HAVING FAITH

At the heart of the Christian message is the invitation to embrace a living faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The priests and people of Saint Martin’s invite you to enter upon a journey of faith in God’s Son. We believe, along with many others who have gone before us, that Jesus of Nazareth came into the world to reveal God’s forgiveness and grace and graciously to summon us to faith in his Name. We are seeking in all we do and in all we are to respond to that call. We joyfully urge you to join with us in this pursuit.

The Gospel of God bears witness in its own words, “These things have been written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life in his name.” In Christ God offers us fullness of life. The one who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life,” is for us both the journey and the journey’s end. He lived, died, rose again and ever lives for us.

A distinctive aspect of our believing is our cultivation of a faith that seeks understanding. We want to know God, our selves, one another and our community in relation to the wider purposes of God in the world. We want to comprehend as fully as possible the teachings of scripture and of the holy church. Christianity for us is a matter of the thinking and the believing life in balance, working together. We desire to nurture a faith that incorporates real reflection, intelligent explorations and the longing to know more. We are not interested at all in checking our brains at the door when we enter the fold of Jesus Christ.

Faith grows through worship and fellowship. It grows by mutually serving with others. We respond to God’s initial call on our lives as individuals. We follow Christ joyfully in discipleship with others, especially with the great community of faith known as the Church. So, the life we build together is all important. Encouragement, accountability and the inspiration to live in faith, hope and love, come from our fellow travelers who walk with us on the path.

We invite you to consider joining us for the journey of a lifetime.

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FULL MEMBERSHIP IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Joining the Church of Jesus Christ in its Episcopal expression comes through Holy Baptism, administered by a priest, and the rite of Confirmation, administered by a bishop of the Church. Baptism, in childhood or in our adult years, opens the way to receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, the Holy Eucharist celebrated each week at altar. All who are baptized are welcome to share in the communion of this parish church.

Confirmation in the Episcopal Church, as well as being received from another church tradition, such as the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, or other branch, are the doorways to serving among us as a full participant in our heritage. Communicants in good standing are those folks who can vote in annual meetings, lead on our boards and committees and serve at altar. For us, it is about belonging in a serious minded way and about maturing in discipleship and leadership in a well informed fashion.

Many members of our parish and of the Episcopal Church at large were not born into our tradition but have come to us from other communities of faith, as well as from unchurched backgrounds. We welcome all who wish to share our life in Christ and participate in our customs and practices of faith. We are eager to offer you the preparation you will need to feel at home.

Like most Episcopal parishes we offer Inquirers’ Classes for adults and Confirmation Classes for youth to help with the inward journey. Both of these present the basics of Episcopal belief, grounded as it is in Scripture, tradition and the faithful reflection on both.

If you are not sure where you stand on the road to full membership and want to explore more, please see one of our clergy directly. Even in seasons when we do not offer classes, a mentoring program can be arranged to welcome you into the full life of our worship and service.

Even folks who have been among us for a while feel helped by an occasional refresher course on the many meanings and parts of our approach to spirituality. We are a people of the prayerbook, of a rich and textured musical tradition, and of Holy Scripture, all of which present their challenges to understanding and use. Our forms of governance, with deacons, priests and bishops, with dioceses and provinces, can also be rather daunting to newcomers.

Information and inspiration is readily available to all who want to discover the Episcopal way. It is a deep and varied stream of tradition that we would love to share with you. Ask and you will receive, abundantly.