiration, a unique treasure in Christian worship for more than 400 years. Join us and experience for yourself the love and the presence of God in the Episcopal faith.

Sacraments

A sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible Grace. In the Episcopal Church we take part in certain sacramental acts of worship that are reenactments of Christ ministries on earth. The two primary sacraments are Baptism and Holy Communion.

We believe that God is actively present in the world and in us in the sacraments. We realize his presence and his favor toward us. Through the sacraments, which are freely given to us by God, our sins are forgiven, our minds are enlightened, our hearts stirred, and our wills strengthened.

The sacraments are contained in the worship services found in the  Book of Common Prayer. Your questions are encouraged and always welcome.

The Cornerstones of our Faith:

  • Scripture

    Scripture is the word of God contained in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The 39 books of the Old Testament contain the story of God‘s love from the time of creation to the birth of his son, Jesus Christ. The books contain God‘s laws as he gave them to the Hebrew people.

    The New Testament contains Christ’s teachings, the accounts of his life as told by his followers, in the beginning of his church. It is written in 27 books. Within an Episcopal worship service, scripture is read in the lessons, the gospel (the teachings of Jesus), the psalms (poems from the old testament) and other prayers.

  • Tradition

    We are not Christians in isolation but are part of a living faith that spans 2000 years. Tradition is the embodiment of our experience as Christians throughout the centuries. The heart of our tradition is expressed through the Bible, the Creeds (statements of faith) written in the first centuries of the church's existence, the sacraments of the Lord’s Supper and Baptism, and the ordained ministry passed on by Christ to his church.

    Our tradition is expressed with many voices, among which are a variety of worship styles, languages, cultures, architecture, and music. Our tradition encourages this diversity. We seek to value the life story each person brings to the community of faith. As in a multi-textured tapestry, each person's offering is woven into the life of the whole, making it stronger and more beautiful.

  • Reason

    Each one of us, with God’s help, makes a decision about how we use tradition and scripture in our lives. A personal relationship with God allows us to realize and celebrate our lives to the fullest. The gift of reason, as a complement to scripture and tradition, leads us to seek answers to our own questions and to grow spiritually. Being active in a community of faith strengthens us to carry our faith into the world. Weaving scripture, tradition and reason together, we strengthen our faith and grow as children of God.

The Creeds

In the Episcopal Church, we say both the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed in our worship. Those are statements that contain a summary of our beliefs, and because we are a community of faith, we openly declare these beliefs unite ourselves with Christians in the past, present, and future. The word creed comes from the Latin word creo, which means “I believe.”

The Apostles' Creed dates from the early years of the Christian church and was used as a statement of faith at baptism. It is included in the services of morning and evening prayer that may be used both at church and in private devotions.

The Nicene Creed was written in the year 325 by early bishops meeting in Nicaea (modern day Turkey). It is a statement that summarizes the Christian faith and is said in unison during services of Holy Eucharist.

What if a person still has doubts or questions?

It is not unusual to have doubts and questions. In the Episcopal Church, questions are encouraged. There are many groups, classes, and forums available for discussing questions with other seekers. Or simply call the church and make an appointment to speak with a member of our clergy. They are happy to help with questions of faith.