Our Beliefs
Are you Catholic? – Yes, in the truest sense of the word. We adhere to the teaching of the Catholic (Universal) Church as expressed in the three ancient Creeds — Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian — and the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the first Christian millennium.
Are you Protestant? – Contrary to popular opinion, Protestant does not mean “not Catholic.” We hold the principle of sola Scripture (Bible alone), which the 16th-century Reformers revived from the ancient church. The whole matter of our doctrine is found in the Bible, and we protest claims of authority for doctrines that cannot be proved by it. Anglicans are “reformed Catholics,” not Roman Catholics.
What do you teach about Jesus Christ? – Like all orthodox Christians, we teach that He is both God and man, and by His death and resurrection, the “Savior of the world” [John 4: 42].
What is your position on gift on gifts of the Holy Spirit? – We welcome expressions of all the spiritual gifts named in Scripture for the building up of the Church. Some of them, such as love, are necessary for all Christians. Others, such as healing, are given for particular ministries [1 Corinthians 12: 4-11].
Do you claim to be the true Church? – No, not exclusively. We are a faithful part of Christ’s Church, which includes all who profess and practice “the faith once delivered unto the saints” [Jude 3]. “Anglican” refers to the particular manner of our practice, which developed in the Church of England, is set forth in the historic Book of Common Prayer and is practiced by the Anglican Church in North America.
What do you teach about Marriage? – A marriage blessed by the Church is one made in Christ. Such marriage is a sacrament, and therefore cannot be altered to suit contemporary fashion or the preferences of the state.
What do you teach about the end-times? – We teach only what can be clearly proved by Scripture — that Christ will return in glory to deliver His followers from the final tribulation, so that they may live in glorified bodies with Him in “the new heaven and new earth” [Revelation 21].
Our Worship
How much emphasis do you give to worship? – Worship, our words and actions that we direct toward God, is the main thing we do when we gather on Sunday or a holy day during the week such as Good Friday. The sermon is kept to about 15 minutes so that there is plenty of time for it.
What is your worship like? – It is liturgical and traditional. Except for the sermon and music, most of its is taken from the historic Book of Common Prayer. You can see pictures of Grace Anglicans at worship on this website.
What does “liturgical” mean? – “Liturgy” comes from a compound Greek word meaning “the work of the people.” Praising God is the best work that men and women can do, and a Christian will learn to enjoy doing it with others.
May I take Communion if I visit? – We offer the Sacrament of Our Lord’s Body and Blood to all baptized believers who accept the Church’s historic teaching that Christ is really and fully present with the consecrated bread and wine.
Do you teach transubstantiation? – No, we make no attempt to define a mystery of Christ’s presence with such terms. We teach simply that the ascended Christ becomes present in the Eucharist at the consecration of the bread and wine, so that believers may commune with Him by eating and drinking with faith.
Why do you pray from a book? Shouldn’t prayer be spontaneous? – Prayer is offered in many forms, and can certainly be made spontaneously apart from the liturgy. The prayers of the liturgy are in a book so that every member old enough to read can mentally and sometimes vocally participate in offering them. If public prayer is not in a set form, then only the ministers up front offer it, and the rest of the congregation merely listens. But true worship is not passive. The logic of Common Prayer is to make prayer participatory, in the same way that singing the same song together is participatory.
Why do you use formal language in a service? – Gathering with other believers in the presence of the King of the universe is a special occasion no matter how many times one has done it. Public worship thus calls for exalted language, not that of casual conversation. Such speech is found in the examples of praise given in Scripture [Revelation 4 & 5], and it is the norm in Christian history.
Our Parish
How long is the service? – About an hour and 15 minutes, unless there is a special event such as a baptism.
What should I wear? – There is no dress code. The preference of most is dressy-casual.
Will attention be drawn to me? -No, we do not introduce visitors in a service. Refreshments are available after the service for those who desire to meet others in the congregation.
Is there a nursery? – Yes, we have a separate room for young children. Sunday School for the children is held on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month. On all other Sundays, the children are supervised and may participate in activities, crafts or play.
How will I know what to do in the liturgy? – Printed materials that guide one through the service are available at the door to all who visit.
Is the building handicap-accessible? – Yes, our facility is fully handicap friendly.
Still need help? Send us a note!
Are there other events I can attend? – We hold an adult Bible study at St. Marks School on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. There are also a men’s breakfast every Wednesday, 7:30 a.m., at the Original House of Pancakes (corner of Fairview and Curtis), and a variety of other activities that occur each week.