The Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Mission
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What is APLM?
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The Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Mission is an association of people in the Episcopal Church of the USA, the Anglican Church of Canada, and sister churches who share a passion for liturgy that is well done, appropriate to the culture and context, and revelatory of God's lively mission in the world. It was founded in 1946 out of a deep frustration that Morning Prayer was none of these things. The Council of Associated Parishes functions as a kind of "liturgical think tank", studying, imagining, and sharing our experiences of different expressions of liturgy. Your membership supports APLM Council and members in the ongoing work of creating and maintaining a network of ideas, shared practice, and communication that shape and inform the church's central work of liturgy and mission.
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What has AP
accomplished?
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Members of APLM played a major role in drafting and promoting the Book of Common Prayer in ECUSA, and the Book of Alternative Services in Canada. We have championed the centrality of baptism as the foundation for Christian ministry, the primacy of the eucharist in Christian worship and parish life, the restoration of the catechumenate, the place of the distinctive diaconate in ordained ministry, the use of expansive language in reference to God and human beings.
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How does AP relate
to the church?
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We are an association of Christians, mostly from the Episcopalian/Anglican tradition in Canada and the US, along with some Lutherans, Roman Catholics, and others who share our vision. Our members hold a variety of positions in our respective churches, but we are not an "official organization" of ECUSA or the Anglican Church of Canada.
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Why should I belong?
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APLM is about liturgy, literally in Greek, a public work, doing work on behalf of God's people. It is about giving due "worth-ship" to the God of love, who calls us together in communion and sends us out in mission. Liturgy is both formal and dynamic - it invites reflection, experimentation, and play.
Supporting members of APLM can talk with one another about what our church is doing, where changes and discovery are happening. There different ways of doing this:
- The AP Members' Listserv: Where conversations are outrageous, engaging, and always informative. The listserv is a great way to find resources, think about liturgy, share ideas for parish teaching and programs. AP Members can join by sending an e-mail message to office@associatedparishes.org.
- Open: Our seasonal publication on matters of liturgy, ministry, music and mission - combining scholarship, practical application, and readability.
- APLM'S Website: This site has just been re-launched in an attractive, interactive format with standard and regularly updated features.
- APLM Brochures: Offering the learnings of a new generation about the practice of liturgy for ministry and formation. Titles include Baptism, Parish Eucharist, Marriage, Burial of the Dead, Holy Orders, and The Parish Worship Committee. These are being added as part of our online archives.
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