VALUES
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12: 1-2)
We are a biblically functioning community, built through the ministry of the Holt Spirit, corporate worship, teaching, prayer and love for one another.
We believe every person should presented with the gospel, be given an opportunity to come to faith in Jesus, pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit and encouraged to grow in that faith. That every believer should be encouraged to use their gifts and talents to edify the Body of Christ and transform society.
We believe that each believer should be part of a small group – for support, encouragement and are accountable to each other.
We believe that church should be intergenerational – with children, teenagers, young and older adults, whose lifestyles are shaped by their love for Jesus and his Church.
We believe that our church services should be dynamic, interesting, interactive and relevant; where we are encouraged to grow in intimacy with the Father, honour
Jesus Christ the Son and are open to the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.
We believe that we are called to care for the poor, the oppressed and the marginalized according to Matthew 25 and Isaiah 58 – feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, preaching the gospel; resolving issues of prejudice, injustice and inequality in society.
We believe that we are called to servant leadership in obedience to Christ and submission to one another. We seek to discern God’s will through an understanding of His Word and by listening to the Holy Spirit speak through each other.
Rites of passage
Thanksgiving/ Dedication
The Parish endorses and uses the service of Thanksgiving for the birth of a child as set out in the Anglican Prayer Book 1989. The thanksgiving service is a form of worship which may also be used in a private setting.
The Parish provides services for the dedication of infants for those who prefer to delay the baptism of their children. The dedication service is used in the context of Sunday worship.
Baptism
The Parish understands baptism as bringing a child into the covenant faith of the church; it is not conferring faith on the child. The Parish adheres to the guidelines set down in the Canons and Constitution of the ACSA. Suitability for admission to baptism is at the discretion of the Rector.
In order for baptism to take place, whether infant or adult, the following conditions are necessary:
1.In the case of an infant being presented for baptism, at least one parent should evidence a living faith, have been baptized and have been a regular worshipper within the Parish for at least six months. The parents must be adequately prepared.
2.Adult candidates must evidence a living faith and have been regular worshippers within the Parish for at least six months. No person will be baptized without prior adequate preparation.
3.Baptisms admits people into the fellowship of the Body of Christ and, as full members of the church, they may participate in Holy Communion.
Confirmation
Confirmation is viewed by the Parish as both an affirmation of personal faith and a commitment to spiritual service. In addition, Confirmation is the point at which young people are considered members of the church in their own right.
Candidates for confirmation should evidence a personal faith and should preferably be at least 16 years old.
No person will be confirmed without adequate preparation. We run the youth Alpha course for youth and the Alpha course for adults.
Marriage
At the least one of the couple seeking marriage must be a member of the Parish, have been baptized and be a regular worshipper. The requirements of membership and regular worship at the church from which they come, are equally applicable.
Couples from the Parish are required to attend a Marriage Preparation Course and individual preparation by the minister marrying them, prior to the wedding.
No minister will be obliged to marry any couple who has not met the above requirements.
Marriage arrangements must be negotiated with the minister/ marriage officer by the couple themselves.
Marriage Services
Marriage services are conducted according to the form of service prescribed in the Anglican Prayer Book 1989.
A rehearsal before the wedding is mandatory.
Wedding services will commence on time as arranged between the couple and the marriage officer.
Remarriage
The Parish subscribes to the statement of belief contained in the preface of the marriage service in the Anglican Prayer Book 1989, “Marriage is an exclusive and indissoluble union between one man and one woman …”
The requirements of church membership, baptism and regular attendance are the same as for couples being married for the first time.
In exceptional circumstances the Parish will permit the marriage of divorced persons after the requirements of Canon 34 have been met. The responsibility for their preparation is that of the Minister/ Marriage Officer.
The preparation of couples for remarriage is seen as critically important in the light of their past experience and is aimed at seeking their wholeness and healing.
Funerals
Funeral services are a ministry to the living and an opportunity to minister to the bereaved. The Parish does not place any restrictions on who may receive this form of ministry. The responsibility for funeral services remains that of the Rector but may be delegated to licensed ministers (lay or ordained). Funeral services are conducted according to the liturgy in the Anglican Prayer Book 1989. The Rector reserves the right to exclude political or institutional emblems within the service eg. Masonic, military, political symbols, weapons etc. During a funeral service the body must be present unless exceptional circumstances prevail. A memorial service will only be conducted after a funeral service. A memorial service is not considered an alternative to a funeral service unless in exceptional circumstances eg. in the event of the body not being recovered.
Membership
The process of integrating people into membership varies with each local church and is the responsibility of the Rector.
Members are expected to participate in the life and ministry of the church, to worship regularly and to contribute to the financial needs of the church.
Members transferring from another church congregation, parish or denomination are expected to have formally left their previous church.
Only members over 18 years are eligible to vote at Parish or Vestry meetings.
