What We Believe

Valuing Scripture, Reason and Tradition

Holy Spirit Episcopal Church is a parish within the Episcopal Diocese of Montana. This means that Holy Spirit is part of The Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion, whose members trace their spiritual lineage to the Church of England. 

Anglicans, as members of the Communion are generally called, typically pursue God’s love and truth through Scripture, tradition, and reason. The Anglican ethos values patience and tolerance, and generous participation in the cultural life of the world.

We profess two creeds in the Episcopal Church: the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. The Apostles Creed is the ancient creed of Baptism. The Nicene Creed summarizes the beliefs of Christians. Read both here.

FAQs

I’m not Episcopalian. Can I come to your church?

All are welcome, regardless of faith, creed, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age. Not to put too fine a point on it: All are welcome.

I have small children. Can we attend services?

By all means. Holy Spirit is family-friendly, and your children may either remain with you during services or they may participate in our Sunday "step-out" worship for children. This worship time focuses on storytelling, music and play, based on the widely-used Godly Play curriculum. Children leave the main service with teachers before the readings and the sermon and return at announcements, before communion.

How are you different from a Roman Catholic Church?

There are theological differences between the two churches – some subtle, some not-so-subtle. There are several key differences, though: The Pope is not the head of the Episcopal Church, although we recognize him as the head bishop of another branch of the Christian Church. In the Episcopal Church, women, as well as men, can be priests and bishops, and priests can also be married. Also, all Christians are welcome to take communion in Episcopal churches, not just Episcopalians.

Can Episcopalians believe whatever they want?

When the Church of England (which is the mother church of the Episcopal Church) was established in the 16th century by Queen Elizabeth, it was conceived as the "middle way" between Catholicism and the Protestant Reformation that was sweeping Europe. And so, the Episcopal Church traditionally has been a place where many points of view – and many questions – are welcomed as part of the life of faith. That faith is based on what we call the "three-legged stool": scripture, tradition, and reason.

Do I need to be baptized to take Communion?

At Holy Spirit, all baptized persons are welcome to receive Holy Communion. If you would prefer a blessing, please indicate by crossing your arms over your chest at the altar rail. If you have questions or wish to know more about Communion, one of the principal sacraments of the Episcopal Church, speak with any member of our clergy following a service or contact them through the office.

Can I get married in your church?

Every Episcopal parish has their own requirements for weddings. We welcome those who wish to be married at Holy Spirit. In The Episcopal Church it is required that at least one of the parties must be a baptized Christian. Premarital counseling is required by the canons of the Episcopal Church. In the case of a divorced person who wishes to remarry, permission from the bishop is required. Please contact our co-rector, the Rev. Terri Ann Grotzinger, to discuss wedding preparation and policies, as well as available dates. Learn more about getting married at Holy Spirit here.

The Episcopal Church

As Episcopalians, we are followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and we believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Episcopal Church has members in the United States and the territory of Puerto Rico, and also in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Venezuela, Curacao, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Haiti, Honduras, Micronesia, Taiwan, and the Virgin Islands.

The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and traces its heritage to the beginnings of Christianity.

Learn more about The Episcopal Church.

We are made up of more than 40 Episcopal congregations around the state of Montana.

To learn more about our diocese, find resources and discover new ways to participate in church life, please check out the diocesan website.