About St. Matthew's

Our Mission

To know Christ and to make Him known.

This simple calling is at the heart of everything we do. It means growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ and sharing His love with others.

To Know Christ

Knowing Christ is more than just learning about Him—it’s a living relationship with the Son of God. This relationship grows through prayer, studying the Bible, participating in the sacraments, and living in Christian community. As Jesus said, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

Our salvation comes not through our own efforts, but as God’s gift. We believe we are “accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works or deservings.” Salvation is God’s gift, received through faith alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone.

To Make Him Known

Jesus commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). We’re called to share the good news of God’s love through our words, actions, and service to others. This happens as we welcome people into our community and live out our faith in the world.

This mission belongs to every Christian and every church. We believe the Anglican way of following Christ—with its rich tradition of worship, theology, and pastoral care—provides a beautiful and faithful way to fulfill this calling.

Our Anglican Heritage

As Anglicans, we follow a “middle way” that balances both catholic tradition and evangelical truth. We’re part of the historic Anglican tradition that traces back to the Early Church through the Church of England.

Our faith is grounded in three foundational documents:

  • The Book of Common Prayer - our guide for worship and spiritual formation
  • The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion - our doctrinal standards
  • The Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral - four essentials of Christian faith and order: Scripture, the Creeds, the Sacraments, and the Historic Episcopate

Our Faith

Holy Scripture: The Foundation of Faith

We believe the Bible contains “all things necessary to salvation” and serves as our ultimate authority for faith and practice. Scripture is God’s inspired Word, and our worship, teaching, and common life are grounded in faithful reading and proclamation of God’s Word.

The Historic Creeds: Our Common Declaration

We affirm the historic creeds as our statement of Christian faith, with the Nicene Creed as our comprehensive declaration of belief. We recite this ancient creed each Sunday:

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 men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate of 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 worshipped 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.

We also affirm the Apostles’ Creed (our baptismal symbol) and the Athanasian Creed (our declaration of Trinitarian faith). Through these ancient declarations, we worship one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This foundational doctrine of the Trinity shapes our understanding of God’s nature and His relationship with humanity.

The Sacraments: Outward Signs of Inward Grace

We celebrate two sacraments ordained by Christ:

  • Holy Baptism - our entry into Christ’s Church and sign of new birth
  • Holy Communion (Eucharist) - more than just a remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice, this is our real participation in His body and blood, though we don’t specify exactly how this happens. We receive the benefits of His death and the strengthening of our souls.

These are “outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself.”

The Historic Episcopate: Apostolic Ministry

We maintain the historic three-fold ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons. This ancient pattern connects us to the apostolic church while adapting to local needs.

We believe in the “one holy catholic and apostolic Church”—the universal body of all believers. The visible Church is where “the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ’s ordinance.”

Our Worship

Our worship follows the historic Anglican liturgy from the Book of Common Prayer. Each Sunday we gather to:

  • Pray together, including confessing our sins and praying the Lord’s Prayer
  • Worship through traditional hymns, modern songs, psalms, and liturgy
  • Hear God’s Word through Scripture readings and biblical preaching
  • Celebrate Holy Communion as the central act of our worship

Our Community

We welcome people from all walks of life. Whether you’re new to faith, returning to church, or have been a Christian for years, you’ll find a place at St. Matthew’s Toledo.

We believe following Jesus requires both personal faith and community life. We encourage one another in faith, serve our neighbors in love, and seek to build up the Kingdom of God together.

Our Pastor

Father Zeke Coughlin, Rector

Father Zeke leads our community with pastoral care, biblical teaching, and a heart for discipleship. He is committed to helping each member grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and in understanding the Anglican way.

For more information about our beliefs and practices, please don’t hesitate to contact us or visit us on Sunday morning.