A congregation of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina

 

 

Saint John’s Church

Saint John’s Episcopal Church

920 Belvedere-Clearwater Road

North Augusta, South Carolina 29841

 

Church Office:            (803) 593-5662

Vicar’s Cell Phone:     (803) 341-0075

Email address:           RobHartley@comcast.net

website:                    saintjohnsclearwater.org

 

 

Worship in the Anglican Tradition

Worship is liturgical and actively involves the whole worshiping community.  The liturgical forms used are based on the ancient rites of the Church and are found in the Book of Common Prayer.  The use of liturgy allows everyone to share in the various actions of worship.  We do not “attend church”; rather, we participate in the worship of God as the people of God.  In addition to having parts to say in the liturgy, we participate by standing to praise and pray, sitting to listen, and kneeling to express moments of penitence, great reverence or adoration.

 

The principal act of Christian worship on the Lord’s Day (Sunday) is the Holy Eucharist (also known as Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper as instituted by Christ himself and recorded in Scripture).  The principal weekday services are Morning and Evening Prayer (known in the Book of Common Prayer as the Daily Offices).  The words of these liturgies draw heavily from Holy Scripture because we clearly believe that God has spoken to us through Scripture.  The Episcopal Church is truly a Bible-centered church.

 

Vestments are worn by the priests and others leading worship.  As is written in Exodus, vestments are for “glory and beauty.”  They remind us of the holy nature of worship.  The emphasis is not upon human personality but upon the reality of God.

 

The Episcopal Church is a sacramental church (outward and visible signs of things inward and spiritual).  We know that God, who is invisible, makes aspects of His grace and presence known to us in outward, visible signs and symbols, such as water, oil, bread, wine and the like.

 

We Episcopalians rejoice in our rich heritage as Christians.  Everyone is welcome to join us on our pilgrimage to our heavenly Father.  Our pilgrimage to God is made possible because of what God did for us through Christ Jesus.  We walk this journey day-by-day in the personal presence and supernatural power of the Spirit of God himself.

What Do We Believe?

What we believe as Anglicans is firmly rooted in Scripture and the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We believe that Holy Scripture contains all things necessary for salvation.  The ancient creeds of the church, principally the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed, give voice to our belief.

 

Our faith centers on the saving and redeeming acts of Jesus.  We rejoice in the Good News of the Christian Faith, which is, even though we have sinned and fallen short of what God desires for us, Jesus has made forgiveness by the Father possible.  We, who have been separated from God, can now know the loving Father personally as we live into this free, undeserved offer of reconciliation with God through our new birth in Christ.  We also rejoice in the assurance of eternal life that comes through our trust that Jesus has indeed done this for us.

 

The Holy Spirit, who is present to all of us who confess the Faith, seeks to change us and develop in us a Christ-like character.  The Holy Spirit also enables us to do the work that God calls us to do in His name.

 

Within the nurturing fellowship of the Church and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are called upon to grow in our knowledge and love of God.  We have embarked on a spiritual journey for which Christ has shown us the way.  Baptism, as instituted by Jesus, is the beginning of the journey.  The Lord’s Supper, The Holy Eucharist, is strengthening food for the journey.  The journey involves our day-by-day being made holy (being sanctified).  We, as a Church, make this pilgrimage together.

Contact webmaster:  webmaster@saintjohnsclearwater.org

About The Episcopal Church

You will notice an atmosphere of worship and reverence.  Regardless of the architectural style, Episcopal Churches are God-centered.  Your eye is carried at once to the altar and cross.  You will also notice that before the service begins people are not milling around and talking, but are quietly finding their places and praying.  People are centering down on the presence of our holy God.

As you enter an Episcopal Church