Saint James Anglican Church

About

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St James Anglican Church

Welcome to the Traditional Anglican Church We would like to introduce ourselves. This little introduction comes to you from a part of God's family. We want to share with you what we have and we hope that you will feel free to join us in our adventure in faith. We are a small parish located at the historic Abingdon Glebe in Gloucester. What is a Glebe? A Glebe is a tract of land that belongs to a church parish and is used to maintain the church and its staff. The Abingdon Glebe was built circa 1725 in Gloucester County. It is located 4 miles in each direction from Ware Episcopal Church and Abingdon Episcopal Church. The priest served both churches. A brief history of the Abingdon Glebe After the Revolution, legislation was passed that removed Virginia’s glebes from the church of England. In 1802 the Abingdon Glebe was taken by Gloucester County and kept for use by the Peasley Free School. It was sold after 1870 with the proceeds going to the school system of Gloucester County. The Glebe house itself was allegedly operated as an ordinary by the county. The house was later acquired by the Robins family. In 1902 it was bought by the Lamberth’s who largely restored the property and in 1950 added the current outbuildings. In 1970 the Abingdon Glebe house was placed on the register of Virginia Historic Landmarks. In the late 1980’s the Glebe was bought by the late William M. Ridick III, who continued restoration of the house and farm. In 2006, the Abingdon Glebe had gone full circle. Upon his death, Mr. Riddick bequeathed the historic Glebe and land to St. James Anglican Church. The 65 acre property is a working farm and the home of St James Anglican Church. Our Adventure Story . . . God has a habit of stirring things up! When God became Man He disturbed the religious leaders of the day. It isn't surprising that one of the signs of the continued presence of Jesus in the Church is that people are led to do disturbing things still. When people go on an adventure for God, they are often challenged by church leaders who ask the question, "By what authority do you act in this way?" It seems presumptuous to suggest that the authority comes from God. Jesus told His disciples to go into the world as witnesses filled with His Spirit. We are trying to be obedient to that calling. We would like you to join us. Now a little about our ongoing adventure story. What Does The Adventure Involve? . . . The short answer to that question is that it involves a great deal of sacrifice. When we meet together around God's altar, we say to God, "And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee." All over this country small groups of people are establishing Christian congregations in the Anglican/Episcopal tradition. A few families get together. They may begin in a home, or rent a hall. They have to give a whole lot of energy, talent and money to serve in a new congregation as together they reach out to people like you. As the new congregation grows, it buys land and finally builds a church. In the family of each church, ordinary people, young and old, meet the living Lord, learn His will, and become His servants. Why Make Such A Sacrifice? . . . Christianity is a missionary faith. It spread through Europe and from Europe to the New World, Africa, and the East. Men and women risked all to accomplish this missionary task. As the Church on earth is made up of mere mortals, it gets things wrong from time to time. God rescues His Church through changed lives. Four hundred years ago, at what we call the Reformation, some English clergymen risked their lives to call the Church back to its faith and mission. They did not create a "new church." They reformed the part of the Church in which they served. That Church is called the Church of England. Most of the first settlers in America belonged to that Church. After the Revolution they called themselves Episcopalians. During the last thirty years many Episcopalians have felt called to reform their part of the Church. Reformation renews; it doesn't start something new! How Do You Know You Are Right? . . . We believe we are doing God's will by testing our beliefs by the witness of the Church. What does that mean? God works through people. People note their experiences. The greatest book of experiences is called the Bible. God inspired its writers to record that which God revealed not only to them but to His people, and particularly through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of His Son. We are a biblical church. When the Church forgets its purpose by neglecting the Scriptures, forgetting the Tradition and substituting new ideas and purposes, God uses His chosen few to bring His people back to Him. What About Ordinary People? . . . All Christians are ordinary people. God makes the difference. There are four orders of called people in the Church. They are bishops, who are new Apostles; priests, who share the Apostolic calling; and deacons, who inspire us to be servants of the Lord. Laymen form the fourth order. Laymen share fully in our adventure in faith. They are called to participate fully in worship. Our liturgy, the Book of Common Prayer, ensures that worship is conducted by all the people and not just by a minister. Lay people are called to share fully in service. In the local congregation, the people of God own their property and minister to others through their elected representatives. This is also true in the whole Church. Laymen spread the Gospel, help the needy and set examples of God's love. What Does All this Amount To?. . . In technical language, the Traditional Anglican Church is a continuing Anglican Church. By 'continuing' we mean remaining constant to the faith delivered to us by our forebears in the Anglican Church, the Great Western Church, and all the way back to the Early Church established by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself through His Apostles. Its beliefs are based on the teachings of the Bible as explained in the Creeds and the Tradition of the Church. Its bishops hold valid consecrations and are in Apostolic Succession to the original apostles who were chosen by Christ Himself. The liturgy in use is the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Our family is not an exclusive club. It is open to all who wish to know, worship, and serve our Lord. The witness of the Traditional Anglican Church is twofold. It exists to preach and bear witness to the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ, as set forth in the teachings of the Bible and the Tradition of the Church. The Bible and the Tradition of the Church are relevant to the ever changing demands of modern life today. The Traditional Anglican Church also calls Anglicans back to the high levels truth and of service it was once known to posses. Our Church is a family of Christians devoted to our Lord Jesus Christ and you are invited to be a part of our family.

Address

Saint James Anglican Church can be found at the following address:

6124 Abingdon Glebe Ln

23061

Map

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