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For those that are unfamiliar with the Anglican Faith, we invite you to browse this portion of our website to become acquainted with the Anglican Church and the traditional Anglican Faith. Here you will also find a PDF file of the Articles of Religion by which St. James functions. The Anglican Church The Anglican Church was planted on these shores by missionaries of the Church of England in 1607 and organized as a branch of the Anglican Communion immediately after the Revolution in 1789, under the name The Episcopal Church. After the Church finally departed from its Apostolic roots, in 1976 when it changed its Faith and Holy Orders, many faithful Christians organized themselves to continue the Catholic and Orthodox Faith as Anglicans had originally received the same. We are heirs to a continuing Christian tradition that dates from the second century when the Faith was brought to the British Isles. The Anglican Church is at present made up of Congregations in the United States and Canada. A Sacramental Church The central acts of worship at St. James Anglican Church are sacraments. They express the Church’s belief in the sacramental nature of the universe and life – the belief that God is not divorced from his creation, but is present and always at work in all aspects of it. Through the sacrament of Holy Baptism, sinful man is cleansed, he is made a new creature in Christ; and is received into the Christian fellowship. In receiving the consecrated Bread and Wine of the sacrament of the Eucharist, man’s spirit is nourished and strengthened by the Body and Blood of Christ. Other rites which the Anglican Church recognizes as sacraments are Confirmation (laying of the Bishop’s hands on the baptized and endowing them with the power to assume personal responsibility for their baptismal vows); Penance (confession and absolution of sins); Ordination (to the ancient orders of the ministry – bishops, priests, deacons); Matrimony (creating a lifelong union of husband and wife); and Unction (for the healing of the sick). A Believing Church St. James Anglican Church states her faith in the historic words of the Nicene Creed, which came out of the three Church Councils – Nicaea, 325 A.D.; Constantinople 381 A.D.; and Chalcedon 451 A.D.. It is the one statement of faith that is officially adopted by all Catholic Christendom. The Church recognizes, however, that there is always more to the nature of God and His continuous revelation of Himself than can be set forth in any human statements about him, and therefore encourages the pursuit of truth in all areas of life. The Church stands for the use of the mind and reason as God-given faculties, and it places no crippling limitation on any human endeavor to study and investigate. A Teaching Church St. James Anglican Church teaches that all persons ought to know in and what and in whom they believe. The English Church helped lead the long struggle to have the Bible printed in the language of the people, and to make it possible for everyone to read the Gospel and to hear it publicly read in the language which they understood. Perhaps the greatest achievement in the English language is the King James translation of the Bible, which was given to the world by the Church of England. In addition to encouraging the study of the Holy Scriptures, and to providing instruction in the customs, history, and traditions of the Church (which stem from the earliest days of Christendom), the Anglican Church strives to provide opportunity for people of all ages to receive and discover truth as it is revealed in history, in philosophy, and in science. A Worshiping Church A basic principle of St. James Anglican Church is that a congregation is made up of participants, not spectators; members of St. James attend services to worship God, not to be lectured or entertained. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), used throughout the Anglican Communion, is a devotional manual by which the worshipper, together with others, may participate actively in the services of the Church. It is a product and development of Christian service books used down through the centuries and also contains portions from the services held in the Temple at the time of our Lord. Our order of worship is ancient and lovely and is an expression of man’s attempt through the ages to offer his best to his God. The building, the altar and vestments, the music, and wonderful language of the prayers are not expressions of worldly pomp, but rather something beautiful for the Lord. St. James Anglican Church is, of course, a Church of the spirit and puts primary emphasis on the development of the soul. It is also a Church of service to others, because we are our Lord’s feet and hands here on earth. In addition, the Anglican Church is a Church of fellowship, for we must live our love of God in the world through people. The Church is not a place of gloom. Laughter and fun are gifts from God to be freely enjoyed and shared. |
