The Way We Were:  The first predominately African American church in the Western Michigan Diocese.

The Way We Are:  A diverse God-centered community that celebrates the good news of Jesus Christ by our expressions of love and acceptance of all people.

The Way We Want To Be:  A growing congregation in a house of worship that is historic in its roots and relevant to the present.

Everyone is welcome at St. Philip’s without exception. This is an inclusive community composed of individuals and families from many different backgrounds, faiths and otherwise. We welcome you regardless of where you may be on your spiritual journey.

The Mission of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church:
“We are inspired to be a Christ-centered, inclusive Christian congregation. We value our historic traditions in expressing our love for Jesus Christ.”

Worship Style

There are as many ways to worship God as there are people on earth. Each of us, in our own way, gives praise and thanks to God. The Episcopal Church is a liturgical church, meaning that the service is structured by readings from scripture that coincide with “seasons” of the church year. St. Philip’s is a “formally informal” parish, meaning that we follow Episcopal traditions, but not in a “high church” format. By actively participating in the liturgy, hymns, and other traditions of our church, we find spiritual life as a body of Christ.  Each week we use a printed bulletin that incorporates readings from the Holy Bible, the liturgy from the Book of Common Prayer, and hymns from the 1982 Episcopal Hymnal and the Lift Every Voice and Sing African American hymnal to celebrate the good news of Jesus Christ. Our Holy Eucharist begins at 9 a.m. each Sunday.

How We Are Governed

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church is governed broadly by the Diocese of Western Michigan, under the current Assisting Bishop, the Right Reverend Gladstone B. “Skip” Adams, III. Diocesan offices are located in East Grand Rapids. More narrowly, our parish is governed by an elected board of seven to nine lay persons, known as the Vestry, and headed by a Senior and Junior Warden. Our Priest-in-Charge is the Reverend Zachariah Jok Char.