Read about some core tenets of Episcopalianism. Click the images to learn more.
The Book of Common Prayer is used in concurrence with the Holy Bible during worship.
The use of red doors on Episcopal Churches dates back to 600 C.E., and symbolizes sanctuary.
The Episcopal Church is welcoming and affirming of all gender identities and sexualities.
All people of any age are welcome to baptized.
The Episcopal calendar is
divided into six seasons:
Advent, Christmas,
Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Times.
Interments in Jarrow Garden, Services for families, and grief counseling.
"[Restore] all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.”
A candle burns in the sanctuary year-round to represent the unending love of God.
The Book of Common Prayer is a collection of prayer books first published in 1549, including rites, blessings, liturgies, and prayers used in Communion.
Red is the color of Christ’s blood. It is the symbol of the sacrifice of the martyrs, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and it marks the holy ground that lies just within.
We like to think that red tells the world we’re a safe place; a place of peace, refuge, and acceptance.
YOU are welcome here.
The Episcopal Church welcomed its first openly gay priest in 1973, its first female priest in 1974, and its first openly transgender Priest in 2001.
The “bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble” (BCP, p. 298). The Baptismal Vows are a commitment to Christ, and are renewed during services on High Holy Days.
The Episcopal calendar is divided into six seasons:
Advent: The season is a time of preparation and expectation for the coming celebration of our Lord’s nativity.
Christmas: Christmas Day is one of the seven principal feasts, and lasts twelve days: from Christmas Day until Jan. 5, the day before the Epiphany.
Epiphany: The manifestation of Christ to the peoples of the earth.
Lent: Christians are invited “to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word” (BCP, p. 265).
Easter: The feast of Christ’s resurrection.
Pentecost: This period is also understood by some as “ordinary time,” a period of the church year not dedicated to a particular season or observance.
The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy: it finds all its meaning in the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we too, shall be raised.
The Mission of the Episcopal Church:
“[Restore] all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” We follow Jesus into loving, liberating, and life-giving relationships with God, with each other, and with the earth.
Lighted candles may be seen to symbolize the light of Christ, or the light of the gospel, or simply to remind the congregation that the time and space for worship are sacred. Candles provide illumination that enhances the beauty of the church, and may provide additional light for worship.
Vic has been the music director at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church since 2022. In his time, he has continued the longstanding musical tradition of prestigious music while bringing the ideals of contemporary choral music to the church’s congregants. While bringing thought-provoking and worship enriching repertoire to Sunday services, he has also collaborated with many musicians both within St. Bede’s and the surrounding community for several special services, including bringing Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols to Menlo Park as well as many Evensong Services.
Outside of St. Bede’s, Vic is the Head of Music and Director of Vocal Studies at Ohlone College where he directs the Choral Ensembles, instructs voice lessons, and teaches courses in musicology. He earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts from Northwestern University (where he acquired an intense love of both contemporary choral music and deep-dish pizza) and a Master of Arts from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, both in Choral Conducting. He is originally from Orange County, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Choral Music Education from California State University, Fullerton.
Beyond music, Vic has a deep love for Olympic style wrestling, which he both enjoys as a fan and trains and competes for regularly. The remainder of his free time goes to his lovely mini aussiedoodle – Buffy.
We engage in serving the needs of the unhoused, the food insecure, and those in need of educational assistance in the Peninsula as we proclaim the Gospel and promote justice, peace, and love for all people.
We strive to understand the workings of Jesus and enrich our lives with continuous learning. We strive to teach those around us about the good works that Jesus performed, and strive to input His teachings into our own lives.
We join with one another to support one another in all things, celebrating the high points of life, mourning together the low points, and following the example given to us by Christ during his life among us.
We gather together to set forth God's praise, to hear God's holy Word, and to pray for those things that are necessary for our life and our salvation, believing that the way of Jesus is the best possible way to live.
Include Jane’ New Bio for Family Ministry
Bio will go here.
Bio will go here.
Bio will go here.
Bio will go here.
St. Bede’s has been home to Jane for a startlingly long time. She taught music in Trinity School and was the Music Director at St. Bede’s for many years. She was then ordained, and served as the Vicar of Holy Innocents in San Francisco. In her retirement, she has returned to St. Bede’s where her family also attends. Her delight is working with the Children’s Ministry, but she can occasionally be spotted being useful in other ways.
