Our New...Parish?

So in my chats with friends on the Left Coast, I have discovered that it is not fully public knowledge yet that Sarah and I have landed at a church. Similar to Imago Dei when I arrived in Portland, it was the very first church we tried. I called up Nate Baxter and asked if we could join him at his church, which is called Christ Church. It is an Episcopal church, although theologically it is Anglican (evangelical doctrine, not affirming homosexuality).

How refreshing it has been to learn about the early church and some of its practices and fathers, and then to go on Sunday and experience this in worship. The theology of the Eucharist; the liturgy's ever-present emphasis on God's nature as triune; the rhythm of liturgy and finding themes in the hymns, Scriptures (there is a reading from the OT, the epistles, and then the gospels), and practices. Sometimes we get confused or uncomfortable, but we checked out a small book from the library called "The Liturgy Explained" by Thomas Howard (who goes to the church).

All three priests are pretty great in their unique way. The rector, Father Liias (he's from Estonia), invited himself to our apartment when we met him at the visitor's meeting. Neither Sarah or I have ever experienced this at any church we've ever been to! We are so thrilled to be apart of this community, and at such a vital time in the life of the Episcopal church. It can be grievous, but the attitude of Father Liias has been encouraging: he wants to seek reconciliation rather than schism, which seems pretty bleak at this point.

As individuals who grew up low-church and now attending high-church, the process of calling Christ Church our home has been a wonderful learning experience.