What is Anglicanism?

Anglicans are all those who are communicants of churches which are part of the Anglican Communion.  The central tenants of Anglicanism are summarized in a Lambeth Quadrilateral document.  Anglicanism combines a Protestant emphasis on the importance of Scripture with a Catholic concern for worship and tradition.   Some describe Anglican beliefs as a three-legged stool; Scripture, tradition, and reason, with Scripture being the longest leg and tradition and reason being the tools which we use to interpret Scripture.  Scripture contains all things necessary for salvation and should be taught at home and at church.  One of the beliefs of Anglicans is the concept of Apostolic Succession.

What is Apostolic Succession?

Apostolic Succession is the practice whereby the church is in direct continuity with the church of the apostles.  The continuity is carried out in the rites of ordination and thus bishops and priests can trace their ordination through prior ordaining bishops in an unbroken succession back to the apostles themselves. This practice makes the Anglican church “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic”.

What does “catholic” mean?

Catholic (with a small “c”) means “general” or “universal”.  Traditionally “catholic” as part of the phrase “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church” refers to the claim that the church believes today it has always and everywhere believed.

What is required to be a church member?

Those who have been baptized by water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit can be members of an Anglican church.  However, to be considered a communicant a member must be confirmed in an Apostolic Succession denomination church and must have received Holy Communion at least three times in the past year.

What is expected of church members?

Protect the Peace of the parish: act in love toward other members and refuse to gossip.  “Have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.” 1 Peter 1:22.  “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs…”  Ephesians 4:29.

“Carry out the responsibilities of my parish by: praying for our growth and effectiveness, inviting the unchurched to attend, warmly welcoming those who visit.”  “Go out into the country…and urge anyone you find to come in, so that My House will be full” Luke 14:23. 

What is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God.  He is present in the world to make humans aware of our need for Jesus Christ.  He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation.  He provides Christians with the power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right.

Why is the Bible Important?

Anglicans believe that the Scripture in its entirety originated with God, and that it was given through the instrumentality of chosen men.  Scripture thus at one and the same time speaks with the authority of God and reflects the backgrounds, styles, and vocabularies of the human authors.  We hold that the Scriptures are infallible and free from error in the original manuscripts.  The canon of Scripture is complete and closed.

Do I have to earn salvation?

God’s gift of salvation is free.  “For it is by grace you are saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9.

The central purpose of God’s revelation in Scripture is to call all people into fellowship with Himself.  Originally created to have fellowship with God, man defied God and we are thus in need of the saving grace of God.  The rescue of mankind is the work of God’s free grace and must be personally appropriated by repentance and faith through baptism.

Why should I be baptized?

To follow the example set by Jesus.  “At that time Jesus came from Nazareth and was baptized by John in the river.”  Mark 1:9.

To demonstrate that you are a Christian.  “Many of the people who heard Him believed and were baptized.” Acts 1:8.  “We know that we have come to know Him, if we obey His commands.”  1 John 2:3.

Through baptism “you are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ’s own for ever.” Book of Common Prayer page 308.

To be a member of an Anglican church and participate in the reception of Holy Eucharist you must be baptized by water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit at this or any church.

Will I have to say anything at my baptism?

Yes.  A baptism is a public confession.  At Grace we use an ancient Baptismal Rite that calls for a response from those being baptized (Parents and Godparents in the case of an infant), as well as a response from the community witnessing the Baptismal Ceremony.

Why should I go to Church?

The Scripture commands believers to gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, and the observance of baptism and communion as established by Jesus Christ, fellowship, service to the body through the development and use of talents and gifts, and outreach to the world.  Under the care of lay and ordained ministers, a church’s members are to work together in love and in unity, intent on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.

What is a Rector?

A Rector serves as a shepherd and head of our parish.  He is hired by the Vestry.  The Rector is the priest-in-charge, Vision setter, Preacher, Teacher, and is overall responsible for the oversight of the congregation and vestry.

