We gather to know Jesus Christ
and make Him known!
“I felt drawn to All Saints’. On the first day I attended, Paul [one of the Co-Rectors] greeted the congregation with a statement about his love for Jesus and described waking up early to spend some quiet time with Him. I was immediately touched by Paul’s sincere faith and his open sharing of his personal religious experiences. I felt embraced and held by the quiet beauty of the church. I left All Saints’ that morning feeling a sense of excitement. I knew I had discovered a church where real spiritual support is present. I sensed a dynamic quality at All Saints’ - interesting, innovative programs in place with the openness for others in the future. I felt hopeful that I had found a church where I could settle in.”
All Saints’ Church of Belmont has served the communities in and around Belmont, Massachusetts since 1897.
What do Episcopalians believe?
For those who are looking for a church home, it is helpful to have an idea of what we in the Episcopal Church believe. We believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that we receive grace and redemption in Jesus Christ. We receive these through the love of God in Christ, not by our own merit. Our worship service includes Scripture readings, prayer, music, and Holy Communion. Communion and Baptism are the two great sacraments given by Christ to his Church. We have a three-fold source of authority for beliefs and doctrine in the Episcopal Church: Scripture, tradition, and reason tempered by experience. These are at the foundation of our beliefs.
Our roots go back to the Church of England and the British Isles. We are also known as “Anglicans” and members of the worldwide Anglican Communion. A key part of our tradition has been the “Via Media” or “middle way”. This describes the Anglican pursuit of a middle road between the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant reformers. Currently, we pursue the “middle way” in trying to hear and consider all sides of thorny or divisive issues and work toward an approach that embraces all. The result is, in any one parish, we might have conservatives and liberals with very different ideas and stances, yet we still WORSHIP TOGETHER and make every effort to LOVE and RESPECT one another in spite of differences. The Episcopal Church continues to work in ecumenical efforts and working with other denominations with the spirit and hope of unity. We are now in full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
Two main sources that briefly outline our beliefs are The Creeds and The Catechism, both found in the Book of Common Prayer. Our Co-Rectors are willing to meet with anyone who would like to explore and learn more about the Church.
“My husband and I arrived in Massachusets on Friday, October 27th. On Saturday the 28th, we drove around the area where we were living to get our bearings, and one of the things I was looking for was a church. We drove on Common Street in Belmont and sped past a church with a red door and a sign that read All Saints’. I remember thinking red doors usually mean Episcopal churches and All Saints’ is a very inclusive name; I decided to attend the service the next morning and see if I liked it. Well, since then, other than when I’ve been out of town I’ve come back every Sunday to All Saints’ because I knew it was my new church home after just one visit.”