Christ the Redeemer is a growing and dynamic church seeking to serve Jesus Christ in the Garland / Rowlett Area. We are a family of believers who consider Christian community and discipleship to be essential components of a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. For that reason, the central focus of our life together is our gathering together for worship, study, prayer and service to those in need. We truly believe we have something unique in the Christian Church. We have sought to find a blend of evangelical fervor, spirit-filled worship, and biblical teaching through the apostolic tradition. We are affiliated with the Worldwide Anglican Communion, the third largest Christian denomination, with over 100 million worshipers in hundreds of countries around the world. Please look over our website and feel free to call our church office to speak with a member of our staff if you have any questions. We welcome you to come visit us on Sunday morning for worship. We look forward to visiting with you soon. Christ the Redeemer is a member of the Anglican Church in North America.
History
Christ the Redeemer’s initial rector was Lawrence Harrison, who served in that capacity from March 2007 until he resigned in June of 2012. After that, we were blessed by the service of Fr. Don McConnell, who served as interim rector from June 2012 until January 2015. On January 2015, Fr. Barry Montgomery took over as the full time rector of Christ the Redeemer, a position he continues to serve in today. From March 2007 until May 2015, we operated in a location on Broadway Blvd in Garland TX. While this location served us well for many years, it was never our intent to operate as a “storefront” church. After numerous attempts to build on a plot of land we had secured in Rowlett never came through, we were blessed in early 2015 with a plot of land with a fully built church elsewhere in Rowlett. Our first service in the new Miller Road Campus was May 24, 2015.
What We Believe
We believe in a Trinitarian God, which means one God of creation, redemption, and constant presence and love. We believe that the church is Christ living and visible in the world. This does not mean that any group is perfect. In fact, belonging to a church is an exercise in patience, forbearance, and love. But at every baptism, all the people are asked again to renew their own baptismal covenant. One of the questions they are asked is “Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers?” We believe that we are called to continue practices that date back to Jesus’ time. Our beliefs can be summed up in The Nicene Creed, which is recited by the congregation in every worship service: (Note that the word “catholic” in these creeds refers not to the Roman Catholic Church, but to the universal church of the Lord Jesus Christ.)
The Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the most universally accepted profession of the Christian Faith. It is affirmed by most of the Protestant denominations, as well as by the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church. It was adopted (in a slightly different version) by the Church Council at Nicaea in AD 325 and further revised to its present form by the Council at Chalcedon in AD 451. It has remained in use since that time and is currently an essential part of the doctrine and liturgy here at CTR. We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. See our full statement of faith here.
Mission
We are a mission-centered church. Our mission remains the same today as it was when given to the apostles by Jesus himself in Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…” We seek to be obedient to Christ’s command, and this is reflected in our worship, outreach and ministry. Each member of our church family is encouraged to find his or her God-given role in the mission of the gospel and use individual gifts for the “building up of the Body of Christ.” The clergy are called to equip the saints for the work of ministry” and not to be the primary ministers themselves. One unique ministry at Christ the Redeemer is our Mission & Ministry Committee. Christ the Redeemer supports numerous ministries and missionaries both locally and around the world. Through the Mission and Ministry Committee, a tenth of all church income is distributed to mission and ministry opportunities locally, nationally and internationally. We invite you to come find your place in our mission and make a difference in the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ.
