About Us
We are young, we are old. We are straight, gay, lesbian and transgender. We come to church in one, twos, threes, fours and more. We treasure being family to all members of our congregation. We are a welcoming, open, and diverse church that values both tradition and creativity.
We belong to the Episcopal Church, and welcome all who wish to worship with us, wherever they are on their faith journey. We value beautiful worship services that appeal to the intellect and to the senses. We encourage curiosity about the scriptures. We enjoy considering the implications of our developing faith in the lives we lead in the world. And we throw great parties!
Our place in the community
Holy Innocents is a neighborhood church. We care about many of the same issues that you do: our children; our seniors and housebound; street safety and crime; affordable housing and healthcare; justice for all; and the homeless and psychologically challenged.We also provide meeting space for NERT trainings, community groups, Music Together, and a number of 12 step programs. Please contact the church office if you are interested in using space at Holy Innocents for an event.
Our Tradition
We celebrate the rituals of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican tradition. The Eucharist (bread and wine) is the central focus of our worship. We invite everyone to participate in the Eucharist at the altar or remain seated if preferred.In addition to our regular worship services, we also have special services, such as Christmas Lessons & Carols, Evensongs, and Holy Week services.
About the “Holy Innocents”
The Holy Innocents are the male children slaughtered by King Herod as we read in Matthew, Chapter 2. Considered the first martyrs of the Church, these innocents were killed as fearful leaders and corrupt authorities felt challenged by a newborn boy proclaimed King by angels and Magi. As we came to know Jesus, we have come to learn that his kingship is shared with us all and his leadership asks us to follow his path of service and love. We celebrate our patronal feast on December 28, and celebrate the ministry and presence of children. We are especially reminded of our role in protecting the most vulnerable from injustices, abuse, and neglect. Our children’s ministry at Holy Innocents is a cherished part of our tradition.
About the Episcopal Church
The name “Episcopal” comes from the Greek word episkopos, which means “bishop” or “overseer.” The leaders of our church are called “bishops,” and we are called “Episcopalians.”
The Episcopal Church is a part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Birthed out of the Reformation, the Church of England embraced an Enlightenment theology of decision-making and community. Commonly called the Three Legged Stool, our theology respects traditions, culture, and reason (intellect, wisdom, and experience) in the way we approach complex twenty-first century challenges and communities.
The Anglican Communion is headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend and Right Honorable Justin Welby.
The head of The Episcopal Church is Presiding Bishop, the Most Reverend Michael B. Curry.
The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California is the Right Reverend Dr. Marc Handley Andrus.
Holy Innocents sends representatives to the San Francisco Deanery and to the Annual Diocesan Convention.
What do we believe?
Episcopalians maintain three sources as critical to understanding God and the world:
The Bible: We believe that God and God’s people speak to us through the Bible and that it contains the wisdom needed for a good life. And most important of all, the Bible proclaims to us the Good News of Jesus Christ. Scripture is sacred and authoritative, but not infallible. We balance what we learn from scripture with traditions and reason.
Our Traditions: This includes the prayer and theological reflection by a multiplicity of voices throughout Church history. We believe that God has continued speaking through the generations and the traditions that have been established through the life of the Church have authority in our lives.
Reason: While reason is commonly understood today to be an aloof, non-emotional consideration of clear ‘facts,’ since the time of 16th Century theologian Richard Hooker, Anglicans have used the term in a more holistic way, entailing both the operations of the mind and the heart. Anglican reason must include a combination of logic, and the subjective, basic sense of ‘rightness’ which each of us posses. Reason, which includes our own personal experience of God and God’s work in the world, is the third-leg of what is known as the Anglican Three-Legged Stool, a metaphor that is used to describe how Anglicans take into consideration of Scripture, Tradition, and Reason, each one informing the other two, to discern truth, make decisions, and find authority.
If you would like to learn more about Baptism, Confirmation, Reception, Marriage, or other sacramental milestones, please contact our Vicar.
Governance
The Bishop’s Committee is comprised of the following members:
Senior Warden: Miriam Keil
Junior Warden: Richard Mullen
Sarah Brummett
Ron Fisher
Sarah Klapec
Cary McCullough
Lisa Murphy
Chase Tingley