We Gather
Members of the parish old and new, young and not-as-young, come together for worship, fellowship, and service. Our primary gathering is what people sometimes call "going to church," those times in the week when we share common prayer and worship. At other times we gather for fun and fellowship, such as after the Sunday service for Coffee Hour or for holiday and other seasonal gatherings. We come together in groups, small and large, to serve the needs of God's world, here in Oxford and beyond, such as though our service at the Oxford Food Shelf.
We Explore the Word
We spend time outside of the regular worship services to learn more about relationship with the Living God, the Bible, discipleship, and prayer. We have Sunday School twice monthly (usually on the first and third Sundays at 9:15 am) so that children of all ages can learn about the Bible, about Jesus' life and ministry, and how we can learn from those things how to live as our best selves in the world. We have "Adult Formation" opportunities, in which we explore an issue or a question of interest or relevance. These are sometimes single-session conversations, though sometimes they are a series of conversations.
We Come to the Table
Our common worship is central to our identity as an Anglo-Catholic parish in the Episcopal tradition. Although we are small in numbers, we choose to regularly gather for worship three times a week. We believe that how we worship/pray shapes what we believe (lex orandi lex credendi). Worshiping together prepares us for all that we do. Our primary prayer book is The Book of Common Prayer, which connects us to Anglicans throughout the world and for centuries past. As we gather at the Table, we meet the Risen Christ and are connected to the communion of saints.
We are Sent into the World
We take seriously the Gospel imperative to "love your neighbors as yourself." Service to others is an essential element of Anglo-Catholicism. We strive to take what we have learned through our worship and prayer, through our study and fellowship, into our daily lives. At the end of every worship service we are dismissed with these or similar words: "Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of God's Holy Spirit!" We believe that God's Holy Spirit enlivens, empowers, and emboldens us to make a positive difference in the world.