CHRIST CHURCH, TEDDINGTON

Salvation through Christ alone, by faith alone, by grace alone & for the glory of God alone

We are:

Biblical - Believing in the inspired Word of God as our sole rule of faith and practice.

(we hold to the faith once delivered to the saints, which declares its belief in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God, and the sole Rule of Faith and Practice. . . )

Episcopal & Ministerial - Led by bishops and ministers, whose authority comes through the selection by God's people, under God's Providence, and not through "Apostolic Succession".

Liturgical - Careful in our worship of Almighty God using liturgies based in Scripture, relevant to the needs of the worshipper, and free of any "high church" adornments. Our liturgical services are designed to focus only on Him, and not the worship leader or attempts to "entertain".

(This Church, retaining a Liturgy which shall not be repressive of freedom in prayer, accepts the Book of Common Prayer, as it was received, prepared, and recommended for use by the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, A.D. 1785, reserving full liberty to alter, abridge, enlarge, and amend the same, as may seem most conducive to the edification of the people.)



AND



...this congregation accepts the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England, with such revisions as shall exclude sacerdotal doctrines and practices.

Reformed - We hold fast to the Doctrines of Grace as God's way of redeeming lost sinners. As such we maintain a line of evangelical, low church witness to the great truths of the Bible that is rooted in the English Reformation.


We bid you welcome in Christ's Name.

CHRIST CHURCH was founded in 1864 as an Evangelical, Protestant & Reformed congregation. It came into being because of the move of the local Church of England congregation away from the historic 'low-church' & Protestant position of the CofE. As a result a number of Christians in Teddington who were unhappy with the move away from what God's Word teaches founded an independent congregation where they could remain Anglican in their style of worship, and would still be able to be a Bible Believing congregation - worshipping without the unbiblical ritual brought in by the Anglo-Catholic movement in the CofE.

The Anglican position in Teddington has not changed, except that one of the three CofE congregations now here is liberal in theology, the other two being Anglo-Catholic in practice. Christ Church remains unique in the area by continuing as a truly Protestant and Biblical congregation.

When it was founded the congregation were clear about the need to adhere to the Doctrines of Grace, the need to oppose false and unbiblical teaching & the need for true Christians to regard Scripture as the 'sole source of faith and practice'.

Under the foundation stone of the current building (the 2nd) is a statement written on vellum saying the following:
"it was erected... chiefly for the use of those, who whilst attached to the Protestant Church of England, strongly disapproved of the Romanistic doctrines and practices resuscitated by some of her members. Anxiously desiring to retain the pure ministry of the Gospel and the simplicity of the Protestant faith and worship, and also earnestly wishing to promote the intercommunion of all Evangelical churches, they raised this sanctuary... in prayer and hope that God would accept and bless their work.
To Him alone be all the glory, in Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit."

Whilst worship in Christ Church has changed over time, it still remains faithful to following the liturgical practices of the Prayer Book. Indeed, though the current services are in modern English, in order that those attending can understand clearly what they are taking part in, the structure of the services are still the structures of the Prayer Book.

The doctrine and the order of the Prayer Book are retained, while having at the same time a service which is contemporary. The 'English Prayer Book' is used for the majority of the services, being a direct translation of the 1662 PB into modern English. And we recognise that while set liturgy is not essential, neither is it wrong. Therefore we set store by our structured and doctrinally accurate Common Prayer, and although it may not be to everyone's taste we retain it because of its Biblical accuracy.

The music we use takes from the best of both modern and ancient hymn writing. We base our choice of hymnody not on 'a good tune' but on whether or not the author has made a passable attempt to demonstrate right doctrine in light of Biblical teaching. Therefore, in any given service the music used can range from the 'greats' of yesteryear such as Wesley & Cowper through to those still writing today, such as Dudley-Smith, Kendrick & Townend.

However, at the heart of all our services is a Scriptural sermon. This may given in different styles (at the Family Worship Service for instance) but always seeks to open up the truths of Scripture so that those present may not only learn more of what the Bible really teaches, but also how to live their lives in a way that they give greater Glory to God.

1. The Doctrine of Christ Church, Teddington is best expressed as that which is set forth in the Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England and the Fifteen Articles of the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion.

2. Christ Church, Teddington holds to belief in; the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inerrant Word of God, and the sole rule of Faith and Practice; the Doctrines of Grace substantially as they are set forth in the Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England and the Fifteen Articles of the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion; Reformed and Protestant church practice which rejects the erroneous and strange doctrines of sacerdotal practices, transubstantiation, baptismal regeneration & ministerial priesthood.

3. The liturgy used for Lord's Day Worship is the Liturgy of the Church of England as contained in the Book of Common Prayer (1662) with such modifications as may appear expedient to the Senior Pastor of the Congregation (making use of modern English - bearing in mind Article 24 of the Church of England which states that: It is plainly repugnant to the Word of God and to the custom of the early church for public prayer or the administration of the sacraments to be conducted in a language not understood by the people).

4. No picture, crucifix, incense, candles, molten painted or graven image or images, shall be introduced by any Pastor, or other person or persons into the church, or be used in any service connected therewith.