What is a Vicar?

The Vicar is hired by the Rector and serves at the Rector’s discretion.  The Vicar is the Priest-in-Charge when the Rector is off-site.  The Vicar assists the Rector in carrying out the vision of the parish and sacramental ministry.  The Vicar facilitates staff and lay minister development, is a Teacher and Preacher and serves as counsel to the Rector in decision-making.

What is a Vestry?

A Vestry is an elected group that is comprised of men and women who are responsible for the non-spiritual aspects of a parish.  They control the budget, oversee the management of the church facilities and its care.

What is an Acolyte?

An Acolyte is a person, usually between the age of 12 and 18, who assists in worship by performing functions during the procession, helping with the collection of the offering, and directing the flow to communion. 

What is the Altar Guild?

A parish Lay Ministry organized to prepare the altar for celebrations of Eucharist and mass including weddings, funerals and Daily Offices.  The Altar Guild ensures the altar hangings are the right color for the church season, they prepare the chalice and the chalice purificators and clean up the altar after services that have a Eucharist.

What is a chalice?

A chalice is the cup used to contain consecrated wine for the Eucharist.

What is Advent?

Advent is the first season of the church’s year, beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and running until the first Eucharist of Christmas.  Advent is a season of preparation and fasting.  Advent’s liturgical color is purple.

What are the church seasons?

The church year has six seasons: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost.  The church year is structured in relationship to the two major feasts of Christmas and Easter.

What does Alleluia mean?

Alleluia is a Hebrew word meaning “praise God”.  It is omitted from its usual use in a service during the season of Lent.

What is an act of genuflection?

An act of genuflection is an act of reverence that involved kneeling so that the right knee touches the floor and then standing back up again.  Parishioners who choose to do this typically do so when passing by a tabernacle in which the reserved sacrament is being kept or when entering or leaving the seating area when consecrated bread or wine is on the altar.

When does one make the sign of the cross?

Making the sign of the cross links the cross with our claim that we experience now all benefits of Christ’s passion. There are four types of making a cross.  The first is the cross made on the forehead of those being baptized, confirmed, or anointed with oil in a healing service, proclaiming that the person is “marked as Christ’s own for ever.”

The second cross is made in the act of blessing or pronouncing absolution by a bishop or priest when the celebrant makes a large cross in the air.  The third form is made by an individual by touching the forehead, the diaphragm, the left shoulder and then the right shoulder with one’s fingertips.  This personal sign is made at different times in the Eucharist or in other rites.  It is done by the congregation as they are being blessed by the celebrant as an act of accepting their forgiveness and blessedness.  It is also done as a manual “Amen”, like at the naming of the Trinity or before and/or after receiving the bread and wine of communion.

The fourth type involves making a cross on the forehead, the lips, and the heart with the thumb (nail-side) of the right hand, the fingers curled inward, at the announcement “the Holy Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ according to…” before the reading of the Gospel.  This is a manual way to pray that the Gospel be in the person’s mind, on his/her lips, and in their heart.

What is the Book of Common Prayer?

The first Book of Common Prayer (BCP) was produced by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in 1549 with a 1552 revision.  With the BCP worship services could be conducted in the native English language instead of Latin.  Each church in the Anglican Communion has its own adaptation of the BCP. 

What is a collect?

A collect is a short prayer containing an invocation, a petition, and a claiming of the right to appeal in Christ’s name or an ascription of glory to God.  For Anglicans it usually refers to the variable prayer called the Collect for the Day and precedes the reading of lessons during a service.

What is The Anglican Communion?

