St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church

You can also see the commentary as footnoted to the mission statement here.

We are a welcoming and diverse fellowship,
gathering for joyful and contemplative worship,
rooted in tradition.
We are open and progressive,
advocating for justice,
engaging scripture to discern the truth
of God's revealing power and love.

We are a warm, open network of friends and families
worshiping together in the faith of Jesus Christ,
in a beautiful sanctuary with superb acoustics.

We seek to live out the traditions of the church by fostering

* Intelligent and honest discussion of the scriptures
* Genuine connections with our surrounding multicultural community
* A dynamic music program
* Outreach to the less fortunate and marginalized
* Appreciation of the abundance God has provided
* Participation in interfaith and ecumenical dialogue
* A fun and joyful atmosphere

Personally, I think it rocks!

Why did we choose St. Bartholomew? A founding member of the parish was very impressed by the ministry of another church on Park Avenue, which shares our name. We do not have any direct connection to the island, but the rector will gladly take donations to initiate a relationship.

Bartholomew is one of the twelve apostles. He was with the other apostles after Jesus ascended into heaven. He may have been Nathaniel, who Philip brought to Jesus in John's Gospel. He was described as "an Israelite, in whom there is no guile."

Bartholomew preached in Asia Minor, northern India, and in Armenia. He was flayed alive and then beheaded- the basis for his patronage of tanners.

The emblem for St. Bartholomew is three flaying knives on a red background. We often have a picnic on August 24th. Sometimes we tell the story of the St. Barts day massacre. Generally, we are a pro-Huguenot church, if it matters.

Here is a site about Bartolome de las casas, who is our spiritual forebear for the House at St. Barts.

From the Mailbox

As you open your pockets for yet another natural disaster, keep these facts in mind:

Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross salary for year ending 06/30/03 was $651,957 plus expenses.

Brian Gallagher, President of the United Way receives a $375,000 base salary, plus numerous expense benefits.

The Salvation Army's Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization.

No further comment necessary.

> Or better yet, give through Episcopal Relief and Development!
>

St. Bartholomew's:

Believes that scripture edifies, inspires and leads;
Believes that science and theology are compatible;
Believes other faiths may represent the Truth of God's redeeming grace;
Welcomes people at any stage of their spiritual journey;
Engages independent ways of exploring faith;
Welcomes individuals from different nations;
Believes every person has a purpose in this life and in the church;
Values openness and transparency in our common and public life;
Seeks to form courageous, magnanimous, gracious and joyful people.

St. Bartholomew's is, firstly, a Christian church.

This means that the focus of our spiritual life revolves around retelling and remembering the stories and teachings about and from Jesus Christ, a Jewish man who lived nearly two millennia ago in a small corner of the Roman Empire. Through him the church knows God.