About St Mary''s Church
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At St Mary''s Church we are a welcoming and diverse group of individuals, families and couples from in and around Albany in New York . We are committed to helping each other fulfill God's destiny for ourselves and our families so that our homes become healthy, growing and full of love. We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ, both universal and local, and is composed of individuals who through faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We further believe that Christ Jesus is the Head and Lord of the Church. The mission of the Church is worship, evangelism, discipleship and the nurturing and care of one another.
Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility. All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
About The Holy Spirit: We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is to be worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son. He regenerates the sinner's heart, indwells every Christian, convicts of sin, helps us in our weakness, and empowers us to live a fruitful Christian life.
About Separation of Church and State: We believe that each local church is self-governing, and must be free from interference by any external ecclesiastical or political authority; that every human being is ultimately responsible to God in matters of faith and life; and that each person is free to worship God according to the dictates of his/her conscience. We further believe that governments are established by God; that Christians, as good citizens, should be subject to governing authorities insofar as possible, recognizing our greater allegiance to God and His kingdom in matters wherein human authorities conflict with clear, biblical mandates.