Why do you...?

Why do you pray from a book? Our Book of Common Prayer provides a uniform, Biblically sound form of communal worship for our people; it gives us the best of centuries of Christian worship and devotion.

Why do you have Holy Communion so often? Holy Scripture teaches that we must receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in order to have a full spiritual life; frequent reception of Holy Communion helps us to grow in our Christian life (See St. John 6:53)

Why do you keep changing positions in you worship? Anglicans, in general, stand to praise, kneel to pray, and sit for instruction. These bodily postures remind us of what we are doing and provide an orderly and communal form of worship.

Why do you bow to crosses? It is by the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ that we are saved from our sins and have access to heaven; what the Lord did for us on the cross makes it an object of prayerful respect for Anglican Christians. We also sign ourselves with the Sign of the Cross in our worship to remind us of our Baptisms and how we are saved. Some Anglicans bow at special moments in our worship; many bow at the references in our services to the name of Jesus on ascriptions to the Holy Trinity.

Why do some Anglicans go down on one knee at certain times in their services? “Genuflecting” on the right knee is a way of showing deep respect. It is done when the Holy Communion is on the altar, when the bishop passes in procession, and at the reference to Christ’s Incarnation in the Nicene Creed -- all to show special reverence to the sacrament, the successors of the apostles, and to God becoming man in Jesus Christ. We are applying Philippians 2:10 to our worship.

Why do you use candles in worship? Candles represent the light of Christ; they also signify acts of prayer. In some churches they are lit when one is offering prayer. A single light burns near the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood on the altar when it is kept through the week for Communion of the Sick. This burning light is called a Sacrament Lamp, or Sanctuary Lamp.

What do you use Holy Oil for? The bishop of each Anglican Diocese blesses Holy Oils each year, for Baptisms, Confirmations and the Anointing of the sick for healing. Our bishops and priests lay hands on the sick and anoint them with oil in the sign of the cross with prayers for healing. All oils are usually administered in the sign of the cross. Anointing with oil is prescribed by James 5:14.

What authority do you ministers have? The New Testament has examples of the Orders of the Ministry: our Bishops, Priests, and Deacons have an unbroken line of history and belief directly back to the Twelve Apostles and Jesus Christ. Their ordinations are a guarantee of their authority to teach and minister to God’s People. (See St. John 20:22-23)

Why do you baptize infants? Our Lord did not qualify his call for mankind to be baptized. Anglicans baptize children as soon as possible to bring them into the Kingdom of God. Age or knowledge is not a qualification for baptisms; our sponsors in Holy Baptism make the promises for us and act as sureties for children being instructed and confirmed at a later time.

Why do godparents hold a candle in the Baptismal service? To symbolize the Light of Christ coming into the life of the newly baptized; adults who are baptized hold their own Baptismal Candles.

What are Morning and Evening Prayer? Our Book of Common Prayer provides an Order for Daily Morning and Evening Prayer. These beautiful services are said by the clergy daily; they are sung in seminaries and monasteries. In the absence of a priest, lay readers offer these services for our Sunday worship. Acts 2:42 conjoins the Eucharist “the breaking of bread” with set “prayers.”

Why do you call your ministers “Father”? Anglican priests are called to be spiritual leaders and fathers of their congregations. In the Service of the Institution of Ministers, the Prayer book (Page 573) enumerates the duties and responsibilities of the priest in his relationship of father to his flock. The title “Father” best describes the priest’s office and ministry in our church.

Why do you keep a Church Calendar throughout the year? The seasons of the Church Year vividly reenact the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus. It also portrays the gift of the Holy Spirit and reaffirms the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. It is a dramatic reliving of the Christian Gospel on an annual basis. Through living the year with Jesus, we become more committed to his life and teachings.

Why do you use different colors in your worship? Once again, the colors illustrate the teachings of the Church. White is for joy, purple for repentance, green for growth, red for fire and blood, and black for sorrow. They awaken our sight to the drama of the church year and remind us of the saving grace of our Christian Life.

