A
Message from the Rector
We
welcome you to a traditional Christian community. We are a growing parish interested in
preserving the atmosphere of a neighborhood church family. We believe that a neighborhood parish
environment presents the best opportunities for all to enjoy the fellowship
taught by Jesus Christ. We have
preserved the traditional doctrine as universally accepted by the mature early
church. In this way we feel we are
closer to the original intent of Christ's teachings and less inclined to
obscure his teachings with current fads and misunderstandings.
Our parish is a member of the Diocese of the
Missouri Valley within the Anglican Church in
America. As such we are also
part of the worldwide Traditional Anglican Communion. Our service is traditional, liturgical and
sacramental. We are part of the One,
Our service is structured and based on the Book
of Common Prayer (1928). The
word "common" is not to imply that those prayers are ordinary. Rather it is to emphasize the common need of
all of us to express our love and faith in clear, concise terms. These prayers do not preclude extemporaneous
prayers. They ensure that our corporate
services are a consistent and complete worship of our God and Saviour. Careful consideration of the prayers in the
Book of Common Prayer will show a depth of expression not available in most of
our minds at any given moment.
We
encourage all to participate in our worship service. We believe the greatest value is obtained
from any service by active participation.
You will notice that we stand to praise, sit to learn, and kneel to
pray. You will also notice a variety of
reverences. Some show reverence by
genuflecting and some by bowing. We
realize that physical constraints sometimes affect our ability to show
reverence. We encourage the strongest
show of reverence felt by the participant and appreciate any that is heartfelt
and sincere.
We
hope you will join us for our services and activities. You will find many people willing to assist
you in understanding our liturgy and doctrine.
We all enjoy sharing the special fellowship that comes from praying,
giving and building together. We would
love to have you join our church family and help us spread this fellowship.
Fr. Forrest Burgett