Hello

Not every one wants to belong to an Order and instead may feel the need to belong to 'a church'.

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So we offer this alternative, an open membership church you can belong to without the fuss.

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The Nazarene Community Church of St James gives you a name and identity without restricting your ministry or tying you to a specific place or denominational style. It is not canon driven but shaped by meeting need.

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Why have we chosen this name? These names and titles have also been very carefully chosen and are loaded with historical relevance and meaning.

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Nazarene reflects the name given to the early followers of Jesus. 

 

Community because that is what we are and how we are structured.  We may be separated by distance but not by connection.

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Church because we are connected by belief and faith.  We are part of the communion of saints.

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And finally, St James, because he is our central point of formation.  Jesus taught, St James showed us how to put those teachings into daily practice.

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So who was St James?

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The first bishop of Jerusalem and he knew Jesus intimately.  Brother of our Lord.  But not exactly Christian as we might understand today.  He sits between Judaism and Christianity in those early formative days.  He is key to our understanding and expression of faith and had first hand experience and knowledge of the teachings of Jesus, and was able to apply these things within the context and power of a simple and freely enacted Godly love.  Quite simply, he is our model of ministry.

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Unlike St Paul who neither met Jesus physically or heard him speak, nor was called as an apostle and was not chosen by Jesus to be amongst the twelve. 

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So, a somewhat disordered overview of what we represent as 'a church':-

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1. we are Christocentric - his teachings are complete in themselves and there are no secrets or hidden teachings.  His words contain all you need to know.

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2. we are not Pauline in our theology.  A Pauline view of faith is not a truly biblically based Christocentric view of our faith as we understand it but one that has been added to and corrupted.  That is not to say the teachings of St Paul don't have value, but a critical approach is appropriate when considering them.  The gospel of St Paul is not the Gospel Jesus preached.

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3. we place St James as the pre-eminent and first bishop of the Christian church, not Paul or Peter.  Also, the Church community in Jerusalem is pre-eminent in relation to all other Christian communities, including Rome.

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4. we acknowledge the Jewish credentials and origins of the Christian church.  We should never forget that Jesus was a Jew and that simple fact has implications for us all in that it shapes and colours all his teaching.

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5. we do not accept the authority of those who teach St Paul or others over Christ.  They are welcome to their opinion, but opinion is not the basis of spiritual and scripturally based truth.

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6. neither do we accept the authority of those who teach those things not taught by Jesus or who have corrupted or deviated from or contradict his teaching.

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7. we teach that the basis of all Christian theology is based on the precepts of the two great commandments, love God and love your neighbour, and that the Lord's Prayer is the first and only valid statement of faith or creed.  All others are in deficit or are secondary interpretation.

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8. we consider the Epistle of St James as being worthy in stature to the synoptic Gospels.

 

9. we consider the words of Jesus sufficient, final and complete, and all later new testament and onwards writings should be critically interpreted and studied with this in mind.

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10. we acknowledge the biblical views of gender, fatherhood, marriage, abortion, sexuality, family and the priesthood remain God's plan for His people.  For Jesus, marriage, fidelity and family, is central to community and faith, perhaps more so than the priesthood.

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11. we accept and encourage spirituality rather than expecting our members to compliantly follow religion. It is better to do those things that are right rather than do as you are told and follow the rules.

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12. we accept that our expression of faith, liturgy, canon and practice, can take many different forms and there is no one better than another, only one that is appropriate to our circumstances and need and that of the needs of those around us.  What is right for one may not be right for another.​​

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Just to remind you, we are an apostolic community and have the right to ordain our own priests and license our own pastors and eucharistic and other ministers.  We can do this as we are of an apostolic nature and foundation. If you feel called then please talk to us.  I have my own personal preference as to how my understanding of ministry may be expressed but I also know it is not the only one.  Try me!  Test me!  Convince me!

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Although we have agreed forms of liturgy and practice none are prescribed, only those things which are appropriate to need in the service of God.  Foundationally, we seek to serve God and our neighbour in our individual and collective ministries.  His way over our way.

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If you are interested then contact me.  No one has the right to deny ministry for to deny it is to deny God.  Ministry simply is the love of God in action.  Deny that at your peril!

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​Contact:  fr.ian.osj@gmail.com

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