Orange County Churches Review & Guide

Church Review
Scriptural View: 4/5
Beliefs: 3/5
Community: 2/5
Preaching: liturgical
Worship: hymns
Service times: 7:30, 9:00, and 11:00 am

Website Review
Site Usability: 4/5
Site Design: 3/5
Site Content: 2/5

Review: I attended a service in September. As I drove into the parking lot I found a space among a litter of Mercedes, BMWs, Hummers, and Cadillacs. Everyone was dressed pretty formal and acted very official.

The service was liturgical in format. Episcopal/Anglican churches attempt to take a “middle of the road” position regarding the differences between Roman Catholic and Protestant doctrine. This comes out a little bit in their liturgy. The service coupled readings and a time of preaching with a ceremony of the Eucharist. Throughout the service there was a sense of awe and wonder and a focus on the total “otherness” or transcendence of God. Perhaps it was merely the liturgy but there was a stark recognition of mystery and reverence during the church meeting.

The worship in song included singing a couple of hymns accompanied by an organ. Few people sang despite the God-rich words of the songs being sung. There seemed to be little emotion or joy in the singing. The singing was intertwined with segments of standing, sitting, reading outloud, and praying.

The sermon at St. James Episcopol was on Hebrews 2:1 “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” Apparently St. James had recently broke off from the Episcopal denomination over their embracing of homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle both for their members and ministers. So it was stated that this sermon was intended to address the justification for breaking away. The sermon was very passionately delivered with much conviction. It was not expositional but rather focused of trumpeting sola scriptura (belief in the authority of the Bible alone).

The service concluded with some business matters. Due to their breaking off of the Episcopal church, the denomination was requiring that they relinquish their building. Yet, the bishops at St. James were announcing to the parish that they were determined to fight that demand legally since they thought hey owned the building since it was payed for by their church’s tithe. I found this whole reasoning sort of odd since church is not about a building and tithe is not a payment but a gift offering unto God. But perhaps there is more involved than I know.

It is great that St. James Episcopal is taking a strong stance for a confidence in the authority of the Bible! I see this as a great step in the right direction. However, I cannot yet recommend this church because there are many other doctrinal beliefs St. James embraces where this confidence has not yet been applied (the total sinfulness of man, the unmeritorious nature of the sacraments, egalitarianism, veneration of the saints, and inerrancy to name a few). In addition, St. James cultural sensitivity and mission seems pretty limited to the upper class.