Our Beliefs

Church of the Resurrection holds to the biblical faith “once delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Each Sunday, in our worship we proclaim the Good News: “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!” That is to say, by the blood of Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, God is reconciling the world to Himself, not holding our sins against us but sending us instead as messengers of God’s saving love (2 Corinthians 5:19). Therefore, we joyfully follow Jesus in making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

What is Anglicanism?

Anglicanism is a way of being “merely Christian” within Jesus’ holy church–Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant. We recognize the Bible as our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. We use a time-tested pattern of worship that has served the church for thousands of years. We’re part of a worldwide family of churches that support and challenge one another in the unity of the Spirit. Some folks ask, So are you Protestant or Catholic? We think of ourselves as Reformed Catholics: holding on to the riches of ancient faith while also receiving the necessary correctives of the Reformation.

Statement of Faith

Anglicans hold the Bible to be our primary source of authority.  We stand with the historic church in accepting the summary of this Biblical faith as expressed in the Nicene Creed. A creed is a summary statement of belief.  On Sundays, we join together in reciting the Nicene Creed as a reaffirmation of our faith in God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

BAPTISM

Baptism is the means by which we are joined to Jesus in the Church and receive the benefits of salvation (Rom 6:3-4; 1 Pet 3:21). We baptize infants in keeping with the Jewish understanding that babies are recipients of God’s promises and members of his covenant community (Acts 2:38-39; Col 2:11-12). We believe that faith and baptism work together to join us to Christ (Gal 3:26-27) and fully expect our baptized children to recommit to their baptismal vows at the appropriate time during Confirmation. Find out how to be baptized at Resurrection here.

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Eucharist (Communion)

The word “eucharist” is Greek for “thanksgiving,” because in this meal of bread and wine, we give thanks for Christ’s death and resurrection on our behalf. We also call this meal the Lord’s Supper because Jesus commanded the church to do this in remembrance of him (Lk 22:19-20) and Holy Communion because it is the means by which we are joined to Jesus (Jn 6:52-58; 1Cor 10:16) and to one another (1Cor 10:17). For these reasons, we celebrate the eucharist every week in our worship services and fully embrace the mystery of Christ’s real presence in the consecrated bread and wine.

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Confirmation

Confirmation is a rite by which we are strengthened in the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands (Acts 8:17). We are joined to a particular church body by receiving the laying on of hands by a bishop who represents the church. While not a sacrament in the same way as baptism and the eucharist, because it is not explicitly commanded by Jesus, confirmation is still a means by which we receive grace from God’s loving hands.

Confirmation takes place twice per year at Resurrection, and is the means by which regular attendees join our church. Our Confirmation Class is required prior to confirmation, baptism, and baptism renewals.

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Ordination & Leadership

God gifts, calls and raises up leaders in the body of Christ to build up the church and equip her for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:12). Ordination is a process whereby those gifts and calling are recognized and confirmed by the church. It culminates in the bishop laying hands on the candidate with prayer, conveying the grace of the Holy Spirit for a specific office and ministry. Following an ancient pattern, Anglicans recognize three offices of ordained ministers: deacons, priests and bishops. Each of these offices is endowed with unique responsibilities and oversight in the church family.

Our staff includes both lay leaders and ordained leaders, and male and female pastors. “Lay leaders” are members of the church who lead a ministry, but who have not been ordained. “Pastors” are leaders (either lay or ordained) who oversee an area of pastoral ministry.

We wholeheartedly affirm women in ministry and encourage women to lead as pastors, teachers, small group leaders, worship leaders, global missionaries, vestry (board) members, junior and senior wardens (vestry leaders) and executive staff. We are part of a Diocese which ordains women into Holy Orders as deacons, but not as priests or bishops, in keeping with the scriptural teaching and historic tradition of the Church that only males can be admitted to the offices of presbyter and bishop (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).
 
If you are interested in vocational ministry, male or female, we encourage you to start by serving on a team and applying for Gregory House, our training residency for ministry. 

 

Marriage

Marriage is the lifelong, one-flesh union between one man and one woman, uniting them in self-sacrificial love, joy and faithfulness. It signifies the heavenly mystery of Jesus Christ the bridegroom’s union with the church, his bride (Ephesians 5:22-33).  Marriage is ordained by God for the procreation and spiritual nurture of children, for the support and sanctification of husband and wife, and the flourishing of family, church and society.