Why do you fast and abstain from foods? Fasting was practiced by Our Lord himself. Christians today and through the ages past have found spiritual strength and discipline in keeping fasts and not eating certain foods at certain times. The Scriptures tell us to fast for special needs and blessings. The Wednesdays and Fridays are kept by some as meat-fasts; Lent and Advent help us prepare for Easter and Christmas by fasting and abstinence. By bodily self-discipline, we enter into a new dimension of spiritual self-control and share the life of Jesus Christ more fully. (See Luke 5:35, “Then shall they fast in those days…)

Why have weekday celebrations of the Holy Communion? Celebrations for special purposes (healing, prayers for the departed, intercessions in times of need) are often best set apart from Sunday services. For many, the opportunity to receive during the weekdays is a great blessing and often fills a special need. We understand the Lord’s mandate, “Do this,” to mean “at all times and in all places…”

Why do you use incense in worship? Incense is one of the three gifts the Wise Men brought the infant Jesus. Its sweet aroma and wafting smoke evoke spiritual images of heaven and prayers ascending to God. The use of incense is especially appropriate at Christmas and Epiphany services. Prayer and incense have always been linked, as Psalm 96:9 indicates.

Why do you ring bells at your services? The joyful pealing or solemn tolling of church bells is a worldwide Christian custom. The ringing of bells to mark solemn moments in the Holy Communion, celebrate feast days, or mark times of sorrow graphically in our lives. Whether the bells are large or small, they call worshippers to increased attention and devotion.

Why do you sing so much of your services? It has been said that to sing is to pray twice. The additional effort and communal character to hymns, chants, and canticles sung together by the clergy and congregation strengthen our fervor and unity. It also heightens the drama and impact of our services.

What is a Missal? Missals are altar books which contain the services, Scripture readings, and prayers used for the Holy Communion services of our church. Our 1928 Book of Common Prayer services are augmented in accordance with its general rubrics which say that, “…. In addition to these services, the minister, in his discretion, subject to the direction of the Ordinary, may use other devotions taken from this Book or set forth by lawful authority within the Church, or from the Holy Scripture…” (See Prayer Book, Page vii)

Why do your ministers wear special vestments? All clergy vestments are intended to mark the office, not the man. They are worn to hide the world and the individual personality and to exalt Christ in His Church. Each vestment has a special purpose:

The Cassock: its black is a reminder of death and it covers the minister’s street clothes.
The Surplice: is a white garment symbolizing joy and indicting a service is being offered.
The Stole: is the yoke of Christ, worn around the neck to yoke the minister to the Lord himself. Our ministry is his ministry.
The Alb: a full-length white vestment worn for Holy Communion signifying the purity of the Lord’s service.
The Amice: a white cloth worn around the neck to remind us of the helmet of salvation spoken by St. Paul.
The Cincture: a cord worn around the waist to call to remembrance the rope with which Christ was bound and led to trial.
The Maniple: a small piece of cloth worn over the arm like a towel to remind the minister that he is called to serve.
The Chasuble: a circular poncho-like garment in the color of the Church Season or Feast, like the seamless robe of Christ. It is Christ who ministers through his ordained servants: He is the High Priest forever.
The Cope: a processional cape worn on Sundays and Feast Days, as well as Evensong. Its color and decoration teach us about the occasion and its meaning.

There are many other articles of clergy apparel, and they all have a meaning and a teaching for us. Anglicans have many “sacramental” as well as Seven Sacraments. A “sacramental” is of the nature of a sacrament and reveals an inward and spiritual meaning to the believer in his worship.

These are just a few of the questions people ask about Anglican Faith and Practice. Anglicans are a part of the sacramental one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ. We welcome all people and their questions. We offer a traditional faith, rich in centuries of sound biblical theology and worship. We invite you to join us!