Anglicanism at Advent

A Church that is Global, Ancient, and Reformed

Active in over 160 countries, Anglicanism accounts for more than 88 million people spread around the world, making it one of the three largest expressions of the Christian church. The vast diversity of Anglicans presents challenges, but through it we learn how to prioritize brotherly love and listen to others. This breadth of perspectives is held together by local leadership (archbishops) around the globe, rather than a single leader at the top.

The Anglican ways of worship rise from biblical patterns through early church roots, and Anglicanism managed to retain that ancient heritage amidst the refining influence of the Reformation. Today, Anglicanism is reintroducing Christians to the depth of the Church's riches, and many are finding a spiritual stability and intimacy they have craved.

Worship that is Biblical, Liturgical, and Sacramental

Renovation, not innovation, is the activity of God in the Church, so we hold to the unchanging authority of scripture. We deeply value the Bible, with exegetical preaching and four readings from scripture every Sunday. The Bible is central to how we worship.

Liturgy infuses that worship with beauty and stability. Liturgical worship is collaborative, not something performed or consumed. It ties us not only to each other but to Christians across the centuries and around the world. Through it, our whole person is engaged in worship—our body with its senses and movement, our heart with its passions and pains, our mind in learning and wondering, and our soul in all its depth. The liturgical way of Anglicanism reaches beyond Sunday as well, orienting our lives around the year through the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. Each season elevates particular truths about God and ourselves, rooting our Christian journey as a long-term relationship with a God whose love is not quickly spent.

Our worship as Anglicans is also sacramental. Baptism is a communal event, nested within our Sunday worship several times a year. Communion is a weekly practice, rich in meaning and significance. In the sacraments we are reminded that God meets with us mysteriously, claiming us, washing us, nourishing us. A sacramental way of worship also grounds us in the posture of simply receiving, coming to him like children in need, before a Father even more eager to give. Grace is not just an idea; it is a weekly habit.

Community that is Balanced, Reasonable, and Missional

Anglicanism has long been called the via media, which is Latin for "the middle way," due to its ability to find and maintain common ground. That makes space for a diversity of people and ideas within the parish. We don’t take that for granted. We find that it brings balance, respect, and humility in an age that is hungry for such gifts.

Chances are good you've been influenced by Anglicans. C.S. Lewis, N.T. Wright, Dorothy Sayers, J.I. Packer, T.S. Eliot, Jane Austen... From apologists, theologians, and authors, to poets, presidents, and painters, Anglicans have left a significant mark on various cultures. In it all, Anglicans have been frequently described as having a "sweet reasonableness," owing to their ability to wield strong ideas in an effort to serve, not dominate. At Advent Anglican Woodinville, you’ll find a community that reflects that spirit with its surprisingly broad range of positions amidst a shared posture of graciousness.

While there is much to love about Anglicanism and about Advent in particular, our call from the Lord—and indeed our delight—is not to focus on ourselves but instead to turn our attention outward. Whether it be local or global, we believe part of the purpose of the Church is to be missional, loving our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus’s way is one of service. We count it joy to follow him on that path.