Anglicans also value the Church as an expression of the gospel in the world and the equal importance of Lay people and Clergy within it. The latter are deacons, priests and bishops. The Anglican Church is both a missionary Church and a pastoral Church . It seeks to express God s love and truth in word and deed. It also seeks to work for unity among believers and active participation in ecumenical initiatives between different Christian denominations .
Anglican worship is liturgical .
In other words, it is based around agreed formulations or texts for each part of a worship Service. These form a framework into which are woven hymns and songs old and new, silence, reading and preaching from the Bible. A service will normally include an opportunity for Confession of sin and for expressing belief using the words of the Creed . Each local Church expresses its worship in a way suitable to its context, using the resources permitted by the wider Church. Anglican worship follows an annual rhythm or cycle which tells the story of God s grace and love throughout the year.