Anglo-Catholics, like Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians (both Eastern and Oriental Orthodox), understand the seven historic sacraments of the Church as essential vehicles through which God's grace is mediated to us. Furthermore, we hold that for those sacraments to be valid, they must be offered by a priesthood in true Apostolic succession (meaning with the authority of Jesus passed on through an unbroken succession of bishops stretching all the way back to the early apostles of Christ). Anglo-Catholics do share with Evangelicals a passionate commitment to Scripture, as another means through which divine grace reaches us. However, we reject extreme Protestant doctrine that God's grace is mediated to us exclusively through Scripture.

Our commitment to the importance and accessability of Scripture, to the written Word of God, is a distinctive aspect of our Reformation heritage that we thoroughly embrace. You may notice, therefore, that our services place equal emphasis upon attending to the Word of God revealed in Scripture and the Word of God made manifest for us in the Blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. We ultimately reject the notion that in a post-Reformation world Christians must choose between a church that is evangelical and a church that is truly catholic. We believe that the fullness of the faith demands a church which is both fully catholic and fully evangelical, and that is what we seek to be. You will, therefore, notice that in our church we expect sermons that are both thoughtful and scripturally based meditations that aim to open our minds and hearts to the grace of God as revealed in Holy Scripture.

Our Eucharist, or mass, is rooted in the ancient liturgy and formularies of the Western Church as it developed in the British Isles. The basic standard of worship in our church is the Book of Common Prayer (1662) and authorized revisions, including the 1928 American revision. The Book of Common Prayer, however, provides only the most basic rubrics (directions) for the actual celebration of the mass. This feature of the prayer book is a legacy of efforts to bridge the divide between more Catholic and more Protestant tendencies, which coexisted within the English Church after the English Reformation. The lack of detail in the prayer book concerning how the liturgy is to be celebrated explains why Anglican services can vary greatly in form (from "high" to "low" church). During the Anglo-Catholic revival of the 19th and 20th centuries a number of important strides were made to restore to the Book of Common Prayer the beautiful and ancient liturgical ceremonial of the pre-Reformation English Church. Two of the most important products of these efforts are the American Missal and the Anglican Missal, both of which are used in our worship today.

For those who have experienced the pre-Vatican II liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, our mass will be very familiar. Perhaps the most noticeable difference will be that our mass is said and sung in English, rather than in Latin. For those unfamiliar with the pre-Vatican II, or Tridentine Roman liturgy, some basic explanations are in order. First, it's important to understand that we try to make our offering to God as dignified and as beautiful as possible, both for His greater glory, and for the benefit of those participating. In understanding the way we worship it may be helpful to remember that traditional liturgy, in both the Western and Eastern Church, seeks to engage all our senses in the act of worship. Thus, for example, you will notice the use of incense in our service. Psalm 141 states: "Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice." Incense is used to symbolize our prayers offered to God in the odor of virtue. You will also hear the ringing of bells to mark certain critical parts (actions) of the mass.

As a general rule, we kneel during prayers and at the communion rail to receive the Blessed Sacrament. You will also observe people genuflecting (dropping briefly to their right knee). Genuflecting occurs most notably: as worshipers enter or leave the sanctuary; when they pass the altar (where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved); at the mention of the incarnation of our Lord during both the recitation of the Nicene Creed and the Last Gospel (John 1:1-14); and as people approach the communion rail to receive the Blessed Sacrament. At various points during the service we sign our selves with the cross, using the three center fingers of the right hand, moving from the forehead down to the upper chest, then to the left shoulder, and finally to the right shoulder. We usually stand during hymns and always at the reading of the Gospel. At the announcement of the reading of the Gospel we stand and make a small sign of the cross (using the thumb of our right hand), first on our forehead, next on our lips, and finally over our heart. You will also notice worshipers bowing their heads at several points during the mass. Several times during the mass people will lightly strike their breast three times with the closed fist of their right hand. This may occur during the Confession when we say: "I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed." Also during the Confession when we pray: "Have mercy upon us, -Have mercy upon us most Merciful Father;" you will observe worshipers and the priest lightly strike their breasts with the closed fist of their right hand. This action also occurs just prior to receiving communion, after the priest holds up the consecrated elements and proclaims: "Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him that taketh away the sins of the world." At this point you will again observe worshipers striking their chests lightly with the fist of their right hand as we repeat three times: "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only and my soul shall be healed." Finally, we sit during the reading of the Epistle and the sermon.

While our service of worship may initially be unfamiliar to you, we trust you'll quickly find it full of meaning and great beauty. We also hope that that it engages your entire body in the worship of our Lord. Printed copies of the liturgy are available as you enter the church to assist you in following the worship service. As with anything new, you may need to give yourself some time to become accustomed to what you're experiencing. Remember, this is the ancient liturgy of the Western Church. As you worship with us you will be worshipping in the company of saints who have offered their prayers up to the Lord in this way for centuries. If you have any questions about either how various aspects of worship are performed, or the symbolic meaning behind the rites of the liturgy, please don't hesitate to ask the rector for an explanation.