I read with interest Father Scarlett's epistle on evangelism's role in the Anglican Catholic Church. As someone relatively new to St. Matthew's, I'll share some random observations about my own growth of faith, and the ultimate decision to become a member of this church.

The church website was my initial introduction to St. Matthew's, resulting from a Google search for a traditional Anglican church. Online, I read about the church, the activities, its commitment to the BCP, and the appearance that there was some degree of diversity amongst the membership. I had been searching for an Anglican home for months if not years. My residence is quite a distance from St. Matthew's, so it initially didn't appear to make sense to travel upwards of an hour to attend Mass. As a result, I visited a number of continuing churches closer to home. But these other churches seemed more like antiquarian retreats populated by elderly parishioners who were deeply suspicious of strangers in their midst. The overall sense was that this is becoming an illusory Anglican spiritual search on my part.

After months of reflection, a decision was finally made, the question of distance was set aside, and I made that first drive to St. Matthew's for Mass. As I drove along the coast on that Sunday morning, my mind was filled with trepidation. Thoughts raced through my mind, "This is probably another Anglican museum, the parishioners will probably be insular. Maybe an inviting, energetic Anglican Catholic Church is far more imagined than real."

The first Mass was spiritually enriching. People were friendly that morning, and at the same time, there was no impression that I would be snatched up by someone rushing to sign me up before there was an opportunity to know and understand St. Matthew's.

The next thing that occurred that Sunday morning was that a passing invitation was extended to  join the Men's Group that assembled on Thursday nights. It didn't take long to get to know what the church was all about, and how welcoming it is here. The group is a diverse one, particularly the age range among the men who regularly attend. This Thursday night assembly resonated with me because it combined evening prayer, discourse, a shared meal, and fellowship.

So, what do I love about St. Matthew's? the strong commitment to liturgy, a continuity of enriching tradition, and the incredible energy that is propelling this church into the twenty-first century. Importantly, this is not a church that is here because it is stands in stark opposition to wrongs done by the Episcopal church in the late seventies of the twentieth.

Of special note, the young people here bring their excitement about Anglican worship to the table. These youthful members are absolutely essential because they are filled with an enthusiastic zeal for St. Matthew's.

As Father Scarlett points out, if there is any hope for the other Anglican Catholic churches, they must have an outreach to young people. As referenced in his epistle, and contrary to what one might think, it is often the young who bring older family members and friends to church here.

In summary, evangelism can take many forms. St. Matthew's is a church with many open doors through which one can enter to discover a common fellowship grounded in Christian faith. Youth groups, an inviting liturgy, a life of prayer, shared meals, The Inquirers' Class, college outreach, Men's and Women's Groups, etc. are the "doors" people walk through to discover a great Christian home. Anglicanism and excitement should never again be a perceived contradiction in terms.