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Thank you for visiting! We are enriched by your presence with
us, online but especially in person. As you continue your journey,
please remember Saint Andrew’s as a place of rest, restoration,
and reunion with your Creator. And please know that, above all,
you are welcome here.
 Saint
Andrew’s is a parish in the Diocese of West Missouri, one
of 110 dioceses that make up the Episcopal Church in the United
States of America.
The Episcopal Church is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion,
with 70 million members in 164 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 and his teachings,
we discover daily God’s hope and call to us in our life together.
We live out these core beliefs through:
 • worship
and church programs
• seeking
God’s love together in study and prayer
• reaching
out to the community
• sharing
our story with others
• giving
of our means and talents to the greater purposes
of God’s
work
 The
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer includes a variety of ancient
and modern prayers and 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 joyful celebration or a solemn occasion. It is a guidebook
for daily Christian living.
It might seem odd to label our prayers to God as “common.”
But in this case, “common” means anything but ordinary.
Instead, by “common,” we mean that these are the prayers
we say together, or “in common,” when we worship as a
community.
Our Book of Common Prayer, last revised in 1979, was originally
compiled by Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer in 1549. Today,
Anglican churches in countries around the globe each use a Book
of Common Prayer in their own languages, reflecting the ethnic
and cultural diversity of the larger Church.
Celebrating God’s Presence
In our worship, we celebrate God’s presence with us through
water, bread, and wine.
Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that through water we are united
with God. We call this Baptism.
The Episcopal Church believes that we become brothers and sisters
in God’s family through baptism in any Christian denomination.
Jesus shared bread and wine with his first followers and is with
us today in this family meal we share known as Holy Eucharist. Through
it, we receive the forgiveness of our sins and a strengthening of
our union with God and one another as we remember Christ’s
life, death, and resurrection. Any baptized person is welcome
and encouraged to share in this meal.
Our
Beliefs
We believe there is one God who – as Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit – creates all things, redeems us from sin and death,
and renews us as the children of God. As Episcopalians, we renounce
sin and evil, and we promise to follow Jesus Christ alone as our
Savior and Lord. We believe the mission of the Church is to restore
all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. This is
why the Church exists.
A more complete outline of the faith as understood in the Episcopal
Church can be found on pages 845-862 of The
Book of Common Prayer.
The Sacraments: Experiencing God
In the Episcopal Church, we take part in certain regular acts
of worship. These are called sacraments, outward and visible signs
of God’s inward and spiritual grace. The two primary sacraments
are Baptism
and Eucharist.
Other sacraments include Confirmation,
Holy Matrimony,
Reconciliation
of a Penitent, Unction
(anointing for healing), and Ordination.
We believe that God is actively present in the world and in us.
In the sacraments, we come to know God’s presence and favor
toward us. Through the sacraments, which are freely given to us
by God, our sins are forgiven, our minds are enlightened, our
hearts are stirred, and our wills are strengthened. These sacraments
are contained in the liturgies found in The
Book of Common Prayer.
Baptism
Baptism is the sacrament by which we, God’s children, are
made members of Christ’s Body, the universal Church. At baptism,
we publicly renounce Satan, repent of our sins, and accept Jesus
as our Lord and Savior, just as new Christians have done since
the earliest days of the Church. We are baptized with water in
the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and we are welcomed
officially into the fellowship of believers, our Church family.
In the Episcopal Church, a person can be baptized only once.
As the means of incorporating people into the Body of Christ,
baptism is also the rite by which people are admitted to Holy
Communion. It is appropriate that baptisms take place during a
celebration of the Eucharist at which the Body of Christ, represented
by a worshipping community, is present. The policy of Saint Andrew’s
that baptisms must be public reflects the parish’s commitment
to these teachings of the Church.
Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist is the re-enactment of the Last Supper of bread
and wine that Jesus shared with his disciples before his death
on the cross. Jesus commanded that his followers celebrate this
meal for the continual remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection,
until he comes again. When we do, we receive forgiveness of our
sins, strengthening of our union with Christ and each other, and
a foretaste of the banquet of the Kingdom of Heaven. In various
traditions, the Eucharist is also known as Holy Communion, the
Lord’s Supper, the Mass, or the Divine Liturgy. All baptized
people are welcome to share in this holy meal of Christ’s
body and blood.
