Our Beliefs
Trinity
We believe God has existed and will exist in three persons for all eternity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
God the Father
We believe in one God as the creator and ruler of the universe. He is all knowing, all powerful, always present, unchanging, and holy. He is loving, compassionate, and we can all experience God’s love and grace.
Jesus the Son
Jesus Christ is the Son of God who became human in Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was a person in every sense that we are. He was tempted. He grew weary. He wept. He expressed his anger. In fact, Jesus is God's picture of what it means to be a mature human being. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days, demonstrating His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory where He is the only Mediator between God and people. He will return again to earth and will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God’s presence among us. When we sense God's leading, God's challenge, or God's support or comfort, it's the Holy Spirit at work. The Holy Spirit lives in each of us from the moment of salvation providing us with the understanding of spiritual truth and the guidance to do what is right.
Man
We believe that God created man in His image and 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. When we sin, or turn our backs on God and God's expectations for us, we break our relationship with God. Through God's grace, we are restored and reunited with God, with creation, and with the persons God intended us to be.
Salvation
Salvation cannot be earned through good works. Rather, it's the gift of a gracious God. Only by acceptance of the death and resurrection of Christ can we be saved from the penalty of our sins. God's love, or grace, is given without any regard for our goodness. It's unmerited, unconditional, and unending love. As we come to accept this love, to entrust ourselves to it, and to ground our lives in it, we discover the wholeness that God has promised. This trust is called faith. God takes the initiative in grace; but only as we respond through faith is the change made complete within us.
The Church
The Church is the body of Christ. It is an extension of Christ’s life and ministry in the world today committed to glorifying God and making disciples of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
Sacraments
We recognize the two sacraments in which Christ himself participated: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
The Bible
We believe the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, is God’s Word to all people and is the primary authority for our faith and practice. The Bible is a collection of sixty-six books, thirty-nine in the Old Testament (or Hebrew Bible) and twenty-seven in the New Testament. These books were written over a one-thousand-year period in three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic (the language Jesus spoke), and Greek. Written by human authors inspired by God, we hold that the Holy Spirit works today in our study of the Scriptures, making the old words relevant to our daily lives.
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 (Communion)
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.