Beliefs

We believe in God as a Trinity: three persons in one. We believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe that God is everlasting, infinite in power, wisdom, justice, and love. We believe in a God that created and is creating. We believe in a God that sustains us, redeems us, and reigns over us. We believe, most importantly, that God is love. We believe that God’s love for us is unconditional without exception.

We believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh. We believe that Jesus Christ came down to be with us, and that His life, death, and resurrection has changed everything about this world and about who we are called to be. We believe in His teachings, His callings, and His ways. We believe that Jesus Christ was arrested, sentenced, crucified, and died on the cross. We believe that three days later, Jesus Christ resurrected to defeat death and to give us the promise of everlasting life. We believe, practically, that we are called to be vessels of Jesus Christ’s love throughout the world, striving to be more like Him each and every day that we live on this earth.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God’s present activity in our midst. We believe that the Holy Spirit that descended on Pentecost still lives among us and within us. We believe that the Holy Spirit is what empowers us to do ministry and what gives us the hope that God is still here with us. We believe that the Holy Spirit grants us guidance, comfort, and strength throughout our lives within the ups and downs. We believe that the Holy Spirit works within us daily, using our unique gifts to build the Kingdom of God on earth.

We believe that the scriptures, contained in the Old and New Testament, are God-breathed. We believe that scripture is the primary source for what informs all Christian doctrine and ways of living. We believe that the scriptures should serve as the constant rule of how we live, how we act, and how we speak. We believe that scripture provides narratives and instructions for how we root ourselves in the faith and grace given to us by Jesus Christ our Lord. We believe, as John Wesley said, that scripture speaks four concrete truths to us: “The corruption of sin, the justification of faith, the new birth, and present inward and outward holiness.” Scripture is the ultimate authority for our Christian lives.

We believe in the Church, which was first given birth on Pentecost. We believe that the Church is the body of Christ, and that as the body of Christ, we are an extension of Christ’s life and ministry in the world today. We believe that the Church should always be working to create more disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We believe that the Church is called, in all that it does, to worship God and to create avenues by which all can grow in their walks of faith. We believe that the Church is not a stagnant being, but the Church is called to constant action in the world. We believe that the Church is not a place made for those who have their “stuff” together, but the Church is a place open to all.

We believe that grace is an ultimate gift from God. We believe that grace is the undeserved, unmerited, and loving action of God in human existence through the work of the Holy Spirit. We believe that there are three types of grace working within our lives. Prevenient Grace is the grace that comes before us. It’s the grace that’s freely given to us through Jesus Christ. We can’t do anything to earn this grace, but it is still present and reaching out to us. Justifying grace is the grace that comes to us when we recognize and believe in Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. It is given to us in the moment where we come to believe and it sets us on a journey of forgiveness, peace, joy, and love. Sanctifying grace is the grace that emboldens us to continue growing in the image of Christ throughout our lives. It’s the grace that shapes us, molds us, and grows us.

In the United Methodist Church, we recognize two sacraments. Sacraments are the outward expression of an inward and spiritual grace given to us through Jesus Christ. One of the two sacraments that we recognize in the United Methodist Church is the sacrament of Holy Communion. Holy Communion is a sacrament that serves as a sign for God’s love and way that we remember the redemption given to us through Christ’s death and resurrection. We believe that Holy Communion is a sacrament where we see the intersection of the past, present, and future of Christ come together by the power of the Holy Spirit so that we might receive this meal to go out into the world to embody Christ’s redemptive message to all that we come in contact with. We believe that Holy Communion is not a table reserved for a select few, but it is an open table. We believe that there are no prerequisites for receiving this meal. We believe that Christ died and resurrected for all of us, regardless of social status, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or denominational membership.

Baptism is the second of the two sacraments that we recognize in the United Methodist Church. We believe that Baptism is the sacrament that initiates us into Christ’s holy church, and gives us new birth by the water and the Spirit. We believe in baptism that we are named and claimed by God. We celebrate infant and adult baptism in the United Methodist Church out of our belief that Baptism is the celebration and recognition of God’s prevenient grace for us that is available long before we are able to even comprehend it. In baptism, the congregation reaffirms their commitment to the Church and commits to raising and growing the one being baptizing in Christian faith and support. We believe in one baptism.

We affirm and abide by the doctrine of the United Methodist Church. For more information about the doctrine of the United Methodist Church, please click on the following link: https://www.umc.org/en/who-we-are/what-we-believe