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12: 1-2)
We are a biblically functioning community, built through the ministry of the Holt Spirit, corporate worship, teaching, prayer and love for one another.
We believe every person should presented with the gospel, be given an opportunity to come to faith in Jesus, pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit and encouraged to grow in that faith. That every believer should be encouraged to use their gifts and talents to edify the Body of Christ and transform society.
We believe that each believer should be part of a small group – for support, encouragement and are accountable to each other.
We believe that church should be intergenerational – with children, teenagers, young and older adults, whose lifestyles are shaped by their love for Jesus and his Church.
We believe that our church services should be dynamic, interesting, interactive and relevant; where we are encouraged to grow in intimacy with the Father, honour
Jesus Christ the Son and are open to the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.
We believe that we are called to care for the poor, the oppressed and the marginalized according to Matthew 25 and Isaiah 58 – feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, preaching the gospel; resolving issues of prejudice, injustice and inequality in society.
We believe that we are called to servant leadership in obedience to Christ and submission to one another. We seek to discern God’s will through an understanding of His Word and by listening to the Holy Spirit speak through each other.
Rites of passage
Thanksgiving/ Dedication
The Parish endorses and uses the service of Thanksgiving for the birth of a child as set out in the Anglican Prayer Book 1989. The thanksgiving service is a form of worship which may also be used in a private setting.
The Parish provides services for the dedication of infants for those who prefer to delay the baptism of their children. The dedication service is used in the context of Sunday worship.
Baptism
The Parish understands baptism as bringing a child into the covenant faith of the church; it is not conferring faith on the child. The Parish adheres to the guidelines set down in the Canons and Constitution of the ACSA. Suitability for admission to baptism is at the discretion of the Rector.
In order for baptism to take place, whether infant or adult, the following conditions are necessary:
1.In the case of an infant being presented for baptism, at least one parent should evidence a living faith, have been baptized and have been a regular worshipper within the Parish for at least six months. The parents must be adequately prepared.
2.Adult candidates must evidence a living faith and have been regular worshippers within the Parish for at least six months. No person will be baptized without prior adequate preparation.
3.Baptisms admits people into the fellowship of the Body of Christ and, as full members of the church, they may participate in Holy Communion.
Confirmation
Confirmation is viewed by the Parish as both an affirmation of personal faith and a commitment to spiritual service. In addition, Confirmation is the point at which young people are considered members of the church in their own right.
Candidates for confirmation should evidence a personal faith and should preferably be at least 16 years old.
No person will be confirmed without adequate preparation. We run the youth Alpha course for youth and the Alpha course for adults.
Marriage
At the least one of the couple seeking marriage must be a member of the Parish, have been baptized and be a regular worshipper. The requirements of membership and regular worship at the church from which they come, are equally applicable.
Couples from the Parish are required to attend a Marriage Preparation Course and individual preparation by the minister marrying them, prior to the wedding.
No minister will be obliged to marry any couple who has not met the above requirements.
Marriage arrangements must be negotiated with the minister/ marriage officer by the couple themselves.
Marriage Services
Marriage services are conducted according to the form of service prescribed in the Anglican Prayer Book 1989.
A rehearsal before the wedding is mandatory.
Wedding services will commence on time as arranged between the couple and the marriage officer.
Remarriage
The Parish subscribes to the statement of belief contained in the preface of the marriage service in the Anglican Prayer Book 1989, “Marriage is an exclusive and indissoluble union between one man and one woman …”
The requirements of church membership, baptism and regular attendance are the same as for couples being married for the first time.
In exceptional circumstances the Parish will permit the marriage of divorced persons after the requirements of Canon 34 have been met. The responsibility for their preparation is that of the Minister/ Marriage Officer.
The preparation of couples for remarriage is seen as critically important in the light of their past experience and is aimed at seeking their wholeness and healing.
Funerals
Funeral services are a ministry to the living and an opportunity to minister to the bereaved. The Parish does not place any restrictions on who may receive this form of ministry. The responsibility for funeral services remains that of the Rector but may be delegated to licensed ministers (lay or ordained). Funeral services are conducted according to the liturgy in the Anglican Prayer Book 1989. The Rector reserves the right to exclude political or institutional emblems within the service eg. Masonic, military, political symbols, weapons etc. During a funeral service the body must be present unless exceptional circumstances prevail. A memorial service will only be conducted after a funeral service. A memorial service is not considered an alternative to a funeral service unless in exceptional circumstances eg. in the event of the body not being recovered.
Membership
The process of integrating people into membership varies with each local church and is the responsibility of the Rector.
Members are expected to participate in the life and ministry of the church, to worship regularly and to contribute to the financial needs of the church.
Members transferring from another church congregation, parish or denomination are expected to have formally left their previous church.
Only members over 18 years are eligible to vote at Parish or Vestry meetings.