And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus gave the Church her mission – and he never changed it. Nonetheless, as a particular church in a particular time and place, how do we flesh out the calling Jesus gave the Apostles and, through them, all Christians?
OUR MISSION is to exalt the triune God, disciple together, and love our neighbor with the Gospel.
Exalt the Triune God
- Our worship is focused on God: Father, Son & Holy Spirit.
- Our worship is participatory – liturgy (our pattern of worship) is to be joyfully shared by all.
- Our worship is full & overflowing: focused on the Bible & Holy Communion! Our deepest fellowship is found in these gracious gifts from God.
- Our worship is rooted in the historic Christian Faith: we declare what we believe in the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds.
Disciple together
- We strive for deep discipleship, growing together in the grace and knowledge of Christ Jesus.
- We embrace the Church as the family of God in Christ – old & young, married & single, all generations & seasons of life in between.
- Our goal is to equip saints for ministry throughout their lives, in their God-given callings and vocations.
Love our neighbor with the Gospel
- We’re downtown on purpose – reflecting Christ’s presence at the heart of our city.
- Our ministry and mission as a church is gospel-focused, proclaiming Christ crucified for sinners.
- Our outreach is local, but our fellowship is regional. We seek to go from Hagerstown to the wider world, knowing and caring for our neighbors in Christ.
- We endeavor to be a people of hospitality, developing relationships to welcome others to come into fellowship with God and his people.
OUR VISION is not just a church, but a network. We are following the Lord in his desire to raise up a network of Gospel-centered, Christ-exalting Anglican parishes within the tri-state area (MD, WV, PA).
We believe that God is doing something amazing in New Creation, and we invite you to come join us for the journey. As we grow, the following “WE ARE” statements flesh out what we aspire to be and what we value as a congregation:
WE ARE disciples of Jesus Christ who are rooted in the Anglican tradition in an evangelical manner. This has been well described as a church situated in “the three streams” of Scripture, the Sacramental Life, and the Holy Spirit.
WE ARE old and new. We embrace time-honored ways of worshipping God. This means that our Sunday worship centers around the Bible and the Table of our Lord. Our singing and praying is rich and varied, deliberately using the best of historical and contemporary resources. We have a deep love for The Book of Common Prayer, The Revised Common Lectionary, and the Church Calendar, which walks us through the life of our Lord.
WE ARE intentional about fostering discipleship in community. We want to be the kind of church that takes Jesus’ words about “making disciples” seriously. Our church community is a place of nurture and growth for new and veteran believers alike. We desire to constantly be making more and better disciples.
WE ARE missional. We believe the Gospel is truly Good News and worthy of being shared. We are committed both to local and global mission – in short, we believe the Gospel is for everyone.
WE ARE multi-generational. We take seriously our identity as the Body of Christ and will not allow our church to become a clique or embrace ageism in the worship and life of the church. Our worship is a family celebration for all ages!
WE ARE Spirit-empowered. We believe that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit at work in the church of the first century are available today, are vital for the mission of the church, and are to be earnestly desired and practiced.
WE ARE a movement. We’re planting more than just a single church – we’re starting a network. We want to see communities rooted in the Anglican tradition planted all over Western Maryland and beyond.
New to New Creation and want the whole rundown on who we are and what we’re about? Check out our First Visit page. You can also check out our newcomer material below: