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We are an Anglican outpost on the US-Mexico border. Our small family endeavors to live out "the faith once delivered to the saints."
Our worship is both liturgical and Spirit-filled. We use the historic Book of Common Prayer, which means you’ll hear ancient creeds, written and extemporaneous prayer, and quite a bit of scripture read and taught. We appreciate the rich theology of ancient and traditional hymns. We are obedient to the Holy Spirit as He works among us, but we also embrace the ancient forms of worship handed down to us by wise ancestors in the faith. We reject the idea that the only sign of God's movement among His people is emotionally-charged worship. In fact, we find it is easier to hear the "still small voice" of God's Spirit in a quiet, reflective atmosphere. Nonetheless, we are ready to minister to one another as the Spirit leads through our worship and our communal life. Our priest and our elders are ready to pray over the sick and the afflicted, and to anoint them with oil. We encourage the use of spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirt 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 to 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 through and among our family. 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 "application-ready" so that we can live our lives as 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, a separately-incorporated ministry housed within our facility. But, whatever your need, our doors are open to all. No one stands alone at Christ Church of the Rio Grande Valley. |
Join us for Holy Communion
Join us for Daily Prayer:
Join us for Study and Discipleship:
- Saturdays at 6PM - Solemn Mass
- This is a very formal service with traditional hymns and liturgy. It is quite popular among younger people. The doors open for quiet prayer and reflection at 5:30PM, The service lasts about 75 minutes. Following the service, we have dinner together and frequently have a game night.
- Sundays at 9AM - Holy Communion
- A less formal service using the Renewed Ancient Text of the 2019 Book of Common Prayer. There is no music and the service is about 45 minutes to an hour long. The service is preceded by Anglican Morning Prayer at 8:30AM, and it is followed by Catechism class at 10AM.
- Wednesdays at 7PM - Midweek Eucharist (spoken)
- Following our 6PM Book Study downstairs, we move upstairs for partnered-prayer and a spoken version of the Liturgy of the Table (the second half of our Holy Communion liturgy).
Join us for Daily Prayer:
- Morning Prayer (Sunday through Friday): 8:30AM
- Live-streamed on our Facebook Page.
- Evening Prayer (Monday through Friday): 5:30PM
- Live-streamed on our Facebook Page.
Join us for Study and Discipleship:
- Sundays at 10AM - Catechism
- We are currently studying the Book of Acts.
- Wednesdays at 6PM - Book Study
- We begin with a few journal prompts. We are currently reading The Life of St. Antony, by St. Athanasius.