Church of The Apostles This is Our Story

20 Pages·2010·2.82 MB·English

by  Barbara A. Bickerstaff

W
elcome
to
Church of The Apostles
T O S
his is ur tory
“Come join us at the Church of The Apostles. Learn with
us the truth of the gospel of Jesus. Learn how to live in
hope and faith with love. We are unlike any church I have
attended, a truly loving, giving and supportive fellowship
of Christians.” —June Raffensperger, Church Member
Church of The Apostles
Evangelical Anglican
W
e are
Christians
who Worship
in the
Anglican Tradition.

O
ur Mission
is to
Obey,
Follow
and
Bear Witness
to
J C
esus hrist.
“I was glad when they said to me,
„Let us go to the house of the LORD.‟” Psalm 122:1
The Superintendent’s Message …
The Christian Gospel – the Good
News of God in Christ – is the
greatest story ever told. Each
person who in faith has come to
know Jesus as one‘s Lord and
Savior has truly entered into a
love relationship with the Christ
that causes one to ―rejoice in joy
unspeakable” (1 Peter 1:8).

This booklet is full of testimonies of how through the gift of
salvation the God of grace has forever changed the lives of
people who once were far from Christ. Indeed, these are
―Our Stories‖ – the stories of how our gracious God has met
us here at the Church of The Apostles in our brokenness and
transformed us into the image of His Son.

Our Congregation is a church where the Word of God is
faithfully and emphatically preached and the Gospel
Sacraments are celebrated in joy and wonder. The Lord is
moving mightily in our midst and we are excited that we are
called to be His disciples in and to the world at this time in
history.

It is with great gladness that our Congregation offers ―Our
Stories.‖ We are thrilled to say, “Thanks be to God for his
unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

Yours in Christ,

The Reverend Mark R. Galloway
How God has changed my life …
―Rejoice, the Lord has brought you to Church of The
Apostles!! I rejoice always, for God has placed me (and
you!) here as part of His divine plan. At Church of The
Apostles I found the Christian way of life I had always
longed for – a Biblically and spiritually based
community in which God‘s Word is believed, imparted
and lived out each day.
―From the start I have felt a sense of peace,
acceptance and stability here. As I returned for services
and fellowship, I desired to come back and get more
involved, as I had found a spiritual family and home. It
may sound cliché, but there are truly no strangers here –
I attest that my circle of friends has expanded
exponentially!!
―My life has changed for God has changed me. I am
now closer to Him than I have ever been. His grace
sustains, upholds and allows me to serve Him through
serving others. Church of The Apostles is an amazing,
life-transforming place to receive and give God‘s love
and blessings. I encourage you to return and participate
in all that calls to you – but be advised – you‘re in for a
change!‖ —Dianne Sacchetti
“Thanks be to God!
He gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(1 Corinthians 15:57)
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In their words ...

―With so many modalities here to hear and learn
about the Gospel, it has ignited in me a passion to
read God‘s word. In turn, it has helped me want to
step aside to let Jesus lead in my life.‖ —Deb Adams
Dahw edocbooos tmwlaelenndecdtn toa ih wwocennhor o o oPh kfrlu ioovgsuveboti aod intndeod sna cba J“eeno.tndh een nsf tuiAt p ctdiphtalyeime” ms s i naeon nrd ga anndiz ed
The Outreach Committee honored the Senior Citizens of
our Congregation with a special dinner and celebration
in August 2008.
“And now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not
forsake me, till I make known your strength to this generation
and your power to all who are to come.” (Psalm 71:18)
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A mature commitment in Christ ...

―I had something missing in my heart as I raised my
son Jacob to be a Christian. I needed to complete
my commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ that I
would be a godly leader to set the example for my
family and strive to honor and follow the word of
Christ.‖ —James Trivisonno
Jim Trivisonno, the first Confirmand of
Church of The Apostles, received the
Rite of Confirmation on April 7, 2007.
The Bishop asks the candidates

Do you reaffirm your renunciation of evil?

Candidate I do.

