| What We Believe |
Rooted in Judaism, Modified by Jesus and the early church, Reformed by faithful Christians.
We believe that each person is called to work out his or her own theology based on four elements: Biblical scripture, religious experience, traditions of the church, and human reason.
While each of these items should be regarded carefully and used equally to contribute toward a balanced opinion and belief, we hold Scripture as the ultimate authority, the critical element.
These four elements are not something a person works with alone. Rather, these are "corners of study" that flourish in a community setting of other Christians; whether as two or three in a small class, or in worship with a few hundred or thousand. Working with others helps assure that individual development of Christian faith and belief is objective and balanced and in accordance with the four elements listed above.
While each person must study for a personal understanding of their core beliefs, there are some general clarifications about what the United Methodist Church believes that can be made.
Our Articles of Religion says, "There is one true God, who has all power, wisdom, and goodness. God made and preserved all things. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God, the Trinity."
Our God is a big God, and one of mystery. This mystery was bridged when God was revealed to us in the person of Jesus, born in Nazareth. Through this person examples and teaching, which have been preserved and handed down to us in Holy Scriptures, we get a clearer glimpse of God. We have a sense of God's love for us and all the people of the world. We have a clearer understanding of what God requires of we who call ourselves disciples. And because of his resurrecting Christ, we have an awesome illustration of God's power over all of creation.
God's bridging of the mystery didn't end with the ascending of Christ into heaven, but continues today through a variety of experiences we have and what we witness in the lives of others. This ongoing activity of God is what we call the work of God as Holy Spirit. The work of God is still mysterious, but we reference the Holy Spirit as the dynamic in the midst of those things that have the characteristic mark of a benevolent and grace-filled God.
The nature of God, through Christ and the Holy Spirit, is to seek us out and let us know that we are loved. God wants very much for us to know that forgiveness is available to all who seek it, and the only thing required of us is to acknowledge, or repent, of past sins, and seek to live a life as a Christian disciple. There is nothing we have to do to deserve this, and there is nothing we have done or can do to earn such a gift. We call this ceaseless desire of God to welcome us at any time, the wonderful "grace" of God.
When we acknowledge to God our sins and seek to begin a new life in Christ, we experience an inner change which we call being "justified". Another word that might be more understandable is, "pardoned". Justification means that we have entered into a relationship with God. This new arrangement is not one of constraint or limitations, but freeing and peace-filling. At the moment of justification, we are liberated from self-interests, uncertainty, and anxiety, and we are brought into the calming self-assurance of knowing we're in harmony with the sole Creator of the universe.
Once a person has begun a walk on the Christian pathway, there is a desire to know things, eternal things, heavenly things, practical applications, and more. The study of Scripture, evaluation of personal experiences through Christian understanding, the exploration of church history and traditions, and the balance of our personal reason becomes a life long quest for growing in faith and understanding. As persons grow in knowledge and understanding, their lives take on a deeper reflection of God's character revealed in Christ. This movement toward personal holiness is what we call "sanctification". It's a movement toward being more Christ-like in all expressions of our lives, mind, motivations, actions, words, and more.
We celebrate the two sacraments ordained by Jesus Christ; Baptism and Holy Communion.
Baptism |
We, like many mainstream Christians, baptize infants as well as older youth, and adults. When infants are baptized, we ask the parents and the congregation to make a vow that they will live in such a way that their lives and support for ministry in the church may serve as an example to the child(ren) being baptized, an example of the way Christ calls his disciples to live. The parents and congregation pledge to raise the child(ren) under the ministry and guidance of the church until they accept the gift of salvation for themselves and become full and responsible members of the church. United Methodists select any of the three historic modes of Baptism; fully body immersion, pouring from a cup, or sprinkling by hand. The most common method is by sprinkling and it's done as part of a full worship service with the congregation present. |
Holy Communion |
We celebrate Holy Communion. Before we share in the meal we read together a liturgy that is reflective of the same words that have been spoken since the first century when our church was just beginning. We do not limit the meal to only members of our church or our denomination. We believe that Christ's table is open to everyone who is wiling to ask forgiveness of their sins, and intends to live in love and charity with their neighbors, and will seek to follow the commandments of God. (Some parents choose to follow the practice of having their child(ren) wait for their first communion until after they have been confirmed as members, while others follow the practice of bringing their child(ren) to the table to participate fully.) |
