_edited.png)
Our Faith
The faith of the Church is a gift that has been handed down in unbroken succession from the time Jesus walked on the earth. The apostles who first followed Jesus carried on his words and vision of the Kingdom of God, spreading it throughout the world. The believers of the early Church distilled the essentials of the faith into creeds (statements of belief) that believers would share and recite to affirm their common faith. These creeds continue to guide us today.
The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
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,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
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.
Amen.
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Spiritual Life at St. Luke’s
Our approach to worship and spiritual life is often referred to as “High Church.” This is an idea with roots in the Oxford Movement in England, which was a call beginning in the 1830s to strengthen Episcopal parishes’ connections to the traditional practices of the historical Church.
At St. Luke’s, you may see our High Church practices embodied in the following ways:
CREATION: We believe in the goodness of God’s creation. In worship, we celebrate creation with speech, song, silence, art, flowers, and incense—and offer it back to God with grateful praise.
CHURCH: We believe that the Church is part of the risen Christ and is illuminated by the Holy Spirit. Our spirituality and worship is communal, and we acknowledge our own imperfections and inconsistencies, and those of our fellow human beings, as we open ourselves to God’s grace and mercy.
SACRAMENTS: We believe that sacraments, outward and physical signs of inward and spiritual grace, are an important part of our life in Christ. We celebrate Holy Baptism and Holy Communion (Eucharist) as the two great sacraments, as well as Confirmation, Marriage, Reconciliation, Anointing, and Ordination.
SCRIPTURES: We believe that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, calling us into deeper contemplation of the mysteries of God, and revealing God’s presence in creation and in history. In worship, we read, sing, and pray the Scriptures, studying them with the guidance of reason and Christian tradition.
COMMUNION OF SAINTS: We believe in the communion of saints and the mystical fellowship of all faithful people. We pray for those who are no longer with us, and we ask friends, family, neighbors, saints, and angels to pray for us as well. Through prayer, we are connected by love to the fellowship of the whole Church in heaven and on earth.
WORSHIP: We believe in the substance, beauty, and power of traditional Christian liturgy, as handed down to us in the Book of Common Prayer. We joyfully participate in a long tradition of worship that continues the life of the ancient and undivided Church.
SERVICE: We believe that Christian faith is always ordered to love, and that God’s grace transforms us: body, soul, and spirit. Inspired by the Oxford Movement’s care for the poor and marginalized, we strive to offer service, work for justice and peace among all peoples, and empower those neglected or forgotten by society.
If you have any questions or want more information, please get in touch with a staff member, or contact us.