Bishop

Do you renew your commitment to Jesus Christ?

Candidate

I do, and with God‘s grace I will follow him as
my Savior and Lord.

(from the Confirmation liturgy,
The Book of Common Prayer, p. 415)
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How God has changed my life …
―God has changed my life in many ways since
becoming a member of Church of the Apostles. My
faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit is
the reason why I‘ve changed… I think that the most
important concept that I have learned is that it‘s not
what God can do for me (and he does so much) but it‘s
what I can do for God! God has blessed me in many
ways and I find the more of myself I give and do in the
name of my Savior, the more powerful the Holy Spirit is
in my life.‖ —Donna Tyler
“You will receive power when
the Holy Spirit has come upon you,
and you will be my witnesses
in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth.”
(Acts 1:8)
―I need Jesus because he is my Savior and
redeemer. My only true happiness comes from
him. And the only way to eternal life is through
Jesus Christ.‖ —Rebecca Galloway
Donna Tyler and Rebecca Galloway received
the Rite of Confirmation on April 11, 2009.
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How God has changed my life …
―I was apprehensive about leaving a large established
denomination and becoming an independent Church.
We may have become independent but we are not alone.
Church of The Apostles fervently believes that Jesus Christ
is the head of the church and that the Holy Bible is the
inspired Word of God. It has been truly amazing to see
how my faith, and that of many others, has grown
through constant prayer and studying the Word of God
in the Bible. It seems too simple to be true; that Jesus
really does know what is best for His Church.‖
—Archdeacon Tom Bourn
“The household of God, ...
is the church of the living God,
a pillar and buttress of truth.
Great indeed, we confess,
is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.”

(1 Timothy 3:15b-16)
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Who we are …
The Church of The Apostles (Evangelical Anglican), is an
autonomous Christian Congregation rooted in the doctrinal and
ordered liturgical tradition of the Anglican family of churches.
We are, therefore, a Congregation upholding the orthodox
Christian Faith of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church, as
revealed in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments,
as confessed in the Apostles‘ and Nicene Creeds, and as defined
in the original (English/Latin) version of the Thirty-nine Articles
of Religion of 1571.
At the Church of The Apostles, we
faithfully live the Christian Faith
through our bold proclamation of the
Word of God and in our joyful
celebration of the Sacraments of Holy
Baptism and Holy Communion, which
we believe to be ―effectual signs of
grace‖ (Article XXV, Thirty-nine Articles
of Religion).
The Church of The Apostles teaches
that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the
rule and ultimate standard of the Christian Faith and ―containeth
all things necessary to salvation‖ (Article VI, Thirty-nine Articles).
The Church of The Apostles further teaches that ―it is not lawful
for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God‘s Word
written‖ (Article XX, Thirty-nine Articles).
The Church of The Apostles therefore, in particular, propagates
the following two evangelical doctrines: 1. ―We are accounted
righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works or
deservings‖ (Article XI, Thirty-nine Articles; see Ephesians 2:8-
9); and 2. ―The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of
faithful men, in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the
Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ‘s
ordinance‖ (Article XIX, Thirty-nine Articles).
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I need Jesus because …
―When I came to the former Church of St. Andrew and St.
Philip eight years ago, I was lost because I did not know
Jesus. I knew a lot about him, being raised in a religious,
Roman Catholic home. But I did not grasp his absolute
necessity. It is only through this place, that I came to know
Jesus. And knowing Jesus is the greatest thing that could
ever happen to anybody!

―Knowing Jesus is really about knowing our absolute need
for him in our lives. I need him in my marriage. I need him
in my workplace, and in my leading and shepherding here at
the Church. I need him in my fathering, and in my leisure
time. For in all things it is only in Jesus Christ that I can
know the joy that is a byproduct of a relationship with the
living God.

―I praise God for saving me, and I ask him for the wisdom,
strength, and courage to share that gift with everyone in my
life.‖ —Elder Chad Tvenstrup
“Go and stand in the temple and
speak to the people all the words
of this Life.” (Acts 5:20)
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