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Location: Liverpool, NY

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Sunday, October 08, 2006

Welcome to St. Andrew's in the Valley

I was down in Liverpool over the weekend and I visited St. Andrew's in the Valley, which is a former Episcopal Church now AMiA congregation. I had high hopes as I have continued to read so many great things about the AMiA. This is a self described church as charismatic, Anglican, evangelical and traditional, and although it was called a contemporary service, it was not ... at all ... even remotely. However, the people were very nice and the sermon was excellent (someone filled in for the pastor).

They did this cool blessing at the end of the service that was from the Rwandan Book of Common Prayer. (remember the AMiA is a mission movement of the Rwandan & Hong Kong churches).

Here is the liturgical instruction from the bulletin for this responsively spoken blessing: "The people accompany the first three responses with a sweep of the arm towards the cross behind the Holy Table, and the final response with a sweep towards heaven."

Celebrant: All our problems
People: We send to the cross of Christ (and you sweep your arm like you are sending your problems to the Cross)

C: All our difficulties
P: We send to the cross of Christ.

C: All the devil's works
P We send to the cross of Christ.

C: All our hopes
P: We set on the risen Christ (sweep of the arm towards heaven).

C: Christ the Sun of righteousness shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before your path: and the blessing of God Almightly, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.


I keep wondering if one of these Anglican/BCP based churches with solid evangecal theology and a strong missionary spirit will employ some excellent contemporary worship music and just flourish in the upstate NY area. I think this area is so ripe for a church with that style. It's a church planters gold mine waiting to happen.

Comments on "Welcome to St. Andrew's in the Valley"

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:41 PM, October 14, 2006) : 

Interested in your comment about AMiA. We have been in AMiA since early 2000 and were one of the first 3 Episcopal churches in the Diocese of Colorado to leave. By the way, we in AMiA are missions of the Diocese of Rwanda and SE Asia, not Hong Kong. (Just to set the record straight)

 

Blogger theultrarev said ... (9:53 AM, October 16, 2006) : 

Thanks for the correction. I'm a huge AMiA fan. What a great missionary organization.

The people of St. Andrew's were very nice and they have been a courageous bunch to tangle with their Bishop as they have. They have a ways to go before they could be described as contemporary but nonetheless it was a blessing for us to worship with them.

 

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