Confirmation
In confirmation, a baptized person who has been instructed in
the Christian faith makes a mature, public commitment to Jesus
as Lord; renews his or her baptismal promises; and is commissioned
for ministry by the laying on of hands from a bishop.
Holy Matrimony
Holy matrimony is Christian marriage, in which a woman and a
man enter into a lifelong union by making their promises before
God in a worship service, where they also receive God’s grace
and blessing to help them fulfill their vows. For more information
on premarital preparation and weddings at Saint Andrew’s,
click here.
Reconciliation of a Penitent
While private confession of sins is not a requirement in the
Episcopal Church, anyone may request the sacrament of reconciliation
and receive the assurance of God’s forgiveness. Confessions
are always made in private and kept in the strictest confidence.
Unction
Unction is the act of laying on hands or anointing with holy
oil for those who desire God’s grace for healing of all kinds
– physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
Ordination
Ordination is the sacrament whereby God gives authority and the
grace of the Holy Spirit to those who have discerned a call to the
ministry of deacon, priest, or bishop. The service always includes
the laying on of hands by a bishop.
Cornerstones of Faith:
Scripture, Tradition, and Reason
In the Episcopal Church, we consider the cornerstones of our
faith to be Scripture, Tradition, and Reason.
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 period just
before the birth of God’s son, Jesus Christ. The books contain
God’s laws as given to the Hebrew people. The 27 books of
the New Testament contain Christ’s teachings, the accounts
of his life as told by his followers, and writings from the beginning
of the Church. 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. About
two-thirds of The Book of Common Prayer comes directly
from the Old and New Testaments.
Tradition
We are not Christians in isolation but are part of a living faith
that spans 2,000 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 Baptism and the Eucharist, and the ordained
ministry commissioned by Christ for 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 and 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
All of us, with God’s help, make decisions about how we use
Scripture and tradition in our lives. A personal relationship with
God allows us to realize God’s purposes for us and to celebrate
the gift of our lives. The gift of reason, as a complement to Scripture
and tradition, leads us to seek answers to our own questions and
to grow spiritually. When we approach God with faith seeking understanding,
it strengthens our faith and enables us to grow as children of God.
The Creeds: A Summary of Faith
The word “Creed” comes from the Latin word credo, which
means, “I believe.” In the Episcopal Church, we say
both the Apostles’
Creed and the Nicene
Creed in our worship. Because we are a community of
faith, we openly declare our beliefs and in this way unite ourselves
to Christians past, present, and future.
The Apostles’ Creed dates from the
early years of Christianity and was used as a statement of faith
at baptism. The Apostles’ Creed is included in the daily
offices of Morning and Evening Prayer, which may be used both
in public worship and private devotions. Here is the text of this
creed:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator
of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. He was conceived
by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary.
He 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, and is seated at the right hand of the
Father. He will come again 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.
The Nicene Creed was written in the year
325 by early bishops meeting in Nicaea (in modern-day Turkey).
It summarizes the Christian faith and is said in unison during
Holy Eucharist. Here is the text of 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: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became
incarnate from 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. With the Father
and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He 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.
Do we have to believe everything in the creeds? A relationship
with God is a personal journey and also one we share with others
in this community of faith. The creeds clearly state the beliefs
of the Church, and we recite them as we join with those around us
in the process of discovering our own relationship with God. So
it’s not easy to answer this question with “yes”
or “no.” What is most important is that we take part with
fellow seekers in the lifelong journey of faith.
Doubts or questions?
It’s not unusual to have doubts and questions when considering
something as awesome as your relationship with the Creator, Redeemer,
and Sustainer of the universe. In the Episcopal Church, we
encourage questions. There are many groups, classes, and
forums available where you can discuss questions with other seekers.
The clergy of Saint Andrew’s are eager to help you find the
answers you need. To contact one of our clergy, simply click his/her name below:
Father
Fred Mann
Father
John Spicer
Mother Anne Hutcherson |
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