Who We Are

St. Mary of Bethany Parish is a Ecumenical Eucharistic Community seeking to be a place for the displaced. Since our beginning, we have been a liturgical, sacramental expression in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition. Currently, our clergy are members of The Episcopal Free Fellowship, but clergy from the Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, and Catholic traditions regularly participate in our liturgies.

We sense our call to be a field hospital expression of Christ’s table committed to intergenerational community. The Communion Table at St. Mary’s is open to all who seek the peace of Christ.

We believe good theology is both personal and political and hope to nurture deep spirituality that connects us to all of the world for mercy, justice, and peace. And our hope is to be a group whose bonds are rooted in active love beyond just “believing” together.

We are an affirming community.

Our justice work has included work with immigrants and refugees, ecological justice, seeking racial economic reparations, and works of mercy through The Order of Berrigan Day.

Our Parish Council voted 9-0 to leave the Anglican Church in North America in 2021 to be able to remain a field hospital for all people regardless of race, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, or background.

We remain committed to following Jesus by choosing the dignity of individuals over allegiance to institutions.

What We Believe

We are a credal church, holding to the Apostles Creed, and weekly reciting the 1968 Creed from the United Church of Canada, which says:

We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.

We trust in God.        
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.

Folks at St. Mary’s are not expected to believe or agree with every point of these creeds to participate in our life together. We welcome people from many backgrounds and beliefs, including those in different stages of faith, deconstruction, and reconstruction. We believe that a range of perspectives strengthens our community and helps us grow in understanding.