What We Believe

The basis of our faith in Jesus Christ is found in the Nicene Creed, a summary of Christian belief from the 4th century:


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.
    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. Amen.

The Baptismal Covenant


The Baptismal Covenant is a mini catechism used at baptisms and on Easter and other special occasions. This, with a question-and-answer version of the Apostles’ Creed (an early summary of the faith from before the Nicene Creed) and adds five questions regarding how we, as Christians, are called to live out our faith:



Celebrant: Do you believe in God the Father?
People: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Celebrant: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
People: 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.
Celebrant: Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
People: 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.
Celebrant: Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
People: I will, with God’s help.
Celebrant: Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
People: I will, with God’s help.
Celebrant: Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
People: I will, with God’s help.
Celebrant: Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
People: I will, with God's help.
Celebrant: Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
People: I will, with God's help.

These two "statements of faith" summarize the basics of who we are here at The Chapel of Saint Andrew.
In addition to the above, we are members of the Episcopal Church, itself a member of a world-wide network of churches known as The Anglican Communion. You can learn more by visiting The Episcopal Church's website HERE.

The Chapel itself is committed to "proclaiming the gospel, healing the people, and forming the saints." This means that, firstly, we believe it is crucial for us to tell the world about Jesus.

Healing is an important and central aspect of our identity here at The Chapel. You can learn more about this by visiting the Healing The People drop tab above.

Further, we believe in formation. Ours is a parish that wants to make sure Christians are taught and shaped in their faith. We offer education for everyone. We are located on the campus of a celebrated independent school (Saint Andrew's School) and this aspect is a key component of our ministry. Just as Jesus taught His followers, so do we. Please visit the Forming The Saints tab for more information.