SAINT MATTHEW'S
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
36 NEW CANAAN RD
WILTON, CT 06897
WHO WE ARE
About
St. Matthew’s is a small but deeply faithful, warm, and welcoming Christian family that cares about one another, the wider community, and living out the teachings of Jesus in real, compassionate ways.
We are . . . faithful Christians centered on worship and prayer in the Episcopal tradition . . . a community that prays, sings, serves, learns, and has fun together, with a strong value on music and high-quality liturgy . . . a people who are trying to maintain spiritual, social, and physical life together amid the wider cultural decline of interest in institutional faith.
About us
We characterize ourselves (and are known by others) as warm, friendly, supportive, “pretty darn awesome humans” who are compassionate, thoughtful, and authentic, recognizing we are imperfect but still growing. Some describe us as a family like church that is loving, fun, sometimes silly and serious, and willing to try, fail, and try again together. We are intentionally welcoming and inclusive of everyone, including those at different places on the spiritual journey including the disenfranchised, marginalized, unchurched, and unsure. We try to create a judgment free zone where people can bring questions and opinions without fear, participating in ways that feel comfortable.
Our parishioners are educated, involved, and talented who generously share gifts, support each other and neighbors. We seek to be a community that holds, preserves, and fosters dialogue, nurture, and transformation amid the suffering of our world. A devoted group that wants to deepen our faith, we seek to spread a message of hope more widely, and find new, authentic ways to live and share Jesus’s teachings.
Our Values
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Welcome and belonging – Creating a spiritual home, safe space, and anchor where all can feel included, known, and accepted
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Community and relationship – Emphasizing gathering, fellowship, mutual support, and doing faith together, not alone
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Spiritual growth and exploration – Valuing questions, learning, wrestling with big issues, and deepening one’s relationship with God over time
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Worship and prayer – Holding sacred space, regular worship, and prayerful reflection is central to our identity and purpose.
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Compassion and service – Helping others, connecting with agencies, outreach beyond the walls, and doing what Jesus taught us to do
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Living the Gospel in daily life – Striving to put Christ’s teachings into action, even when it is difficult or uncomfortable
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Hope and meaning – Helping people find purpose, peace, and meaning amid complex, overstimulating lives
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Respect the dignity of every person – Seeing God in each other and in those we don’t even know, honoring all lives everywhere
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Stability and faithfulness – Being a steady, enduring presence in Wilton and in people’s lives across seasons and generations
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Honesty and humility – Acknowledging uncertainty, questions about our mission, and the tension between survival and deeper purpose, yet still seeking to be faithful
Our Mission
St. Matthew’s is a welcoming Episcopal community dedicated to sharing the love and teachings of Jesus Christ through worship, spiritual growth, and compassionate service. Rooted in prayer and the sacraments, we seek to support one another and our
neighbors—locally and beyond—by living out the Gospel in meaningful, tangible ways. Our mission is to be a spiritual home where all people can encounter God’s presence, strengthen faith and serve the world with kindness.
We believe we are at a crossroads, recognizing that churches today need to adapt and change. We are aware that St. Matthew’s has a story and history to offer while seeking the road ahead that best shows our true self and God’s love in today’s world. As former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has recently stated, “… a vision for the future that is decidedly not the way we’ve always done it but instead shaped by the way of Jesus and his love.”
Our Joint Venture with
Wilton Presbyterian Church
As an Episcopal worshiping community, we are unique. In 1971 St. Matthew’s embarked on a unique partnership with Wilton Presbyterian Church and formed the Wilton Episcopal Presbyterian Corporation (WEPCO). This joint venture grew out of a time when ecumenism was at the forefront of Christian thought. It was also seen as a way that the two congregations could have separate sanctuaries and worship, while sharing resources and the expenses of staff and space. The two congregations share a campus of ten acres as a condominium association. The Presbyterian and Episcopal sanctuaries are owned by the respective individual churches. Everything else is held in common and managed by a WEPCO Board of Directors. This Board is comprised of an equal number of Presbyterians and Episcopalians. The common ownership includes offices, classrooms, meeting rooms, a kitchen, and Parish Hall, as well as the outside grounds and parking lot. While the WEPCO complex is the physical manifestation of this partnership, its spiritual aspects run much deeper. Through periodic joint worship services and shared community events, all our parishioners gain increased understanding and appreciation for different ways of worshiping Christ and living in Christian community. Our Church School (K-7) and Youth Groups are a shared effort, with all our children gathering to learn and play together on a Sunday morning which leads to lasting friendships and memories.