Vision
Following Jesus in the power of the Spirit to the glory of the Father.
The Gospel
We believe the Good News that we have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit; this was the initiative of God, who loved us while we were yet sinners, and acted through His Son Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, to atone for our sins, offer us forgiveness, deliver us from sin, death, and judgement, and grant us life eternal.
Beliefs
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Holy Scripture is the final, sufficient authority for salvation and the rule of faith, containing all things necessary to be believed for eternal life. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
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The one living and true God eternally exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity. (Matthew 28:19)
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Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who truly became man, taking our nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary without ceasing to be fully God. (John 1:14)
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Christ offered himself once for all on the cross as the sufficient atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, bearing our judgment and reconciling us to God. (1 Peter 2:24)
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HUMANITY
We believe God created human beings in His image, male and female, embodied beings constituted of physical and spiritual elements, body and soul, with the purpose to love and glorify Him and exercise dominion and care over His creation; Humans have all sinned against God, failing to worship, obey, and glorify Him, and, outside of God’s saving action, now live apart from His presence, subject to sin, death and judgement.
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We are justified before God by grace alone through faith alone, receiving Christ’s righteousness by faith and not by our works or merits. (Ephesians 2:8–9)em description
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The Church is the visible company of faithful people in which the pure Word of God is preached and the sacraments are duly administered according to Christ’s ordinance. (Acts 2:42)
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We believe the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion are “visible words” which proclaim the Gospel and are means of grace by which faith is quickened, strengthened and assured.
In particular, the significance of Holy Baptism as union with Christ in His death and resurrection by repentance and faith and the Lord’s Supper as a communion in the Body and Blood of Christ, who offers himself to us in the action of this sacrament, so that by faith we may feed on him in our hearts and offer ourselves to him in gratitude for our salvation through His cross;
Also, the openness of the Lord’s Table as the place to which all baptized believers, being one in Christ, are freely invited to come in repentance, faith and love, to celebrate their common salvation in the Lord and to express their common devotion to His person and His service.
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Christ will return personally to judge the living and the dead, to raise the body, and to bring the righteous into everlasting life and the unrepentant into everlasting judgment. (John 5:28–29)
Values
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God’s Word alone convicts, gives new life, builds up, and sanctifies God’s people (Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:23; 1 Thess. 2:13; John 17:17); therefore, what the church needs is not the wisdom of the preacher, but the wisdom of God.
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Sound doctrine matters because it protects the gospel, shapes faithful disciples, and ensures the church reflects God’s character and purposes rather than drifting with cultural assumptions or personal preferences. (2 Timothy 4:2-3)
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The Christian life is one of ongoing growth in godliness through both instruction and imitation, as believers are called to pursue holiness together while helping one another follow Christ (2 Pet. 1:7–10; 1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1). Because none of us is a finished product and all continue to struggle against sin, churches must foster cultures of biblical discipleship that strengthen believers and display to the world what the gospel looks like in lived, transformed lives.
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Membership is a covenant commitment by believers to gather, love, serve, and submit to a local body of Christ (Acts 2:42–47; Heb. 10:24–25). Through the visible life of the church, God displays his holiness and grace so that the world may see the transforming power of the gospel in a redeemed people (Eph. 3:10; Matt. 5:16).
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Because God truly hears and responds, Scripture repeatedly commands believers and churches to pray, teaching us that God’s Word always calls forth a prayerful response of trust and dependence (Jer. 33:3; 1 Thess. 5:17; Jas. 5:16).
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Worship is the response of God’s people to his self-revelation in Scripture, centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ and ordered by God’s Word rather than human preference (Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1–4). Through clear, congregational participation in reading, preaching, praying, and singing, God is glorified and his people are built up in faith and obedience (1 Cor. 14:26; Rom. 12:1–2).
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Because we trust in the radical generosity of God, we respond by giving generously of our time and resources for the work of Jesus in our city, following the biblical pattern of the tithe as a faithful starting point for joyful, proportional giving. (Mal. 3:10; 2 Cor. 9:6–7).
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We serve by showing Christlike, self-giving love to those within the church and to our neighbors beyond it, recognizing that our shared life together requires the joyful participation of many members. As a spiritual family, we each contribute our gifts so that the body may be built up and our common life may flourish (Mark 10:45; 1 Cor. 12:4–7; Gal. 6:10).
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Church discipline is the loving work of addressing and correcting sin within the life of the church, ordinarily carried out privately and informally. In rare cases, when serious sin remains unrepented, it may include removing a professing Christian from membership and the Lord’s Table for the sake of repentance, the church’s holiness, and Christ’s honor (Matt. 18:15–20; 1 Cor. 5:1–13).
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Missions matters because God’s purpose in creation and redemption is to gather a people through Christ for his glory, reconciling all things to himself (Col. 1:16–22).
Therefore, God calls his church to participate in this mission by proclaiming Christ to the world (Matt. 28:19–20).
What is Anglicanism?
Anglicanism is a particular Christian tradition born out of the Protestant Reformation in England (16th century). As Anglicans, we value our place in a global communion of churches, our rich history of faith and practice, and a deep commitment to the authority of Scripture and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The word Anglican actually means “of England.” As British Christians, compelled by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, took their faith around the world, churches were established on every continent and in many nations. British pastoral leaders encouraged autonomy and collegiality with these daughter churches, and over time, separate “provinces” of the Anglican Church were established around the world.
Today, this communion of churches now consists of 38 self-governing provinces around the world, in 164 countries, with tens of millions of members. In many places, particularly throughout the Global South, the churches of the Anglican Communion are known for their vibrant faith in God and transformational presence within their communities. Holy Cross is a member of the Anglican Church in North America and the Anglican Diocese of the South Carolina.
In summary, Anglicanism is often described as being Ancient, Spirit-filled, and Scriptural. We’re Ancient in that our leadership, worship, and beliefs stand in continuity with those which Christians have been passing down for centuries. We’re Scriptural in that we place a premium on the Bible as inspired by God, trustworthy, and good. And finally, we’re Spirit-filled in that we value the ongoing role of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life.
To learn more about Anglicanism, visit Anglican Compass.