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…
- The Bible
- The Sacraments
- The Book of Common Prayer
- The Five Marks of Mission
- The Creeds
- The Baptismal Covenant
- History of the Episcopal Church
- Revised Common Lectionary