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Who We Are
“We didn’t leave the Church, the Church left us!”
If you are like a lot of folks today, that statement might well describe the way that you feel. In fact, many faithful Christians find it difficult to locate a Church that preaches and teaches the historic faith “once delivered”; a Church where “Scripture”, “Reason”, and “Tradition” are not words that have to be whispered.
Well, dear friend, we have great news! The Church established by Jesus Christ is very much alive and well; a Church faithful to the Word of God and unwilling to compromise on matters of Faith, Morals, or Discipline; a Church rich in traditional liturgy and worship; a Church that continues to follow the teachings of Christ instead of those of the world.
The Church of St. Andrew & St. Margaret is a vibrant, growing parish within the Anglican Catholic Church located just outside our nation’s capitol in the heart of Northern Virginia.
If you are searching for a spiritual home, we welcome you to join us for worship and study. You are also encouraged to call or email our rector who will be most happy to answer your questions.
We Welcome You in the Name of the Lord!
What We Believe
In the Anglican Catholic Church, the whole Catholic Faith is maintained without any Roman additions or Protestant deletions as received by and from the Church of England in the days of its orthodoxy.
We believe the Old and New Testaments of Sacred Scripture to be the inspired, unalterable Word of God; the authentic record of God’s revelation of Himself, His saving activity, and moral demands -- a revelation valid for all men and all time.
We accept and profess the three historic creeds of the Christian faith: Apostle’s, Nicene, and Athanasian.
We accept the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Matrimony, Holy Orders, Penance, and Unction as effective signs of the continued presence of Christ our Lord among his people and as his covenanted means for conveying His grace. In particular, we affirm the necessity of Baptism and Holy Communion.
We believe that the Holy Orders of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons are the perpetuation of Christ’s gift of Apostolic Ministry to His Church, asserting the necessity of a bishop of Apostolic Succession (or priest ordained by such) as the celebrant of the Eucharist - these orders consisting exclusively of men in accordance with Christ’s Will and Institution.
We believe in the sanctity of human life, that every human being from the time of conception, is a creature and child of God, made in His image and likeness; an infinitely precious soul.
We believe the God-given sacrament of marriage is a bond between one man and one woman for procreation and family life, and sexual activity is to be practiced only within the bonds of matrimony.
We accept as our standard of worship the King James version of Holy Scripture, the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, the Anglican Missal, and the 1940 Hymnal.
How We Worship
The Church’s central act of worship is, of course, the one appointed by our Lord himself, the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist or Lord’s Supper, commonly called the Mass. At St. Andrew & St. Margaret the Holy Eucharist is offered on all Sundays and Holy Days. There are also opportunities for Morning Prayer, Evensong, Holy Unction, and other liturgies throughout the year.
As a congregation comprised of both “low” and “high” churchmen, our parish offers opportunities for Prayer Book Holy Communion with less ceremonial as well as Solemn Mass with all of the fullness of the Anglo-Catholic tradition.
Our History
In 1977, an international congress of nearly 2000 Anglican bishops, priests, and lay people met in St. Louis, Missouri, to take the actions necessary to establish an orthodox jurisdiction in which traditional Anglicanism would be maintained by returning to the fullness of the faith of the undivided Catholic Church. Acting according to the principles determined by the Seven Great Ecumenical Councils of the Ancient Church and adopting the name “Anglican Church in North America” they placed themselves under the jurisdiction of the Rt. Rev. Albert Chambers, retired bishop of Springfield.
In 1978, Bishop Chambers expanded that jurisdiction and devolved it upon others by taking order for the Consecration of four more bishops. In October of that year, the Church met in synod to adopt a formal constitution which included the change of name to the Anglican Catholic Church.
Today the ACC is a world-wide body with dioceses in the Americas, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Haiti, and India.
St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland is a parish in the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic States under the jurisdiction of the Rt. Rev. William McClean, Jr.
Our parish was established in 1996 following the merger of two Alexandria parishes: St. Andrew of Scotland, and St. Margaret of Scotland, hence the name: St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland.
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