Our Beliefs
Trinity
We describe God in three persons. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
are commonly used to refer to the threefold nature of God. Sometimes we
use other terms, such as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.
God
We believe in one God, who created the world and all that is in it.
We believe that God is sovereign; that is, God is the ruler of the universe.
We believe that God is loving. We can experience Gods love and grace.
Jesus
We believe that Jesus was human. He lived as a man and died when he was crucified.
We believe that Jesus is divine. He is the Son of God.
We believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and that the risen
Christ lives today.
We believe that Jesus is our Savior. In Christ we receive abundant
life and forgiveness of sins.
We believe that Jesus is our Lord and that we are called to pattern
our lives after his.
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is God with us.
We believe that the Holy Spirit comforts us when we are in need and
convicts us when we stray from God.
We believe that the Holy Spirit awakens us to Gods will and empowers
us to live obediently.
Human Beings
We believe that God created human beings in Gods image.
We believe that humans can choose to accept or reject a relationship with God.
We believe that all humans need to be in relationship with God in order to be fully human.
The Church
We believe that the church is the body of Christ, an extension of Christs life and ministry in the world today.
We believe that the mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
We believe that the church is "the communion of saints," a community made up of all past, present, and future disciples of Christ.
We believe that the church is called to worship God and to support those who
participate in its life as they grow in faith.
The Bible
We believe that the Bible is Gods Word.
We believe that the Bible is the primary authority for our faith and practice.
We believe that Christians need to know and study the Old Testament and the New Testament
(the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Scriptures).
The Reign of God
We believe that the kingdom or reign of God is both a present reality and future hope.
We believe that wherever God's will is done, the kingdom or reign of God is present.
It was present in Jesus' ministry, and it is also present in our world whenever persons
and communities experience reconciliation, restoration, and healing.
We believe that although the fulfillment of God's kingdom--the complete restoration
of creation--is still to come.
We believe that the church is called to be both witness to the vision of what God's
kingdom will be like and a participant in helping to bring it to completion.
We believe that the reign of God is both personal and social. Personally, we display
the kingdom of God as our hearts and minds are transformed and we become more Christ-like.
Socially, God's vision for the kingdom includes the restoration and transformation of all
of creation.
Sacraments
We recognize the two sacraments in which Christ himself participated:
Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Baptism
Through baptism we are joined with the church and with Christians everywhere.
Baptism is a symbol of new life and a sign of God's love and forgiveness of our sins.
Persons of any age can be baptized.
We baptize by sprinkling, immersion or pouring.
A person receives the sacrament of baptism only once in his or her life.
The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper is a holy meal of bread and wine that symbolizes the body and blood
of Christ.
The Lord's Supper recalls the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and celebrates the
unity of all the members of God's family.
By sharing this meal, we give thanks for Christ's sacrifice and are nourished and empowered
to go into the world in mission and ministry.
We practice "open Communion," welcoming all who love Christ, repent of their sin, and
seek to live in peace with one another.
Our Mission
Our mission is to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ by putting faith and love in action and to make disciples for the transformation of the world.
Our Emphasis
We are particularly concerned about inviting people to experience Gods grace and to grow in their knowledge and love of God through disciplined Christian living.
