To be a community of contrast, gripped by the Gospel of grace, sharing Christ with our city.

 
 

WHAT WE BELIEVE

CHRISTIANITY IS ABOUT JESUS CHRIST, AND THE GOSPEL IS THE GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY FOR ALL PEOPLE. IT IS NOT ADVICE OR RULES, BUT THE PROCLAMATION OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.

 

The Gospel

GOD’S GOSPEL

 

The gospel is older than the universe, because it is God’s. Throughout the time of the Old Testament, God made promises through his prophets, that he would undo the evil that ruins our lives, our relationships and our world, and bring healing, forgiveness and justice. God pursued his rebellious world, with the promise of a new creation, new life and redemption, so that all may return to him with everlasting joy. God revealed his goodness, grace and holiness, preparing the world for the coming of his Son. Through his people Israel God promised blessing for all the families of the earth, to come through a King who was a Servant.

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

The heart of God’s good news for the world is Jesus Christ, who he is and what he has done for us. Jesus shows that God keeps all his promises. The historical records tell us that Jesus was entirely human and divine. His teaching had astounding authority and humility. His miracles and deeds showed compassion and power. Yet his primary focus was his crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead on the third day, just as God promised in the Scriptures. Jesus’ death defeated evil and death, brought forgiveness and grace, and reveals who we are and who God is. In Jesus’ death for us, God is willing to accept us fully, not because of any goodness in us, but because of the goodness of Jesus. This is grace: completely undeserving, Jesus bears the penalty of all that stood between us and God. When God raised him from the dead, he appointed him Lord of all. As Lord, the risen Jesus offers new life, reconciliation with God, forgiveness of our sin and God’s Holy Spirit. He offers us the life of the world to come now. God has chosen a day when Jesus will come again, to judge the living and the dead, to replace this world with a new heaven and a new earth.

 THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL

This gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe. When we turn to Christ and trust this gospel, God makes us new people, gives us new hearts, a new future, a new spiritual family and a new and living hope. He comes to dwell within us by his Holy Spirit, remaking us, giving us new desires and loves. We become deeply conscious of the strength of his love and the weakness of ours. As members of his family, we learn to serve one another, seeking to bring the blessing of the gospel to others. This transformation is gradual and life-long.

The great good news which God has revealed in the gospel, is more than merely an initial blessing. It is the wellspring of ongoing renewal.  Through the gospel, the power of God continues to work within us to change us, to sustain us through life and death, and to keep us to the end. 

 
 

Who We Are

We believe the good news of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is of first importance, and has the power to transform us, our communities, and the world. We strive to be a living model of ‘Mere Anglicanism’—a multigenerational community, gripped by the gospel of grace, seeking to reach and serve our multicultural society for his glory.

 
 

WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR VISION?

Look through our frequently asked questions. You can also speak to anyone in a leadership position – your small group leader, ministry leader, trustee, one of the clergy – and they should be able to help. You can also phone the church office at 604.558.4400 or email vision@sjvan.org. Listen to our complete sermon series on 'The Church Jesus Builds' and keep checking back here for updates and progress reports.

The Creeds

As Mere Anglicans, we affirm our belief in historic Christianity revealed in the bible, summarized in the three creeds, as well as the 39 Articles and the Book of Common Prayer as the standard of worship. We stand in fellowship with Confessing Anglicans who believe the Jerusalem Declaration.

  • I believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible:
    And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds;
    God, of God; Light, of Light; very God, of very God; begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father; through whom all things were made:

    Who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

    He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures,

    and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: Whose kingdom shall have no end.

    And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake through the prophets.

    And I believe one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

    I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.

    And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

    Amen.

  • I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

    And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried:

    he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

    I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

    Amen.

  • Upon any day in the year, may be sung or said at Morning Prayer, instead of the Apostles' Creed, this Confession of our Christian Faith, commonly called the Creed of Saint Athanasius, by the Minister and people standing.

    WHOSOEVER would be saved / needeth before all things to hold fast the Catholic Faith.

    2 Which Faith except a man keep whole and undefiled, / without doubt he will perish eternally.

    3 Now the Catholic Faith is this, / that we worship one God in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity;

    4 Neither confusing the Persons, / nor dividing the Substance.

    5 For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, / another of the Holy Ghost;

    6 But the Godhead of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one, / the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal.

    7 Such as the Father is, such is the Son, / and such is the Holy Ghost;

    8 The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Ghost uncreated;

    9 The Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Ghost infinite;

    10 The Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Ghost eternal;

    11 And yet there are not three eternals, but one eternal;

    12 As also there are not three uncreated, nor three infinites, / but one infinite, and one uncreated.

    13 So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, / the Holy Ghost almighty;

    14 And yet there are not three almighties, but one almighty.

    15 So the Father is God, the Son God, the Holy Ghost God;

    16 And yet there are not three Gods, / but one God.

    17 So the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, / the Holy Ghost Lord;

    18 And yet there are not three Lords, / but one Lord.

    19 For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity / to confess each Person by himself to be both God and Lord;

    20 So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion / to speak of three Gods or three Lords.

    21 The Father is made of none, / nor created, nor begotten.

    22 The Son is of the Father alone; / not made, nor created, but begotten.

    23 The Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Son; / not made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

    24 There is therefore one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; / one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.

    25 And in this Trinity there is no before or after, / no greater or less;

    26 But all three Persons are co-eternal together, / and co-equal.

    27 So that in all ways, as is aforesaid, / both the Trinity is to be worshipped in Unity, and the Unity in Trinity.

    28 He therefore that would be saved, / let him thus think of the Trinity.

    29 FURTHERMORE, it is necessary to eternal salvation, / that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    30 Now the right Faith is that we believe and confess / that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is both God and Man.

    31 He is God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; / and he is Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world;

    32 Perfect God; / perfect Man, of reasoning soul and human flesh subsisting;

    33 Equal to the Father as touching his Godhead;/ less than the Father as touching his Manhood.

    34 Who although he be God and Man, / yet he is not two, but is one Christ;

    35 One, however, not by conversion of Godhead into flesh, / but by taking of Manhood into God;

    36 One altogether; / not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person.

    37 For as reasoning soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ;

    38 Who suffered for our salvation, / descended into hell, rose again from the dead;

    39 Ascended into heaven, sat down at the right hand of the Father, / from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

    40 At whose coming all men must rise again with their bodies, / and shall give account for their own deeds.

    41 And they that have done good will go into life eternal; / they that have done evil into eternal fire.

    42 THIS is the Catholic Faith, / which except a man do faithfully and stedfastly believe, he cannot be saved. GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, / and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, / world without end. Amen.

The Articles of Religion

The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion were established in 1563, and are the historic defining statements of Anglican doctrine in relation to the controversies of the English Reformation; especially in the relation of Calvinist doctrine and Roman Catholic practices to the nascent Anglican doctrine of the evolving English Church.