What does it mean that you are
Anglican?
"Anglican"
mean English. The Anglican Church is a world-wide body of
churches (the world's 3rd largest) that is in communion
with the Church of England, which was first founded in the
300s A.D. Ironically, the majority of "Anglicans" are NOT
English. They are African and Asian. Saint Barnabas is
under the Anglican Church of Rwanda.
Anglican
churches tend to be marked by the belief in the reliability
of scripture, the embrace of the ancient Christian
Tradition, and the practice of worship through Sacraments.
When making sense of the faith, we rely of Scripture,
Tradition and Reason. Thus, we look to the Bible, check our
reading of it against the wisdom of the ages and apply it
thoughtfully to our own culture.
You
are part of the AMiA AND the ACNA. Who are
they?
The
Anglican Mission in the
Americas
(AMiA) began in 2000 in response to the unbiblical beliefs
of many of the leaders of the Episcopal Church (which has
been the primary expression of the Anglican Church in the
Unites States). It is a mission with a focus on Evangelism
and Church Planting. AMiA bishops are Americans who are
under the authority of Rwandan Anglican bishops.
The
Anglican Church of North
America
(ACNA) began in 2009 as a new Anglican Province (national
church) for Canada and the USA. It includes churches from
four former Episcopal dioceses (Pittsburgh, Quincy IL, Fort
Worth, San Joaquin CA), churches started as missionary
efforts by Anglican churches overseas (including AMiA) and
churches who left the Episcopal church in the distant past
and are now being reconciled.
What
do you believe?
In
short, we believe that in Jesus Christ, God became human.
Through him, God poured his own Spirit upon those who would
receive him, uniting them to Jesus. Therefore, he is our
identity. As Christ died to sin, so have we. As Christ rose
from the grave, so have we. As Christ cares and prays for
the world, so do we. In him, we are recreated, loved,
forgiven, reconciled and made righteous. In him, we are
changed, challenged and given new meaning. In him, we are
forged into an eternal community of believers. These
beliefs are found in the
Scriptures,
formalized in 3 ancient
Creeds,
and elaborated upon in the
Book of Common
Prayer.
Why
do you use a liturgy and where did it come
from?
We
use a liturgy because it roots us in the ancient patterns
of worship of the Jewish Temple and of the early church.
Much of our current Anglican liturgy was compiled and
written by Thomas Cranmer, an English Reformer of the 16th
Century, who relied upon ancient liturgies of the early
church.
Why
do you take communion every week?
We
believe that as we partake of communion in faith we are
built up and strengthened in our walk with God (just as we
are through the study of the Bible, the singing of praises
and the experience of Christian community). Celebrating
communion every week centers us in the objective truth of
Christ's death and resurrection.
Why
do you baptize babies and give children
communion?
It is our belief that children should be welcomed into the
community of faith as Jesus taught when he said, "Let the
little children come to me." To learn more about our view
of baptism please read our baptism statement.
Why
the name Saint Barnabas?
We
named the church in honor of Saint Barnabas because he
represents what we want our church to be. Barnabas means
"Son of Encouragement". And he was. The first we hear of
him in the Book of Acts is when he sold his own property to
support impoverished members of his church. On several
occasions when less "desirable" groups of people what to
become Christians, it's Barnabas who seeks them out and
advocates for them. He showed patience with inexperienced
co-laborers who displayed poor judgement, and he
co-authored several books of the New Testament. It's hard
for us to think of one of God's saints who displayed Christ
better than Saint Barnabas. Our prayer is that we may walk
in the Spirit as he did.
What
is the story behind Saint Barnabas?
In
December, 2008, Fr Chris and his family moved from
Minnesota to Northern Kentucky. They knew no one in the
area and were keenly aware that if a church were to be
born, God would have to create it out of nothing! They felt
like they were living the story of the Israelites coming
out of Egypt during the Exodus. If God would part the Red
Sea, they would cross. If God would give manna to eat, they
would walk through the desert. If God would lead them into
the Promised Land (yes, we believe it's Covington!), they
would possess it. But ultimately, God would have to do the
hard work of planting this church. By May, 2009, four
people had joined and by August, 10-12 were gathering every
other week in their home. God sends us new people from
surprising places all the time, and we know that he is the
reason this young church exists.
Who
sponsored Saint Barnabas?
Saint
Barnabas began as a church plant sponsored by the Anglican
Mission in the Americas and two congregations,
Saint Patrick's
(AMiA) of Lexington, KY and
Church of the Cross
(AMiA) of Hopkins, MN as well as a host of faithful,
praying Christian people who love God's kingdom.
Why
Covington?
We
believe that Covington is an ideal place for a new church
for several reasons. First, it is an urban setting, and we
believe that to reach the world, one must reach the city.
Second, it is also perfectly located to reach the greater
region of Northern Kentucky as well as the city of
Cincinnati. We dream of future churches throughout the
area: urban, suburban and rural. Third, it is close to
several large universities making it the perfect place to
reach a rising generation. Finally, there are no other AMiA
churches in the Northern Kentucky.
Are
you going to ask me for money?
That
depends. If you are visiting Saint Barnabas and still
deciding whether you want to get involved, please feel no
obligation to give. However if you see Saint Barnabas as
your home church, we encourage you to consider giving to
the ministry of the church. We say this not only because we
need the giving in order to sustain our ministries, but
because giving is a essential component of growing in
Christ.