Statement of Faith

I believe in God the creator of the universe, who is the eternal wellspring of love and the source of everything good in creation. The one, true, sovereign, and holy God freely chooses to be in loving relationship with us. Our great comfort in life is that we belong to the almighty God, we are assured that God’s grace and eternal redemption are unconditional.

I believe in Jesus Christ’s redeeming work: He is the fount of salvation for our broken and hurting world. Fully God and fully human, Jesus of Nazareth’s fully lived in accordance with God’s will. The suffering of the Godhead on the cross is a sign of God’s solidarity with the suffering of the world. Christ’s journey from tomb to throne is a source of hope for the hopeless. The glory of Christ’s resurrection following his unjust execution is the beginning of a new creation and proof of God’s victory over the powers of sin and death.

 I believe in the Holy Spirit who is God moving in our midst, who sanctifies and seals us into Christ. The Holy Spirit breathes life into all of creation and continually beckons us towards peace and liberation. Through the Spirit we are empowered to receive and respond to God’s call.

I believe in the sacred mystery of the Holy Trinity: that the Godhead is comprised of three distinct yet equal Persons who move in perfect unity. The three are one eternal God, equal in power, purpose, and glory. The Trinity’s model of equality, unity, and love inspires us to remake our society in God’s image so that all may live peaceably. 

I believe that Scripture is God’s uniquely inspired revelation of Godself. God’s Word is not a demand for shallow obedience but is an invitation to holy dialogue with the Divine. Scripture challenges our self-reliance, convicts us of our shortcomings, assures us of God’s grace, and directs us towards God’s future. The Word of God as illuminated by the Holy Spirit is the ultimate source for our abiding discernment of God’s will.

I believe in the power of the Sacraments: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The holy Sacraments are physical manifestations of God’s love which bring us into the presence of God and orient us towards participation in God’s coming Kingdom. In Baptism, God’s grace is extended to all people and is a sign and seal of the new creation.  In sharing the common elements, we are united with Christ and with all of God’s people: past, present and future. The Lord’s Supper is a foretaste of our unity in the Kingdom of Heaven.

I believe that the Church is appointed to witness to the transformative gospel of Jesus Christ. Christ alone is head of the Church, and we are all called to be its hope-driven ministers. The kingdom building work of the Church is to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, heal the sick, comfort the grieving and free the oppressed. The Triune God, to whom we give all glory, honor, praise, and thanksgiving, is the sole focus of our worship and work.