OUR BELIEFS AND CORE VALUES
The Holy Bible
The United Methodist Church holds the Bible in the highest esteem, believing it to be God's holy, infallible word and containing all the information necessary for salvation. The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible, and inerrant.
(II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26)
God
There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and co-eternal.
(I John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11)
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was fully God and fully man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind and thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory.
(John 1:1,14, 20:28; I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6; I Timothy 2:5)
The Holy Spirit
God the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, convicts men of sin, regenerates, indwells, fills, keeps, empowers, and sets apart the believer for a holy life.
Humanity
Humanity was created good, but by voluntary sinful disobedience, fell. Humanity’s only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
(Gen. 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21)
Repentance
Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Jesus. This allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Through repentance we receive forgiveness of sins and salvation.
(Acts 2:21, 3:19; I John 1:9)
Salvation
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ: His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts.
(Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22)
Sanctification
Sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to continually be transformed into being more like Christ. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life. This is manifested through a deepening love of God and love of neighbor.
(John 1:12; John 14:17, 23; John 15:4; Romans 8:11; Revelation 3:20, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; II Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18, II Thessalonians 2:1-3, Romans 8:29, 12:1-2, Hebrews 2:11)
The Church
The church is the Body of Christ. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; John 17:11, 20-23)
The Sacraments
The United Methodist Church recognizes 2 sacraments: Holy Communion and Baptism. Wesley placed a great emphasis on the role of the Sacraments as a means of grace; the normal means or channels through which God conveys grace to human beings. How that grace is imparted is a Holy Mystery.
Baptism is our initiation into the church. As Christians, we are commanded to follow Jesus in water baptism in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Persons of all ages are welcome to be baptized in our church. Baptism is available through immersion, pouring, or sprinkling.
Holy Communion, also called The Lord’s Supper or Eucharist, recalls the Last Supper of Jesus with the disciples. It is a celebration and remembrance of God's grace and mercy through the sacrifice of his Son Jesus, of the resurrection of Christ, and of Christ's continuing presence with us. The bread represents Christ’s broken body while the blood represents the blood of Christ poured out for our sin. We celebrate Communion monthly. Typically, it is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month. We also share Communion at special services. Everyone is invited to receive Communion, regardless of church membership or age.
Resurrection
Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. Because of Christ’s resurrection, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation.
(Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28, 21:4; Acts 24:15; I Corinthians 15:42, 44; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21)
Eternity
Heaven is the eternal dwelling place for all believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Unbelievers will be judged by God and sent to Hell where they will be tormented and eternally separated from God.
(Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8, Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34; John 17:24; II Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 11:16; I Peter 1:4)
Second Coming
Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures.
(Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; II Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7)
OUR CORE VALUES
CHRIST
We believe that Jesus is the source of our Salvation. Without accepting the free gift of Salvation through Jesus' death on the cross, we would be dead in our sin. This free gift is available to all who believe in him and make Him Lord of our lives.
COMMUNITY
God created us to be in Christian community. Through gathering together in worship, we are equipped for the work of ministry. Within community, we grow in our faith, love, and support one another.
CHARITY
The 2 greatest commands are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We don't just believe these commands to be true, we put them into action.