Holy Cross Anglican Church stands in the tradition of a world-wide communion of churches who trace their roots not only to the Reformation, but to the earliest Christian centuries in the British Isles. The term “Anglican” essentially means “English” and refers specifically to the Church of England and her daughter churches around the world. At present, the world-wide Anglican Communion of churches has some 85 million members in 165 countries, making it the third largest Christian denomination in the world.
Because the Anglican tradition has its roots in the ancient Church but also experienced the Reformation, we in the Anglican Church have the whole of the Christian heritage available to us. There is an inherent integrity in a heritage which acknowledges wisdom from all ages of the Church for growth in Christ. This approach, together with our liturgies, prayers and devotions, allows us to integrate the rhythms of the life of the Church with the rhythms and occasions of our lives. Our tradition then is not an end in itself, but rather sets the course for a responsible way to live in the present. As one theologian has said, we do not “use history to escape from history”; rather, we exist for the “day to day” present world by giving our community a consistent liturgical life and offering a holistic approach to living a complete life in Christ.