On November 14 at our Diocesan Synod, the Synod will vote to accept Corpus Christi Anglican Church (CCAC) as a Congregation of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic in the Anglican Church in North America. We would love for you to be there to celebrate with us!
Some of you may wonder what “Congregation Status” means. In short, we have met the requirements set forth in our Diocesan canons for what a self-sustaining church should be doing and the Diocese is recognizing it.
How We Got Here
We began in 2020 on Zoom because of the pandemic. We started with online rhythms of prayer and bible study as we began to form rhythms of prayer from the BCP and pray about how to reach our neighbors in Franconia, Kingstowne, and Springfield with Christ’s love. We did not have a parent church, but we relied on friendships and partnerships across the Diocese to support this work.
Launch and Mission Status
We met in August 2020 to begin a monthly celebration of the Eucharist and were commissioned in September 2020 by Bishop John Guernsey, with the help of Canon Tom Herrick. As we gained momentum, we began a weekly morning prayer service in our backyard in April and May 2021 before launching weekly celebrations of the Eucharist in June 2021 at Greenspring Gardens in the Lincolnia area of Alexandria.
With a part-time priest and weekly services being held, we had what our Diocesan canons require in order to become a “Mission” of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. In November 2021, CCAC was accepted as a Mission of the Diocese. Over the last five years, CCAC has grown.
At this point in our life together, we have fulfilled all the Diocesan requirements for moving from “Mission” status to “Congregation” status: a full-time priest, an average Sunday attendance above 50 people, becoming incorporated and creating and maintaining systems and processes for membership and becoming a vestry/board member, holding ministries that extend well beyond Sunday worship, and demonstrating financial sustainability without grants for at least 12 months. More importantly, over the last 6 years, we have seen so many people baptized, confirmed or received, we have had one couple married in the church, we have had a a couple renew their wedding vows, our people have renewed their baptismal vows often, confessions have been heard and sins absolved, healing is taking place in people and relationships, we have walked through difficult life situations as a church family, and celebrated many answers to prayer together. God has built a wonderful church in the face many setbacks and hardships. I hope you’ll join us on Saturday, November 14, to celebrate what God is doing at CCAC. Please continue to keep this work in your prayers!
