Hello - Greetings from Daytona Beach, FL! Just wanted to drop a quick first post - just joined to learn more about Anglicanism. I am in no way shape or form an expert - but I have recently started using the prayer book put out by the ACNA for personal devotion and now I want to know more.... Blessings to you all.... Dave C
Thanks for asking, Stalwart - I retired from the military after 30 years of service a couple of years ago - and have unfortunately had to change churches every few years for quite some time and still really haven't landed on my feet with regards to your question. We (my lovely wife and I) have primarily gone to conservative (sometimes calvinistic) Baptist churches as we've moved around the country. We are currently members of a small Baptist church in our town. I was baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church but my folks left when I was a teenager (broke my heart) and never managed to go back as life got complicated. Last December I came across the prayer book in looking for a different type of Bible reading plan for this year. I remembered the Daily Office readings from my youth and figured I'd find a prayer book - started searching online and came across the ACNA version - and started using it. I have also been listening the crossroads abbey daily prayer (both morning and evening) podcast for a few weeks now - which uses the 2019 BCP - and using these has just really enhanced my prayer life. In looking into Anglicanism - I must say my interest is more geared toward the Anglo-Catholic side however. I'm very interested in learning more about that aspect of it. Don't see much about it - but want to learn more about the APA - hoping some folks here are part of it and can tell me about it at some point.
I don't think we have anyone from the APA here but Shane R is an Orthodox Anglican Priest and is very knowledgeable about the Anglican Continuum
Glad you joined and I hope we can be helpful. I was raised Roman Catholic but left in 1985 for Protestant pastures. But a couple years ago the Lord led me to an ACNA Anglican parish. Telling my story to the rector, he observed something to the effect that "you can take the man out of the liturgy, but you can't take the liturgy out of the man." And it hit me, how right he was at least in my case; after more than 30 years away from the liturgy, it was still calling to me. Sounds like it's calling to you, too.
That may very well be the case, my friend. I did love it and reading the prayer book has brought me much comfort. I am contemplating visiting an APA parish down the road from me - unfortunately no ACNA close by...
Florida is sort of the heartland of APA. It has been Archbishop Grundorf's home for many years. There are a couple of small and struggling parishes on the Gulf coast but most of the Florida parishes are plugging along and doing work. A lot of them have recently had younger clergy come in to breathe a breath of fresh air. I hope you have a good experience with the APA.
I don't know much about APA churches, but if it helps, my son is quite knowledgeable about IPAs.... Alphabet soup...
I struggle to keep up with all the varieties of Anglicanism you have in North Amercia. I do wish people would write out the full word before they first use an abbreviation. I am getting used to many of your abbreviations. Howver, APA is a new one of me. Please tell me what APA is.
Anglican Province of America: https://anglicanprovince.org/ Though they do have several international partnerships. Most notably in the Philippines and Haiti.
There's a dizzying list of various Anglican or Evangelical episcopal groups here: http://anglicansonline.org/communion/nic.html A lot of them are tiny and only marginally Anglican. There are a couple on that list that are defunct or near to it. A few do not appear Anglican in any obvious way, other than having an episcopate with some claim to Apostolic succession. And though the website managers made a valiant effort, they missed quite a few in the Spanish speaking countries.
If you want to know anything abotu the 2019 BCP and its similarities and differences with previous editions, just ask!