We are a “Continuing” Anglican Church because we continue to live and practice the fullness of the Christian Faith in its unique English form — English Catholicism — which has been present in England since the early second century. We can trace the term “Anglican” back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Europe. The tribal name was spelled “Engles” or “Angles,” as the tribes’ speech was the precursor to the English language. Their land became known as England and their Christians as Anglicans. Anglicans would eventually produce such pinnacles of the English language as the Book of Common Prayer and the King James Authorized Version of the Bible (KJV).

Anglicanism would eventually spread worldwide developing into self-governing regional jurisdictions. However, the Anglican body in the United States, known as the Episcopal Church, began to diverge from The Way established by Jesus Christ and no longer contended for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. In response, an international congress of nearly 2000 Anglican bishops, priests, and lay people met in St. Louis, Missouri in 1977 to take the actions necessary to establish an orthodox jurisdiction in which traditional Anglicanism would be maintained by returning to the fullness of the faith of the undivided Catholic Church. Acting according to the principles determined by the Seven Great Ecumenical Councils of the Ancient Church and adopting the name “Anglican Church in North America” they placed themselves under the jurisdiction of the Rt. Rev. Albert Chambers and issued a Statement of Faith and Doctrine known as the Affirmation of St. Louis.

In 1978, Bishop Chambers expanded that jurisdiction and devolved it upon others by taking order for the Consecration of four more bishops. In October of that year, the Church met in synod to adopt a formal Constitution that included a change of name to the Anglican Catholic Church, as we continue to this day.