Chapter 16: every tradition · Christianity

Anglican Church in North America

A congregation of the Anglican Church in North America, the province formed in 2009 at the call of the GAFCON Primates, holding the Scriptures as the final authority, the three Creeds, the Thirty-Nine Articles, and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer as its standards. Holy Communion from the Book of Common Prayer 2019 is the principal service of the Lord's Day, at the altar rail for all who are baptized; worship ranges from Anglo-Catholic to evangelical and charismatic, with organ and choir or a band. Infants and adults are baptized, and the bishop confirms. The vestry calls the rector, but no rector is called or dismissed without the bishop's consent. Unlike the Episcopal Church, the congregation owns its property outright, free of any trust, and may leave after consulting its bishop. Every member is taught the tithe as the minimum, and congregations are encouraged to give a tenth of their income to their diocese, voluntarily. Each diocese decides whether to ordain women as deacons and priests; bishops are men. Marriage is of a man and a woman. Many congregations are young plants in rented space.

All 80 traditions · its profile in Faiths and traditions, with how to play it; How people feel, what every factor is.

At a glance

FaithChristianity
Its wordsparish, church, nave; the rector leads the service; the sermon; Sunday; the Bible
Worshipsacrament focus, reserved, high formality (1.00 of 1); seated on pews
Musicorgan expected; recorded discouraged
The room's soundlikes a ringing room (organ and choir)
Its yearwestern; full observance; fasts light
Leansconservative on moral questions, neutral on economic ones
Polityepiscopal; leaders come by call; property local
Leadersone leader, full time, trained by seminary; marriage any
Belonginghigh commitment, pastoral discipline, admitted by clergy
Givingtithing expected; collected by plate, online, pledges
Way of lifealcohol moderation, dress church clothes, sabbath observed

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The week's services

DayTimeServiceLed byPeople look for it
Sunday8:00 amLiturgythe rectoroptional
Sunday10:00 amLiturgythe rectorexpected

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Rites

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Baptism, confirmation, and joining

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Giving, and what goes up

How its people give and what else comes in, as Money explains it for every faith.

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The rector, the staff, and who decides

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Life together

What its Community screen offers it, with the dilemmas only its own faith or family meets; see The congregation in its community.

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What the building needs

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What people here feel

How each sermon lands

The topics its leader can choose from (some are only for one faith or family), and what each is worth.

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Every item, for this tradition

Fit runs from −1 (jars) to +1 (just right); the building fit is the average over the characterful items in the worship rooms. An item with no character (a table, a toilet) has no fit. A rule applies wherever the item is.

ItemFitRule
Seating
Box pew+1
Choir stalls+0.5
Meeting benchno fit
Oak pewno fit
Row of chairs-1
Liturgical furniture
Altar+1required Belief in Christ's real presence in the Eucharist calls for an altar, the focal point of the sanctuary.
Baptismal font+1required Infant baptism by pouring needs a baptismal font, traditionally near the entrance as a sign that baptism is entry into the church.
Baptistryno fit
Bishop's chair+1
Brass eagle lectern+1
Columbarium niches+1
Communion rail+1required Communicants receive at a rail, kneeling or standing.
Communion stationno fit
Communion tableno fit
Communion traysno fit
Confessional screenno fit
Coptic cross+1
Epitaphios0
Flaming chalice-1discouraged The flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol.
Foot-washing basinsno fit
Haikal screen+1
Iconostasis+1
Immersion font+1
Lecternno fitexpected Scripture is proclaimed from an ambo or lectern near the altar.
Litany desk+1
Mercy seatno fit
Octagonal stone font+1
Paramentsno fit
Pulpitno fit
Readers' desksno fit
Rood screen+1
Sanctuary lamp+1
Tabernacle+1
Three-bar cross+1
Thurible and standno fit
Music
Brass band stands0
Chanter's stand+0.5
Drum kit-0.5
Electronic organ+1
Grand piano0
Hammond organ0
Handbell table0
Pipe organ+1expected The parish expects hymns led by an organ.
Sound system-0.5
Upright piano0
Decor
Advent wreathno fit
Banner0
Christmas Eve candlesno fit
Cross+1expected An empty cross is the expected focal symbol.
Crucifix0
Easter liliesno fit
Eternal flameno fit
Flag of the church0
Great dome+1
Icon0
Memorial plaqueno fit
National flag0
Painting of Christ0
Paschal candleno fit
Plain spireno fit
Small domeno fit
Stained glass window+1
Statue0
Steeple and bells+1
Votive candle standno fit
Furnishings
Alms boxno fit
Coffee potno fit
Commercial coffee potno fit
Computerno fit
Cribno fit
Deskno fit
Desk chairno fit
Folding tableno fit
Full-length mirrorno fit
Pillar+1
Prie-dieu+1
Projection screen-1
Vestment cabinet+1
Wooden tableno fit
Utility
A/V rackno fit
Camerano fit
Cast-iron boilerno fit
Central air conditionerno fit
Commercial HVAC plantno fit
Commercial stoveno fit
Congregation vanno fit
Ductless heat pumpno fit
Electric wall heaterno fit
Gas furnaceno fit
Hearing loopno fit
Liftno fit
Packaged heat pumpno fit
Plumbing stackno fit
Rampno fit
Shuttle busno fit
Sinkno fit
Solar panelsno fit
Stairsno fit
Toiletno fit
Used school busno fit
Wall camerano fit
Window air conditionerno fit
Grounds
Evergreen treeno fit
Flower bedno fit
Fountainno fit
Garden benchno fit
Hedgeno fit
Lychgate+1
Playgroundno fit
Shade treeno fit
Standing crossno fit

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Sources

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