Anglican Church of the Ascension

Anglican Church of the Ascension was begun in 2002 by the previous vicar, the Rev. Jeffrey Smith, and his wife, Lynn, as a new mission of the Anglican Province of Christ the King. The church's first location was the Danforth Chapel on the campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins. In November of 2006 the congregation purchased an early 20th century historic church building in the nearby Town of Windsor, where it now gathers for worship, Bible study, and other activities. In June of 2008 the congregation received a tracker (all mechanical action) pipe organ from Colorado State University, and had it rebuilt on the Gospel side of the chancel.

Located at the downtown center of an area that is expected to see much future development, Church of the Ascension is poised to become the anchor of classical, High Church Anglicanism in northern Colorado and Wyoming. Members of the congregation have already assisted in the building of a log settlers church for another Anglican congregation, All Saints, on the south side of Cheyenne. Ascension will coordinate its future missionary activities with other classical Anglican congregations in the region.

About the Anglican Province of Christ the King and its Affiliates:

The Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK) www.anglicanpck.org is a national ecclesiastical body that cooperates with two other bodies that also use classical Anglican Liturgy and adhere to historic Christian doctrine, The Anglican Catholic Church www.anglicancatholic.org, and The United Episcopal Church of North America united-episcopal.org. Together they oversee about 200 congregations in the United States and abroad. The three jurisdictions use the same seminary, St. Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Theological College in Berkeley, California www.anglicanpck.org, which has been training clergy for traditional Anglican congregations since 1979.

The APCK and its two affiliates formed after the St. Louis Congress of 1977, where a group of Episcopal clergy and laity (mostly in the High Church tradition) made the decision to create a new jurisdiction outside that body, which would enable them to continue their practice of classical Anglicanism without having to make the large compromises that new legislation of the Episcopal Church (passed at its 1976 General Convention in Minneapolis) required of them. Sometimes referred to as "the Continuing Church," these groups followed "the outside strategy" for maintaining their traditional doctrine and practice, as opposed to "the inside strategy" of the group remaining in the Episcopal Church which eventually became known as "Forward in Faith." As a result, they were able to concentrate on starting new missions and developing them to the point that they could get their own buildings and provide a priest with at least some of his support. Their first bishops were consecrated in Denver (January 28, 1978) by the Rt. Rev. Albert A. Chambers (retired Bishop of Springfield) and an active bishop of the Filipino Independent Catholic Church (a member of the Anglican Communion), with a letter of consent from another Anglican bishop in Korea. Other bishops with official standing participated in subsequent consecrations of bishops.

The liturgical standard of APCK and its affiliates is the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer, an edition first authorized by the Protestant Episcopal Church, USA. In its Eucharistic Liturgy it follows very closely the original Book of Common Prayer published by the Church of England in 1549, which stands out for its literary beauty and clear expressions of historic Christian doctrine. The Continuing Church bodies' other principles are set forth in the Affirmation of St. Louis www.anglicancatholic.org. The APCK has most of its parishes and missions in the western half of the United States, while the others have concentrated their work in the east. The Anglican Catholic Church has some parishes abroad.

About Classical Anglicanism:

As Anglican bodies, the APCK and its affiliates have a form of worship (Common Prayer) that was revived by the Church of England and the Lutheran bodies in Germany and Scandinavia during the Protestant Reformation. But they also consider themselves to be an integral part of the Universal (Catholic) Church, with clergy in full possession of Apostolic Orders. Mindful of that, they endeavor to teach and practice the Faith in a way that maintains the doctrine and practice of the first Christian millennium, when most of Christendom was united. Classical Anglicans base all their doctrines on the Bible (a principle reasserted in the Reformation), yet insist that it be read and applied in a manner consistent with the way previous generations of Christians have read and applied it. Hence, they reject modern schools of interpretation that are in conflict with the consensus that existed among believers in matters of faith and practice before the Great Schism of 1054 between the eastern and western halves of the Church. They view progress in the Church's mission as the extension of ancient principles to new circumstances.

That consensus was expressed preeminently in the Seven Ecumenical Councils, and classical, High Church Anglicans believe that it must be the basis for any movements to reunite the Church today. They are careful not to adopt any new doctrine or practice that will make such reunion more difficult, and, as mere custodians of what has been handed down to them, they do not believe they possess the authority to undertake major innovations in how the Church worships or what it teaches. Where modern Christians need to be creative, even experimental, is in their methods of evangelism, the purpose of which is to bring sinners to Christ, encourage them to become active members of His Church in some clerical or lay ministry, and dedicate themselves to a life of service.