We believe the church belongs to God and that the church is, in the words of the Apostle Paul, the body of Christ. The church is to be the physical presence of Christ in the world. As such, our primary aim is to do God’s will. As United Methodist Christians, what we believe is generally similar to most mainline and evangelical Protestant denominations.
Some of our Holy Basics are as follows:
1. Holy Trinity – We believe that God is One God in three Persons: Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.
2. Holy Scripture – We believe that the writings of the Bible are the inspired
Word of the Living God.
3. Holy Covenant – We believe that God created humanity to live in a Holy
Covenant with Him. However, through sin, we have violated that Holy
Covenant and caused ourselves to be separated from Him. Yet, God is
always faithful and always keeps His covenantal promises. Despite our
disobedience, God Himself entered our existence in the form of Jesus of
Nazareth and acted on our behalf through His life, death, and resurrection
to offer us salvation and the hope of eternal life. We can enter back into
faithful covenant with God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is through
Christ – and Christ alone – that the God-human relationship is restored.
4. Holy Sacraments – We believe that there are two Sacraments:
a. Holy Baptism:
[1] We do practice infant Baptism.
[2] We do not practice re-Baptism.
[3] We do recognize Baptism from other Christian
denominations.
[4] We commonly practice the celebration of Baptism through
the mode of sprinkling.
b. Holy Communion:
[1] We believe that the Table is the Lord’s.
[2] We practice open Communion.
[3] We practice communion every Sunday (and many other times as well).
5. Holy Grace – We believe that God freely gives unmerited favor to all
people. As such, it is manifested to individuals as salvation and eternal
life through one’s faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ.
6. Holy Dignity of Free Will – We believe that people, although fallen and
depraved by sin, are free to make our own choices because of God’s
grace.
7. Holy Inclusivity – We are pleased to welcome people of all races,
cultures, and ages.
8. Holy Discipline – We believe in practicing the varied Disciplines of
Grace (prayer, study, worship, etc.).
We believe the church belongs to God and that the church is, in the words of the Apostle Paul, the body of Christ. The church is to be the physical presence of Christ in the world. As such, our primary aim is to do God’s will. As United Methodist Christians, what we believe is generally similar to most mainline and evangelical Protestant denominations.
Some of our Holy Basics are as follows:
1. Holy Trinity – We believe that God is One God in three Persons: Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.
2. Holy Scripture – We believe that the writings of the Bible are the inspired
Word of the Living God.
3. Holy Covenant – We believe that God created humanity to live in a Holy
Covenant with Him. However, through sin, we have violated that Holy
Covenant and caused ourselves to be separated from Him. Yet, God is
always faithful and always keeps His covenantal promises. Despite our
disobedience, God Himself entered our existence in the form of Jesus of
Nazareth and acted on our behalf through His life, death, and resurrection
to offer us salvation and the hope of eternal life. We can enter back into
faithful covenant with God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is through
Christ – and Christ alone – that the God-human relationship is restored.
4. Holy Sacraments – We believe that there are two Sacraments:
a. Holy Baptism:
[1] We do practice infant Baptism.
[2] We do not practice re-Baptism.
[3] We do recognize Baptism from other Christian
denominations.
[4] We commonly practice the celebration of Baptism through
the mode of sprinkling.
b. Holy Communion:
[1] We believe that the Table is the Lord’s.
[2] We practice open Communion.
[3] We practice communion every Sunday (and many other times as well).
5. Holy Grace – We believe that God freely gives unmerited favor to all
people. As such, it is manifested to individuals as salvation and eternal
life through one’s faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ.
6. Holy Dignity of Free Will – We believe that people, although fallen and
depraved by sin, are free to make our own choices because of God’s
grace.
7. Holy Inclusivity – We are pleased to welcome people of all races,
cultures, and ages.
8. Holy Discipline – We believe in practicing the varied Disciplines of
Grace (prayer, study, worship, etc.).
Some of our Wesleyan Distinctives are as follows:
1. General Atonement of Christ – We believe that the gracious benefits of
the atoning death of Christ are available to all people through faith.
2. Operation of Divine Grace – We believe that God’s grace is in constant
operation in a person’s life.
a. There is Prevenient Grace (preceding righteousness). This is the
grace of God that enables people to respond to His call for
salvation through faith in Christ and receive righteousness.
b. There is Justifying Grace (imputed righteousness). This is the
grace of God whereby the formal perfect righteousness of Christ is
granted to a person at their first moment of saving faith in Christ.
c. There is Sanctifying Grace (imparted righteousness). This is the
grace of God whereby the actual perfect righteousness of Christ
gradually becomes a growing reality in a person’s life beginning
continuing (barring apostasy) for the rest of their life.
3. Christian Perfection – We believe that, through the power of the
indwelling Holy Spirit, we are “being made perfect in love” (attaining a
genuine love of God and our neighbors) and that we are “going on to
perfection” (gradually through the journey of this life and finally with the
attainment of the ultimate heavenly state).
4. Good Works – We believe that Good Works are the fruit of a person’s
salvation. This means that faith in Christ issues in works, including a
commitment to social justice.
5. Christian Ecumenism – We believe that we are part of the universal
Church, the Body of Christ. This means that, as faithful Christians, we
are called by God to be actively involved in Christian ministry and
mission with all Christians of all communions.
6. Christian Nurture – We believe that we are called to be active and
committed members of a local church congregation. It is our close
relationship with other Christians in a local body that enables us to be
ministered to and to minister to others. We worship together, study the
Bible together, grow together as true disciples of Christ, and receive
encouragement together in the faith.