Distinctives
As we’ve come together for prayer and fellowship, we’ve seen certain themes surface frequently in conversation. We believe these may be particular areas of emphasis for our church. Regular prayer and fellowship has also helped us notice some groups of people who might be interested in a new church.
Our hopes for this church:
Rest in God’s Provision - It is for God to build his church; we want to be faithful in the work he assigns us, wise in incorporating simple practices which support many aspects of faith and practice, and patient as he goes before us in this work.
Humility & Repentance - Just as we practice in the corporate liturgy weekly, we want to be people who take seriously our need for confession and repentance and who can humbly accept godly correction.
Life-long Discipleship - We believe that, as God calls his people into relationship with him, he calls us into participating in his work. God’s people should be continually pursuing spiritual maturity and joyfully participating in the work God gives us to do.
Unity through Diversity - The Church includes people of all races, ages, income levels, and educational backgrounds. We want to be a community that fosters connection across differences to strengthen the body of Christ.
Respect for Children - Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them.” We believe that children are equal members in the body of Christ, should be treated with care and respect, surrounded with Christian love, and drawn toward mature faith and practice. We do not believe that children need to be pandered to, but we also want to be careful what we ask of our children.
Hospitality and Thick Community - Our time together consists of regular shared meals as a whole community. We’d like to become a church whose members regularly open their homes to each other and to newcomers. These relationships solidified through time together provide a foundation for mutual growth and the ability to respond to needs in our community.
Who might need this?
We love the genuine diversity found in Chambersburg and hope to provide a place where God’s presence can be tangibly experienced. Here are some of the groups of people that we feel would benefit from an Anglican church in Chambersburg:
·People who are new to the area - With the overwhelming majority of churches from a historically Germanic tradition, recent transplants struggle to find churches that match what they expect a church to be: welcoming, Biblical, strong community.
·Underchurched – While Chambersburg has many established churches, there are many Christians who are struggling through various aspects of their faith or past church experiences. For some of those people, Anglicanism’s practices and traditions can provide a path back to participation in the church.
·Veterans - Chambersburg has a large veteran population, including younger veterans, but many of the churches are historically pacifist. Veterans have a limited pool of churches to choose from.
·Marginalized – Anglicanism provides a framework to care for “the least of these”. The marginalized on our community includes immigrants, minorities, farmers, and people living in poverty or struggling with mental health. There is a need to be the hands and feet of Christ within the larger Chambersburg community and the opportunity for them to be welcomed into the church.