The Episcopal Church, which evolved in America from the traditions of the Church of England during the American Revolutionary War in the late 18th century, is both a "catholic" and a "reformed" Christian church. Many parts of the Catholic heritage, particularly in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, are shared by us. We are also reformed in the sense that we accept various protestant interpretations of the Christian religion, such as those held by many Lutheran and Methodist churches. The Episcopal Church is often known as theVia Media, or the Middle Way, since it incorporates components from both Catholic and Protestant traditions to deepen and feed our faith.

The following are general explanations of how we engage our faith and understanding in the church in the following areas of our church life:

1. The Bible is fundamental to our faith and knowledge of Christian religion and living because it is God's inspired Word.

2. Our teaching and beliefs are adequately summarized in the ancient Nicene and Apostles' creeds.

3. As genuine manifestations of Christ's grace-filled gifts to the world, the sacraments of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist (communion) are important in our worship.

4. The role of the Bishops as the major source of church leadership stretches back to the Apostles. Within our national, regional, and local church organizations, elected bishops and elected lay leadership offer direction and accountability.

5. We incorporate the depth of our Christian faith and tradition into our liturgy and worship by modeling and forming it after the Book of Common Prayer.

Absolutely! Our church would love to pray for you. If you are in need of special prayer, fill out the Request Prayer form on the "Contact Us" page. Here, you have the choice to keep your request private, only for our church leadership, or to be made public to the church- so that more may pray for your need. If you are looking for a church to call home, we hope you will join us at St. Thomas Episcopal Church!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7

We are here to answer your questions! If you would like to send us a direct message, feel free to use the convenient contact form found under the "Contact" tab. This message will go directly to our pastor, and we will get back in touch with you as soon as possible! If you would prefer to give us a call, our church is available by phone at (732) 747-1039.  We look forward to hearing from you!