Saint Bartholomew’s
The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church’s premise is based upon God being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We do not have a hierarchy, but instead believe that clergy and lay people work together to spread the love of Christ. Our beliefs about God are based upon the Nicene Creed. This creed unifies us with members of Christ across the world, affirming our faith in the one God who created us, redeemed us, and sanctifies us.
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Our History
In 1951, a group of forty-five communicants participated in the first Eucharist of the church, held in the old Masonic Hall in North Augusta. A year later, the first worship service was held in the original church building. St. Bartholomew’s moved from a Mission to a Parish in 1959, becoming a member of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina. Over the next 25 years, the church was guided by several clergy members, until Father David Thompson became the rector in 1985. For over 30 years, Father David’s welcoming personality and inspirational preaching were treasured until his retirement in 2015. After two years of transitional ministry, Mother Nancee Cekuta began her ministry as Rector of Saint Bartholomew's. Her forward thinking enabled us to strengthen our local outreach ministries and advance our technology in order to support our congregation during Covid. We are blessed to currently have Father Joseph Shippen. After serving as interim priest for two years, he blessed us by becoming priest in charge in 2022. His welcoming personality, pastoral care, and most of all, love for Christ, has brought a new level of spiritual growth both within and outside the church.
Our Church Beliefs
Saint Bartholomew’s is a welcoming and safe place where each person can explore their own unique life-long path to union with God who loves them just as they are right now. We believe each person has a divine purpose that unfolds in the life long process of daily conversion into the image of Jesus. We believe in a God who wants to bring greater wholeness to each of us in body, mind, and soul through cooperation with the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Seasons of the Church
Did you know the Episcopal Church has its own calendar? We are currently in the season of Easter. For more information about the liturgical calendar, click on the following link. You will be directed to The Episcopal Church website where you can access a variety of resources about the beliefs of the Episcopal Church.