Today we celebrate Anglican Communion Sunday the Anglican Communion is the Worldwide Anglican Church as a whole, the Church is present in 165 countries worldwide.

Ask any 3 Anglican’s about doctrine and get 5 different answers. One of the Church’s greatest strengths is its diversity – but it is also often the thing that provokes the most debate among its own congregations. The basic’s we all agree on however are:

• There is only one God, but there are 3 elements to this one God: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.
• That human beings' decision to reject this eternal God and live according to their own standards (sin) causes a relational breakdown between them and God.
• That God the Son, Jesus Christ, lived and died to give people a model and a way to be reconciled with God the Father.

Anglicans consider the Bible to be fundamental to life as a Christian and believe that "the Scriptures contain all things necessary for salvation". That the Christian life involves regular praise and prayer, both private and public, and Christians must practise what they preach and pray - not just on Sundays (the day when Anglicans normally worship) but every day.

Anglicans believe that people become members of God's Church through Baptism, and all Christians celebrate Holy Communion (also known as Eucharist) as a shared ‘meal’ (of bread/wafer and wine) which they eat together in Jesus’ name. Anglicans accept the major Creeds as expressing their Christian faith: The Apostle's Creed is the statement of faith used in Baptism and Morning and Evening Prayer, while the Nicene Creed is prayed in the service of Holy Communion. (These can be found in any Anglican prayer book.)

Anglicans, believe, their authority, derives from an integration of Scripture (the Holy Bible), Reason (the intellect and the experience of God) and Tradition (the practices and beliefs of the historical church). This ‘three-legged stool’ is said to demonstrate a ‘balance’ in the Anglican approach to faith. Other doctrine can vary a bit from nation to nation, sometimes even province to province.

Catholic but not Roman Catholic, Reformed but not Protestant (believing it is still part of God’s one Church and having bishops as Church leaders). The state church in some countries. A small Christian minority in others. Members of the Church worldwide are involved in activities and ministries such as youth work, relief and development, promoting reconciliation, and meeting with different faith communities.

Today we celebrate our unity, embracing our differences and the infinite variety God creates. Knowing there are brothers and sisters in Christ standing with us worldwide. If you want to know more visit the Anglican Communion Website.