1.  What do you mean by "A House of Worship for All People" and "Richmond's Anglican Church for People of All Denominations?"
The Prophet Isaiah wrote that the temple should be a "house of prayer for all peope" (Isaiah 56:7).  Christians extend that offer to the Gentiles (meaning all the nations others than the Hebrews).  At St. Chrysostom Orthodox Anglican Church, we extend the offer of Christian hospitality to Christians of all denominations, not just those who have ever attended an Anglican or Episcopal Church.  Our doors are also open to those without Church affiliation who are seeking the truth of the Christian Faith.

We believe we are the only Anglican Church in Richmond which truly encourage the faithful, whether they have Episcopalian, Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Presbyterian background. 

2.  What is the principal difference between Anglican worship and that of Protestant denominations?
Many modern denominations have abandoned the Sacramental focus of worship in favor of what some critics call a Christian version of Sunday entertainment.  Anglican worship focuses on the importance of the receipt of the most important Sacrament, Holy Eucharist.  We believe that the very body and soul of any Christian is nourished by the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic elements.  Like our Eastern Orthodox counterparts, we do not try to explain how this mystery occurs, but respect its reality.  We share the Eastern view that a Christian will never be closer to the Creator on this earth than when he or she receives the elements in Holy Eucharist.  We offer Holy Eucharistic every Sunday morning because we strongly believe that each of us -- no matter how devout we may be during the week in our daily lives or how many hours we spend in reading and study of Scripture -- is spiritually replenished by receipt of the Sacrament.  

3.  Do you use a Prayer Book? 
Yes.  On Sunday, January 25th, 2009 A.D. we introduced a modern update of the traditional Anglican book of common prayer.  These are provided in the pews for every worshipper.  This new book is 8.5" x 11" and features large print type for both the Liturgies and rubrics, plus complete, clear instructions on when to sit, stand or kneel.  It also notes the Scriptural origin of many versicles, canticles, and salutations.

The St. Chrysostom Edition of the Book of Common Prayer features all the services from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, which we commonly use, including Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Holy Eucharist, Litany and the Penitential Office and the Holy Eucharist liturgy of 1549 A.D.  

It also includes three monastic style offices for less formal services based upon the ancient liturgies of the hours.  We have also included the full text of all our special liturgies for Feasts not provided for in the 1928 BCP.  These include the Christmas Eve Office (Asperges Blessing & Great "O" Antiphons), the Christmas Eve Midnight Office (Visits to the Crib), a special Holy Eucharist service for three major events in the life of the Church: Christmas Day (including collects from Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox liturgies), Maundy Thursday (including the Foot Washing Ceremony), and Transfiguration Day.  There is also a special office for Ascension Day.

4.  Will I be lost if I have never worshipped using a Prayer Book?
No. For every service we offer at St. Chrysostom Anglican, our version of the Book of Common Prayer includes all the words said by the Minister or Priest, with all the responses from the People shown in bold type.  The format is in easy-to-read large print (18 pt).  The notations let you know when sitting, standing, or kneeling is traditionally requested and also when making the Sign of the Cross is appropriate.  It also shows you, where appropriate, the direct Scriptural authority for many prayers and responses.

5.  What kind of Church music do you feature? 
We have addressed the hymnal problem by introducing our own hymnal.   Produced within our parish, it retains many familiar hymns and canticles from the traditional Anglican Hymnal of 1940, but to that base we have added public domain songs from the Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Moravian Brethren, Congregationalist, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox traditions and some non-denominational traditions.  We have also purchased a database of tunes from the United Methodist hymnal so that we can add more songs next year.

Our standard for inclusion in the St. Chrysostom Hymnal was that the songs be "singable" by non-professional people and be theologically correct.  We have included songs by the greatest and most profilic hymn writers of all time, including Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts, Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady, James Montgomery, Charles Coffin, the Venerable Bede, Joseph the Hymnographer, St. Thomas Aquinas, Christopher Wordsworth, Samuel Longfellow, Thomas Haweis, Horatius Bonar, William Chatterton Dix and many others.  Many of these great works had been in use in the Episcopal tradition but were not included in the 1940 edition.  We have re-introduced several doxologies and a hymn for the saints which had been used in Episcopal and other traditions for many years.

All songs in the St. Chrysostom Hymnal are consistent with our slogan:  Bringing Tradition to Life in Scripture, Prayer and Joyful Song.  Our electronic music system, called Synthia tm, can emulate several types of organs and pianos.

6.  Do I have to be baptized again in order to be a full member of your parish?
No. The Nicene Creed permits only one Baptism for the remission of sins. If you have previously been baptized into a traditional, Trinitarian Christian denomination, you are eligible to be confirmed in the OAC.  If you are not sure whether you have been baptized or when, the Book of Common Prayer provides for a conditional baptism.

7.  Would I be welcome if I have no religious background?  
Yes.  St. John Chrysostom, our namesake from the 4th Century, once said that there can be no such thing as a Christian who is not concerned about the salvation of others.  We provide our parishioners with learning and study materials that will help them become firmly grounded in traditional Christian teaching.  If you come to share this same faith and can honestly say the words of the Creeds each Sunday, you will be welcomed into our parish with open arms.

8. Do you offer pastoral consultation and visits to the sick? 
Yes.  We offer both, including hospital visits and Communion for the Sick.  Your relationship with us should begin with a pastoral consultation in which your interests, needs and knowledger are discovered.  Since we are a small parish, we want everyone to be fully involved in the life of the parish.

9. Is St. Chrysostom Church "high church" or "low church?" 
Neither. Like you, we are often confused by this meaningless labelling.  We do not use incense owing to the respiratory problems it causes, especially for those with other breathing difficulties.  Our services are dignified and formal, with said or sung responses.  We use a handbell at appropriate times during the Eucharistic rite. 

At all services, both the Priest and Lay Reader or other assistant are formally dressed.  For Morning Prayer and the monastic offices, the Priest chants or intones the service, without music, dressed in a black cassock, white stole and black tippet.  For all Holy Eucharist services, the Priest is dressed in a black cassock, white surplice, and a stole in the appropriate color for the season (the Lay Reader wears the same garments as described above for the Priest in Morning Prayer).  We do not use Chasubles.  We use many prayers and responses which we have taken for the worship tradition of the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Methodist, Presbyterian and Lutheran churches.

10.  What do you mean when you say you are a Liturgical Church? 
We mean that our services are offered as solemn worship of our Creator, using a fixed form of service established in the prayer book.  These come to us from many centuries of Christian practice going back to at least to the Second Century.

11. What does "corporate worship" mean?
It means that all the members of the parish, and our visitors, are worshipping as a single entity, the family of God on earth.  We are not a room full of individuals who just happen to be praying the in the same place at the same time.  We come together as one in a dignified and respectul manner.  We regard worship as a serious, solemn and spiritually-satisfying event and not a form of Sunday entertainment.

12. How do I dress for your services?
Church tradition suggests that clothes worn to Church services should be clean and appropriate for worship.  This does not mean an expensive suit and fancy shoes or the newest dress.  It does mean visitors and worshippers should not be dressed as if they were going immediately to the beach or the soccer field.

13. How is the Eucharist celebrated? 
We believe that Jesus Christ is "in us and we in him" when we receive the Bread and Wine of the Eucharistic feast.  We use a Chalice with wine and a traditional Eucharistic wafer served from a Ciborium.  For those with allergies to wheat or alchohol, other arrangements can be made.

The celebration of the Eucharist has changed little since the adoption of the Pauline form of service.  The Priest says the Canon of the Mass (the Consecration, Oblation and Invocation which invite the Holy Spirit), presides over the General Confession, which is required of all persons receiving the Eucharist, and, with an assistant, administers the elements first to himself, then to the assistant, and then to the People.  The Anglican form generally follows the pattern established by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in the first English Book of Common Prayer in 1549 A.D.

14.  What is your relationship to St. Joseph's Villa?   
We are a leaseholder of the St. Joseph's Villa Chapel.  We received our lease in exchange for our work in restoring the Chapel (a work which is still continuing).  We receive no financial support from St. Joseph's Villa, which is a non-sectarian, non-profit charitable organization under the Internal Revenue Service Code Section 501(c)3 and are not affiliated with or endorsed by St. Joseph's Villa.

15. You close the day on Tuesday evenings with Compline.  What is Compline and how do you pronounce it?
The ancient monastic communities said prayers at fixed times of the day.  The offices were Matins (Midnight), Lauds (after Matins), Prime (6:00 A.M.), 3rd Hour (9:00 A.M.), 6th Hour (Noon), 9th Hour (3:00 P.M.), Vespers (sunset) and Compline.  The latter is pronounced COM-plen.  If you are familiar with the PBS TV series Brother Cadfael, you will have seen the monks saying Compline at the end of the day before bed. 

Compline is a very spiritually-satisfying office.  Its purpose is to reconcile the Christian with his Creator before the end of the work day.  Compline is divided into several parts.  Following an Opening Prayer there is a Confession, four sets of Versicles and Responses, several readings from the Psalter, an Evening Hymn and a Closing Prayer and Blessing.  Read the full text.

16. Do you produce your own teaching and training materials?  Who writes them?
Our publications are researched, written and printed locally.  They are prepared by Fr. Ronald E. Shibley, Rector.  Each was designed to answer many commonly-asked questions about the teachings of the Church.  Each is written in clear layman's language. For details about these publications, clic on the PUBLICATIONS tab.

17. Can I make a personal appointment to discuss my possible interest in your parish?
Yes.  Father Shibley is available every Sunday from 10:00 A.M. to 10:30 A.M. between the two morning services.  He is also available at other times by appointment.  You can reach him by telephone at (804) 559-2690 or (804) 301-6902.  Best times are 8:30 to 4:30 daily.  Or you can send an email to frron.stjohnanglican@earthlink.net.

18.  Is your Chapel fully handicapped accessible?
Yes.  There is a ramp on the North side of the Chapel (to your right as you approach the front of the Chapel).  The first several rows of pews were shortened years ago so that people in wheelchairs would have ample room front and center. 

We also have built a meeting room table that is designed to be comfortable for people in wheelchairs.  It does this by raising the height of the table so that wheelchair arms clear the underframe of the table and also by making the tabletop overhand the frame by 11", meaning that someone in a wheelchair can pull all the way up to the table for meetings or meals.  We have installed an additional ramp to make the meeting room and bathroom more accessible.