St. Mark's-in-the-Valley is an Episcopal Church

How do we understand what it is to be an Episcopal Church at St. Mark's-in-the-Valley?
Here are some thoughts....

•     As Episcopalians, we experience God as eternal Creator, Risen Christ, and Sacred, Life-giving Spirit. We look to Jesus Christ as our Exemplar in faith and our Companion and Guide on our earthly pilgrimage.
•    The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and traces its heritage to the Church of England and to the beginnings of Christianity.
•    We believe in renewal of life, the complete and enduring forgiveness of sin, and life everlasting – all anchored in the undying love of God.
•    The Bible is central to our identity and worship. We recognize that all texts, including sacred texts, are necessarily interpreted by their translators and readers, and thus commit to reading scripture critically and prayerfully in community. 
•    Our worship retains ancient structure and traditions now expressed in contemporary forms and celebrated in many languages.
•    Our worship and our main patterns of thought about living as Christians in the world are drawn from our reflective and continual use of the Book of Common Prayer. Additional liturgical texts that are resonant with the shape of worship found in the Book of Common Prayer enrich our worship life.
•    Lay people exercise essential and substantive roles in the ministry and governance of our church.
•    Both women and men, including those who are married, are eligible for leadership as ordained ministers in the roles of deacon, priest and bishop.
•    We see Baptism as a celebration and acceptance of the loving bond that God extends to every human being. Any person is welcome to be baptized at St. Mark’s.
•    Holy Communion may be received by all persons, not only members of the Episcopal Church. 
•    We affirm that marriage and similar committed relationships are unconditional, mutual, exclusive, faithful, and lifelong. Episcopalians also recognize that there is grace after divorce and do not deny the sacraments or any of the ministry of the church to those who have been divorced.
•    We strive to love our neighbors as ourselves and to respect the dignity of every human being.
•    We recognize that we are imperfect as individuals and that our endeavor to live as a faithful church community is imperfect.
•    People are welcome to all of the sacraments, including marriage, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation. 
•    We welcome those of other Christian denominations, other faiths and those who do not see themselves as people of faith to full participation in our services and community life.
•    We affirm that issues such as birth control are matters of personal, informed, prayerful conscience.
•    We recognize that God is active in what we experience and understand as an abundant, multi-cultural and multi-religious world. Often we benefit and grow from spiritual practices and insights that have originated within other religious or spiritual paths.
•    Within our faith community, we celebrate our unity in Christ while honoring our differences, always putting the work of love before uniformity of opinion.
•    Generally speaking, we are positive, rational, mystical and relational – connected with God, within ourselves and with others.
•    All are welcome to find a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church.