“The Anglican Communion,” Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher wrote, “has no peculiar thought, practice, creed or confession of its own. It has only the Catholic Faith of the ancient Catholic Church, as preserved in the Catholic Creeds and maintained in the Catholic and Apostolic constitution of Christ’s Church from the beginning.” It may licitly teach as necessary for salvation nothing but what is read in the Holy Scriptures as God’s Word written or may be proved thereby. It therefore embraces and affirms such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the Scriptures, and thus to be counted apostolic. The Church has no authority to innovate: it is obliged continually, and particularly in times of renewal or reformation, to return to “the faith once delivered to the saints.” To be an Anglican, then, is not to embrace a distinct version of Christianity, but a distinct way of being a “Mere Christian,” at the same time evangelical, apostolic, catholic, reformed, and Spirit-filled.

What is CANA?

According to Bishop Martyn Minns, the acronym CANA stands for the "Convocation of Anglicans in North America". It is an Anglican missionary effort in the US sponsored by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). Nigerians have a significant presence in the US-many are doctors, communications professionals, and successful business people-and a large segment of these Nigerians are Anglican Christians. For a while, the Anglican Church of Nigeria attempted to work with Presiding Bishop Griswold and ECUSA dioceses to meet the pastoral needs of these Anglican Nigerians in the US .

But, ECUSA proved over and over again that it was unwilling to respect the faith of Anglican Nigerians by its divisive actions. One of these actions was that ECUSA unilateraly sacked the former Nigerian chaplain appointed to care for Anglican Nigerians in this country, the Rev. Canon Gordon Okunsanya. So, we can really say that ECUSA itself made the creation of CANA necessary.  Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria attempted to meet the needs of Anglican Nigerians in this country himself. But, he soon realized that maintaining a vital mission in the US could not be sustained without the presence of a domestic church structure and a local bishop.  Archbishop Akinola is also well aware of the pastoral crisis that ECUSA has caused for Anglicans of all races and ethnicities in the US. And so, he is committed to seeing that CANA is welcoming of everyone-whether they're from Nigeria or not-who believe in the uniqueness of Jesus the Messiah, the authority of the Bible in our lives, and the historic faith of the Anglican tradition. CANA is a member of Common Cause.

What is the Covenant Declaration of the Common Cause Partners?

We intend by God’s grace:

• to partner together in a renewed missionary effort in North America and beyond, driven by our passion for Jesus and His Gospel.
• to ensure an orthodox Anglican Province in North America that remains connected to a faithful global Communion.
• to create a unity in the essentials of our Anglican faith that respects our varied styles and expressions.
• to build trusting relationships marked by effective coordination, collaboration, and communication.

What is the Theological Statement of the Common Cause Partners?

We believe and confess Jesus Christ to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no one comes to the Father but by Him. Therefore, the Common Cause Partnership identifies the following seven elements as characteristic of the Anglican Way , and essential for membership:

1. We confess the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired Word of God, containing all things necessary for salvation, and to be the final authority and unchangeable standard for Christian faith and life.
2. We confess Baptism and the Supper of the Lord to be Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself in the Gospel, and thus to be ministered with unfailing use of His words of institution and of the elements ordained by Him.
3. We confess the godly historic Episcopate as an inherent part of the apostolic faith and practice, and therefore as integral to the fullness and unity of the Body of Christ.
4. We confess as proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture the historic faith of the undivided church as declared in the three Catholic Creeds: the Apostles’, the Nicene, and the Athanasian.
5. Concerning the seven Councils of the undivided Church, we affirm the teaching of the first four Councils and the Christological clarifications of the fifth, sixth and seventh Councils, in so far as they are agreeable to the Holy Scriptures.
6. We receive The Book of Common Prayer as set forth by the Church of England in 1662, together with the Ordinal attached to the same, as a standard for Anglican doctrine and discipline, and, with the Books which preceded it, as the standard for the Anglican tradition of worship.
7. We receive the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of 1562, taken in their literal and grammatical sense, as expressing the Anglican response to certain doctrinal issues controverted at that time, and as expressing the fundamental principles of authentic Anglican belief.

In all these things, the Common Cause Partnership is determined by the help of God to hold and maintain as the Anglican Way has received them the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ.