“Each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10 (BSB)
“So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.” – John 13:14–15 (BSB)
“And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” – Hebrews 13:16 (BSB)
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 2:3–5 (BSB)
We serve with the gifts God has given us. Some are called to preach, others to pray, give, teach, or care for the sick—but all are called to serve. Bishop Dan Gifford (ANiC, Diocese of Western Canada and Alaska) notes, “The Church is a body, and each part contributes. You serve not by becoming someone else, but by offering your part, however small, to the glory of God.” (Serving in the Power of Grace, 2021)
Service often involves sacrifice—giving when it’s inconvenient, loving when it’s not returned, or working when no one notices. Fr. Caleb Evans (Anglican Orthodox Church, St. Stephen’s Mission, GA) writes, “We practice service by dying to self. The towel and basin—not the crown—are the marks of greatness in God’s kingdom.” (The Servant Way, 2020)
Liturgical worship trains us in service. The rhythms of kneeling, confessing, sharing peace, and receiving communion are not ends in themselves—they form hearts that are ready to serve others. Fr. Thomas Buchan (Anglican Union, St. Mark’s Anglican Church, VA) teaches, “The altar sends us to the world. The same hands that receive Christ in the Eucharist are meant to serve Christ in the poor.” (Liturgy and the Life of the Servant, 2021)
Canon George Grant (ACNA, Parish Presbyterian Church, TN) adds, “True service flows from humility. When we see ourselves as forgiven sinners and grateful sons, we will wash feet, bear burdens, and mend wounds—all for love of Jesus.” (Recovering Anglican Piety, 2019)
“Let your service be cheerful, not forced. God delights in the hand that gives and the heart that loves.” – John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 13, c. 390 AD
“He who serves the least serves Christ. Look not to status, but to need, and let mercy guide your hands.” – Basil the Great, Rules for the Brotherhood, c. 375 AD
“Service is the sacrifice of love. It is the gift of yourself, offered freely for the sake of another.” – Cyprian of Carthage, On Works and Alms, c. 250 AD
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
An Ancient Worship Movement invites readers into the rich, historic worship of the early Church rediscovered through the Anglican tradition. This book calls believers into a deeper, Spirit-filled encounter with Christ through timeless practices.
St. Thomas Church
PO Box 873
Abbotsford, BC,
V2T 7A2, Canada
If you are interested in starting a St. Thomas Church in your area and or ordination path fill the contact card form.
St. Thomas Church is a Church planting movement in ancient tradition.