LITURGY

When we worship together, we are guided by what is called a "liturgy". Our liturgy will be familiar to anyone who has been raised in an Anglican or Catholic Church as well as for many Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterians.

For new believers and visitors unfamiliar with the Anglican liturgy, the service is nonetheless beautiful and easily followed in our worship handbook which you will receive at the door when you visit. Although the liturgy, or order of worship, is a long tradition in the Anglican Church, you'll find our services are also filled with testimony, Biblical preaching, beautiful music, and a joy that hopefully fills every person who worships with us. We celebrate Holy Communion, sometimes known as the “Eucharist” each week, and recognize the calendar of the church and its celebrations. We also seek to reveal God in continuing and full ways through the Spirit-led use of Bible study. Our worship is a response to God's loving-kindness shown to us in so many ways including His incarnation and death for us, and his resurrection. We are told to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength and with all our mind. This we do with open and repentant hearts.

WHAT IS AN ANGLICAN?

The Anglican way is known as a broad way. The Anglican Communion dates back to the 16th century and is made up of over 77 million believers around the world.

Our faith centers on the good news of the Christian faith in that even though we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, Jesus’ death and resurrection have made it possible for us to be forgiven, saved, and restored to his family, and be part of His Kingdom here and now as well as after death. We who were separated from God can know him personally by receiving his free gift of salvation and trusting in his love and mercy. We can be sure of eternal life by putting our trust in Jesus Christ.

The authority for that faith is the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament looks to the coming of Jesus, and the New Testament recounts his Life, Death and Resurrection and how he fulfills the Old Testament.

We believe that Jesus will, at the right time, return in glory to establish his Kingdom forever. We believe that the Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary for life and salvation.

The Holy Spirit seeks to change us and make us more like Christ in every way. He develops in us godly characteristics like love, joy, patience, peace, and humility. We are given gifts and abilities for ministry. We believe that the ministries of the Holy Spirit seen in the New Testament are good gifts that God still gives to Christians today. We believe that God still desires to pour out his life into us.

In essence, our beliefs are stated clearly in the Nicene and Apostles creeds, both of which are used by the Anglican Communion in its worship day by day and week by week. They are ancient and universal statements of Christian faith.

The strangely named Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral describes the general ecumenical principles of Anglicans!

The Thirty-Nine Articles were finalized in the 1500’s, the time of the Reformation, and are still a source of great theology, despite their age!

The Lord brings many new people to St. John's Anglican Church from various places for various reasons. Regardless of why you came, we welcome you to our parish. back to top

Being Part of the Body

When we talk about joining the church, we are using ancient, Biblical language. Scripture describes the church as the "Body of Christ". So to "join" is to be connected like an arm or a leg. For centuries words like "member" and "join" applied only to the church, long before there were clubs and corporations. There are no solitary Christians, and we really do need each other. Joining a church gives God the opportunity to mature you through relationships. back to top

How do I become a member?

Usually we will encourage you to attend a Newcomers Class. We discuss who we are at St. John's, and explain our beliefs and vision. We give you an introduction to the history of the church, and how we fit in as members of the Anglican Communion. We also go over the history of this parish and the working of the Holy Spirit in our midst. These classes will help you discover more about us and ask any questions that you want. For more information contact Fr. Christopher. back to top

Baptism, Confirmation, and Reception

We receive new members into our body in various ways, depending on an individual’s circumstances. Baptism is for those who are making a first-time commitment to Christ and have never been baptized before. For more information regarding baptism, talk to Fr. Christopher. Confirmation classes are also available for those who have been baptized and who want to “confirm” the commitment made on their behalf while they were still young. If you have already been baptized as an adult, then we can “receive” you into our Church, if that is your wish. If you are still at the questioning stage with regard to the Christian faith, we'd love to meet you and answer your questions. We offer a newcomer’s class where the various aspects of our faith can be openly and honestly discussed and considered. back to top