ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH BELIEFS & WORSHIP

The most obvious statement of belief of any Church that considers herself catholic (whether Roman, Eastern, or Anglican) would include the Creeds of the ancient and undivided Church (Apostles, Nicene and Athanasian).

Many would like more information, so we are attempting to provide that information. The Anglican Church confesses the ancient faith of the Church but does not hold to a “confession” as many Churches that came out of the Reformation do (e.g. Presbyterianism historically subscribed to the Westminster Confession).  The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion do give a response of the English Church to what she perceived as extremes and errors in the Roman Church and Anabaptist sects of the 16th century.

With all that in mind, St. Andrew’s is Anglican and therefore catholic and evangelical; catholic in theology and doctrine and evangelical in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Regarding the Holy Scripture, we believe that it is the Word of God written through man; that it “contains all things necessary to salvation.”  Therefore whatever is not read in nor proved by Holy Scripture is not to be required of any man to be believed as necessary for salvation (Art. 6).  The Holy Scripture is not to be taught so that one part of it disagrees with another.  The Church is not to ordain anything that is contrary to God’s Word (Art. 20).

Regarding sacraments, we believe that God works through His chosen means of grace.  We do not attempt to say more than God’s Word does regarding sacraments, but we definitely do not want to say less.  Sacraments are effectual signs—wherein they accomplish that which they signify.  God works through baptism to wash us and through the Holy Communion to strengthen us body and soul for our service to Him.