Who are We? St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church is located in the city of Rocklin, CA, to the northeast of Sacramento, just off the I-80 corridor.  We are an Episcopal Church in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California, which is part of the Episcopal Church, USA.  The Episcopal Church is the American branch of the Church of England, commonly known as the Anglican Church, and is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, whose titular head is the Archbishop of Canterbury.  The English Church is a branch of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Jesus and the apostles, and was established in the British Isles in the early centuries of the Christian era.  Our patron saint, Augustine, was the first Archbishop of Canterbury. As Episcopalians we share in the common faith which can be traced back to the early Church--to the Scriptures and the writings and practices of the early church Fathers. Historically, we are also shaped by the Reformation of the 16th century.  We are therefore both catholic and protestant.  Because of this, the Anglican Church has often referred to itself as the "Via Media"---the middle way. We are catholic, sharing a commitment to the body of doctrine and discipline established first by Christ and the apostles, and handed on to us for nearly 2000 years.  As catholics, we hold to the historical, apostolic succession; subscribe to the historic creeds; maintain the three-fold order of ministry; share in the sacraments; participate in worship liturgically; and value the role of Holy Tradition. We are a sacramental and liturgical people. We are also a reformed church.  As protestants, we maintain a focus on salvation by grace through faith in Jesus, valuing the authoritative role of Sacred Scripture as the primary witness to Jesus--The Word of God, and understand the need to proclaim the Good News of what God has done in Jesus the Christ,  calling others into a relationship of discipleship. As Anglicans "we understand Christianity as a way of life, a matter of practice, rather than theory, in which religion and morality, theology and ethics are one.....Fundamentally, Anglicans are Christians who worship according to some authorized edition of The Book of Common Prayer and are in communion with the See of Canterbury in England.  Our primary identity is as a community of practice.  That is, we are bound together by our liturgy rather than doctrinal emphasis or social organization.  Orthodoxy for us is right worship and not right belief.  Our life of prayer shapes our beliefs and behaviors." (John H. Westerhoff, A People Called Episcopalians, 3; Atlanta:  St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 1998). St. Augustine's is a mission of the Diocese of Northern California.  It was planted just over 18 years ago to be "a safe place for people seeking God".  Our congregation is comprised of individuals and families  who come from a variety of religious backgrounds:  a few life-long Episcopalians, some former Lutherans, former Roman Catholics, some from various Protestant church traditions. Some have come from no religious background at all.  Together we are discovering what it means to live as a community of the Body of Christ, seeking to minister to needs according to our spiritual gifts, joining together in the joy of worshiping God, experiencing the richness of the sacramental life, and learning how to reach out to our local community in more effective ministry.  We are seeking to accomplish our Vision by living out our Mission. We invite you to come and grow with us as together we walk the path to the Kingdom of God.