WELCOME!
We are a new (and momentarily small) Anglican church that endeavors to embody the best of several historical expressions of Christianity.
We are liturgical. Our services follow the traditional structure found in the Book of Common Prayer. You’ll hear ancient creeds, scripture readings, and both written and spontaneous prayers. Why? Because over time, doing these things changes the way we view the world and makes us more like Christ. While we have a priest who is obedient to the Holy Spirit if he senses God wants to hear another passage or sing another song, we nonetheless choose not to wholly abandon the ancient forms of worship our wise ancestors handed down to us. When Christians mold their worship style to fit their current brokenness, it stymies personal growth, and we don't want that!
We are Spirit-filled. The Holy Spirit is still active in the world. He gives various gifts to the church in order to build up of the community of Jesus followers and allow us to serve our neighbors in love. The world has both material and spiritual elements, so God gives some Christians a supernatural ability to discern the difference between good and evil spirits. To others, God gives a supernatural ability to speak God's truth to ungodly power structures of the present age. Still yet, some have a special ability to be merciful and show hospitality. There are others, but the point is this--we join together in Christ-centered community so that, bringing all these abilities to the table, God's Kingdom grows.
We are the "middle way." Sometimes, people describe Anglicanism as a “reformed Catholic” church, or a way of bridging the gap between the Roman Catholic Church and Protestant expressions of Christianity. So, we create a common worship space for families in the Rio Grande Valley that are split along the traditional lines of Roman Catholicism and Protestant-Christianity.
We are theologically orthodox. Although various cultures throughout the world are constantly changing, the Creator God's ordering of His creation does not change to fit the times. Thus, we affirm the authority of scripture, and our priority is to teach scripture in a way that is thoughtful and relevant so that we can live our lives as Spirit-filled students of Christ. Our pastor is under the authority of a godly bishop, who in turn is accountable to his brother bishops throughout North America and the worldwide Body of Christ. Moreover, as did the earliest Christians 2,000 years ago, we devote ourselves to weekly prayer and Holy Communion, friendship that transcends generation and culture, and sound doctrine and lifestyle to keep us moving in the right direction amid a world going off the rails.
We are neighborly focused. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has a social element. We're here to mediate, counsel, and help people reconcile with God, friends, and family. The main way we participate in this work in our community is by supporting Anglican Legal Aid & Reconciliation. But, whatever your need, our doors are open to all. No one stands alone at Christ Church of the Rio Grande Valley.
We are liturgical. Our services follow the traditional structure found in the Book of Common Prayer. You’ll hear ancient creeds, scripture readings, and both written and spontaneous prayers. Why? Because over time, doing these things changes the way we view the world and makes us more like Christ. While we have a priest who is obedient to the Holy Spirit if he senses God wants to hear another passage or sing another song, we nonetheless choose not to wholly abandon the ancient forms of worship our wise ancestors handed down to us. When Christians mold their worship style to fit their current brokenness, it stymies personal growth, and we don't want that!
We are Spirit-filled. The Holy Spirit is still active in the world. He gives various gifts to the church in order to build up of the community of Jesus followers and allow us to serve our neighbors in love. The world has both material and spiritual elements, so God gives some Christians a supernatural ability to discern the difference between good and evil spirits. To others, God gives a supernatural ability to speak God's truth to ungodly power structures of the present age. Still yet, some have a special ability to be merciful and show hospitality. There are others, but the point is this--we join together in Christ-centered community so that, bringing all these abilities to the table, God's Kingdom grows.
We are the "middle way." Sometimes, people describe Anglicanism as a “reformed Catholic” church, or a way of bridging the gap between the Roman Catholic Church and Protestant expressions of Christianity. So, we create a common worship space for families in the Rio Grande Valley that are split along the traditional lines of Roman Catholicism and Protestant-Christianity.
We are theologically orthodox. Although various cultures throughout the world are constantly changing, the Creator God's ordering of His creation does not change to fit the times. Thus, we affirm the authority of scripture, and our priority is to teach scripture in a way that is thoughtful and relevant so that we can live our lives as Spirit-filled students of Christ. Our pastor is under the authority of a godly bishop, who in turn is accountable to his brother bishops throughout North America and the worldwide Body of Christ. Moreover, as did the earliest Christians 2,000 years ago, we devote ourselves to weekly prayer and Holy Communion, friendship that transcends generation and culture, and sound doctrine and lifestyle to keep us moving in the right direction amid a world going off the rails.
We are neighborly focused. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has a social element. We're here to mediate, counsel, and help people reconcile with God, friends, and family. The main way we participate in this work in our community is by supporting Anglican Legal Aid & Reconciliation. But, whatever your need, our doors are open to all. No one stands alone at Christ Church of the Rio Grande Valley.
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Join us each Saturday:
You can also stop by during the week to visit Anglican Legal Aid & Reconciliation. Want to meet our vicar? He'd love to meet you! Please call ahead as he may be in court or with a client. |