Who We Are

A 21st century Church of A-C-T-S 

First, our identity is wrapped up in Jesus.

As Anglican followers of Jesus, we are “classic Christians.” You've seen classic cars, heard classic rock, and probably drink classic Coke. These are solid, time-tested, older than yesterday’s fad. They are proven items. We are classic Christians whose worship style, Creeds, and method of reading God's Word in worship weekly reaches back for centuries.

Anglicans trace their roots back over 400 years to the time of the Reformation. As children of the Reformation, our forefathers gave us a treasure: a deep and rich faith, paid for by martyrs who were bible scholars that had carefully, prayerfully examined the Early Church and had tried to keep all that was good and helpful, while re-forming or re-jecting anything which clouded or distorted God's plan for our salvation. Our organization, what our minister wears in worship, our order of worship, all are designed to use words and symbols to point to salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, from Christ alone.

Some Protestant forms of worship come from fairly recent movements whose ancestors "threw out the baby with the bathwater" - they got rid of EVERYTHING that the medieval church did: its organization, its worship, and its teachings. So in the South, a visitor may worship with us and say "Your songs are Presbyterian, your minister robes like a Methodist, your preaching is like a Baptist, and your communion is like a Roman Catholic: What ARE you?" We are followers of Jesus Christ first, Anglicans second.

Ancient-future worship
A worship revolution leads to the roots of early Christian practices.
First, we participate. It's not a performance or a concert. Everyday people, not professional ministers, of all ages and life stages, lead us from the noise of life into the presence of the real God.
We seek a full, complete experience of God. Led by God’s Spirit, under the authority of God’s Word, Anglicans worship via three basic elements: Song. Scriptures. Sacraments.
Song. We sing lyrics from the hymns of ancient Israel using instruments, tunes and bulletins from the 21st century. Contemporary? Hymns? New songs? Old songs? Old songs sung new? Yes.
Scriptures. We listen to Bible passages out loud, and our pastor’s sermon engages us. God’s Word is a powerful means of grace by which God leads us and feeds us in our everyday lives.
Sacrament. We invite all baptized followers of Jesus, regardless of denomination, to gather around His table to retell the central story of our faith and to experience His love for us. Our people serve their fellow Christians from one cup to remind us that we are attached to Jesus – "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5)
Come listen, watch, and feel free to participate and experience the Living Jesus with us.

Christ-centered
"Christian" - an ancient Greek slang term which comes closest to "little Christ." Without CHRIST - I Am Nothing." In short, it's all about Jesus. We are trying to decrease ourselves and allow Jesus to increase in us. We admit to Him and to others that we are far from where He would like us to be (which is to be just like Him in love, in serving others, in living life to the max each day without fear). But He is patiently sculpting us into His image. Thanks be to God!

Table-oriented
Humans focus their lives around tables: Birthdays, weddings, funerals, Thanksgiving. At Jesus' invitation, we gather weekly around His Table to actively remember Him. We celebrate our NewBirth day - the day the old us "died" and Jesus re-birthed us spiritually. We look forward to the complete uniting of the "BrideGroom" (Jesus) and the "Bride" (The Church of people who have accepted Jesus' proposal to join their lives with His for eternity.) As at a funeral, we remember Jesus sacrificing himself for us. And, with our "family" - all those that God has adopted as His children - we have a Thanksgiving meal: Holy Communion, or the Lord's Supper.

Spirit-led
We are spiritual beings. God, who is Spirit, created physical bodies wrapped into souls - a combination we call a "living person." But sin (making our self the ruler and judge of our existence rather than focusing on, following and fellowshipping with our Creator) fractures our daily life into categories: physical, mental, social, professional, spiritual, etc. Jesus wants to transform us into whole people. To do that, we turn away from self and sin, as God’s Holy Spirit re-creates us. We seek God’s purpose, plans and provisions in His Word. We use a variety of ancient practices - silent retreats, prayer, meditating on Bible passages, seeking godly advice, keeping prayer journals, having spiritual mentors, studying God's Word, celebrating important events (like Passover, Resurrection Sunday, baptisms) to experience God’s grace and follow His leading in all of our life.