The Episcopal Church in Almaden, San Jose
We, The Episcopal Church in Almaden, San Jose (ECA), are part of the Episcopal branch of the loving, liberating, and life-giving Jesus Movement! Our faith and the rituals of our worship (liturgy) are rooted in the Anglican tradition, handed down from the Apostles, through the Church of England. Our desire and work are to participate every day in building God’s dream of a just and peaceful world, where all can thrive and find wholeness.
“Being a Christian is not essentially about joining a church or being a nice person, but about following in the footsteps of Jesus, taking his teachings seriously, letting his Spirit take the lead in our lives, and in so doing helping to change the world from our nightmare into God’s dream.”
-The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry,
Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church
For more information on The Episcopal Church, click here: www.episcopalchurch.org
What do Episcopalians Believe?
We are followers of Jesus Christ, and we believe in God the Creator, God the Redeemer, and God the Sustainer – One God, the Holy Trinity. Sometimes we say The Episcopal Church is a “big tent” because there is room for lots of diversity in what we believe about God. The sacraments of Baptism (initiation by water in the name of the Holy Trinity) and Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion) are very important to us. We believe the Bible is the Word of God and contains everything necessary for salvation.
We have a legacy of inclusion, striving to tell and show God’s love for every human being. Women and men serve as bishops, priests, and deacons in our church. Laypeople and clergy cooperate as leaders at all levels of our church. Leadership is a gift from God and can be expressed by all people in our church, regardless of race, sexual identity, physical ability, age, or national origin.
We believe that God loves everyone –
No Exceptions!
How to find us:
The Episcopal Church in Almaden is located at 6581 Camden Avenue, San Jose. It is a half mile east of Almaden Expressway in southwest San Jose.
Governance
The Episcopal Church in the US is divided into 100 geographical areas called dioceses (plus 13 more in other countries.) ECA is in the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real (which runs along CA’s coast from Palo Alto to Arroyo Grande.) Each diocese is led by a bishop; ours is The Rt. Rev. Lucinda Ashby. Decisions for the whole diocese are made by the bishop and by the members of our annual convention (clergy and lay).
El Camino Real is a diverse diocese with churches reflecting the rich cultural variety of California. For more information visit the diocese’s website: realepiscopal.org
Decisions for each parish, like ECA, are made locally within the congregation. ECA’s rector, The Rev. Shelley Booth Denney, and our board of elected lay people, called the Vestry, share this role. All members of the parish vote to elect the members of the Vestry and the delegates to diocesan convention.
Members:
Any baptized person who participates in our faith community is considered a member if they wish. The Episcopal Church also has a formal way of incorporating members, through the rite of Confirmation by the bishop.
Core Values
Mission & Vision
We are spiritually grounded in Jesus and taking risks by trusting the Holy Spirit’s guidance, our passion is reaching out with God’s love for all – understanding all are God’s children – through service and relationship with our neighbors, and fellowship with one another.
Our mission is to live out God’s love and compassion through partnered services fulfilling needs in our community, while building our relationships with each other and our neighbors and to provide financial sustainability for the future.