Who We Are

We are Episcopalian…

  • A parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, with a membership of approximately 600 persons.
  • A warm Christian family who celebrated our 125th anniversary in 2014.
  • A vibrant community, with over 100 ways to be involved and serve God in the Rochester area and beyond
  • As Episcopalians, we are followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and we believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
  • We strive to love our neighbors as ourselves and respect the dignity of every person.
  • As part of The Episcopal Church, we are part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and trace our heritage to the beginnings of Christianity.
  • Our liturgy retains ancient structure and traditions and is celebrated in many languages across the world.
  • 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 baptized Christians, 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 diversity, always putting the work of love before uniformity of opinion.
  • All are welcome to find a spiritual home at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church.

What we believe…