St. Vincent of Lerins in the early fifth century defined catholicity as "what has been believed everywhere, always, and by all." It is by this test that we Anglicans consider ourselves to be catholic, together with the great churches of Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism and the Union of Utrecht ("Old Catholics"). The seal of that is the Apostolic Succession , the consecration of our bishops at the hands of other bishops tracing their consecrations back to the apostles themselves. The faith is that expressed in the three creeds of catholicism: Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian ; it was clarified and applied by the first seven Ecumenical Councils meeting in the first seven centuries of Christendom, well before the Great Schism of the Church into East and West. We stress the underlying unity of faith and order with this early Church and judge contemporary issues in the light of Holy Scriptures and that Holy Tradition.

ARE YOU PROTESTANT?

The Church of England arose as a separate catholic body out of the English version of the Reformation in the sixteenth century, but never intended the type of dramatic separation advocated by Protestants on the Continent. It took great care to preserve the Apostolic Succession, and with it the sacramental life of the Church, but at the same time participated fully in the rediscovery of Holy Scripture and the ministry of the Word so dear to Protestants. Are we catholic or protestant? In truth, the answer has to be "both"!

WHAT IS YOUR WORSHIP LIKE?

Anglicans throughout the world owe a tremendous debt to the Book of Common Prayer, a creation of sixteenth century England which has been periodically revised through the centuries. The liturgical form or ritual which you observe in our worship may seem strange to those who have experienced a freer, less structured form elsewhere. But we find that although the Prayer Book shapes and directs our worship, it frees it to be particularly ours. No one who worships for long in the Anglican Catholic Church will fail to know what is happening nor will they be surprised at an unexpected twist or turn. Knowing the liturgy means being able to pray as though it were your own personal prayer, as well as the united and impersonal worship of the community. We also feel that the Prayer Book contains some of the finest English ever written, stemming from that apex of English literature, the Elizabethan period. This elevated and "churchy" language reminds us continually that God reigns above the trendy and contemporary fads of current society.

You will also note that the principal service of the Anglican Catholic Church is the Holy Eucharist, or Mass. This celebration of Christ's sacrifice for us on the Cross stands at the heart of all that we are and do. In it, our Lord Jesus is made truly present to each of us and is received by each in Holy Communion (we hold that, as a rule, one should not receive the Communion regularly until one has been instructed in the Faith and confirmed by a bishop in Apostolic Succession). But for all, young or old, communicant or not, Christ is uniquely present in the Eucharist and that presence is continued as the Body of Christ is reserved on the altar at all times.

HOW DO I BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH?

If you wish to join us in our worship of God and witness to Jesus Christ, we are delighted to welcome you. The first step is to make your desire known to one of the clergy. In order to be a Christian, the Church holds that you must be baptised with water in the name of the Holy Trinity (most churches practice this baptism). An adult will be asked to attend instruction in the Christian Faith before being baptised. Baptism is your entrance into the Christian Church. No more is required than this, regular attendance at Sunday worship and the offering of alms for the support of the Church. The natural completion of baptism, however, and the prerequisite for receiving Communion is the Sacrament of Confirmation in which, by the laying on of hands of the bishop, the Holy Spirit is conferred for the mature life of the Christian. Confirmation is normally administered after one has reached the years of discretion, although our Eastern brethren often chrismate infants. It is preceded by instruction in the Faith and Order of the church. While all of this may seem to take a bit of time, it is a time of growth into the fellowship of Christ and of the congregation. From the very first moment you worship at Christ Church, we want you to feel a part, a very important part of us and assure you that God is well pleased with your presence and devotion.

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