Statement of Faith:

 

We put Our trust in the One Triune God

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who is the Sovereign Creator of all humanity and of seen and unseen things. God set humans as stewards over creation to care for the world and to love their neighbor, even as they were to live in grateful dependence with Him. However, they refused to live according to His wisdom, and failed to trust that He was a good God who gave good gifts. This lack of trust invaded all of humanity. Rebelling against the ways of God, they become self-seeking and self-serving, enemies of God, suffering spiritual and physical death as the consequence. This broke the heart of God. Yet God, who desires all people to be restored to life as He intended it to be lived, did not abandon us. Throughout history God has initiated, established, and renewed the covenant of redemption that promised the ultimate reconciliation fulfilled in Jesus Christ, God’s eternal Son.

 

We put Our trust in Jesus Christ

who because of God’s love was sent to earth to redeem humanity. Being fully God, He humbled Himself and took on our humanity being born of the virgin Mary. He identified with sinners, healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, cared for the poor, taught about the goodness and holiness of God, performed miracles and called all to repentance for the forgiveness of their sins. Though He was holy and without sin, He secured our reconciliation with God when He suffered and died once, taking the wrath of God for the rebellion of all people past, present, and future. Three days later Christ rose from the dead to give eternal life to all who trust in Him. This faith, to trust in God’s righteous judgment and way of salvation, comes as a gift from God and is revealed by His Spirit. All who have received this gift are called to partner with Christ in the restoration of all things through the power of His Spirit. Jesus, who ascended into heaven, is the One who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and fire.

 

We put Our trust in the Holy Spirit

who was sent to us by Jesus to inaugurate God’s present and coming Kingdom rule. It is the Holy Spirit who leads us in prayer for others and ourselves. He illuminates Scripture, which is God’s self-revelation and how to live in light of that revelation. The Spirit also sanctifies, directs, and enables us to worship God and live as Christ’s witnesses where we live, eat, sleep, work and play. The Spirit has given gifts to all believers to build up and mature the people of God in their faith. He has given the ministry of the Word, the Sacraments of the Lord’s Supper and Baptism, and supernatural gifts, as means of His grace. It is through the preaching of the word that we encounter The Word, Jesus Christ. It is through the Lord’s Supper that we recall and celebrate our communion with Christ. It is through baptism that we celebrate our entry into the body of Christ, the believing community called the Church. In addition, it is through His supernatural gifts that we continue to do the same ministry of Christ Himself.

 

God Entrusts us to t he Church

who is the community of believers and God’s means of continuing the ministry of Jesus Christ to the world, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Being empowered with gifts distributed by the Holy Spirit and under the leadership of Jesus Christ, who is the head of the Church, we are to cultivate reconciliation between people and God, between individuals, and every place where sin has left its destructive marks whether on individuals, culture, society or the world. This is our acceptable service as the Church until Jesus physically comes again to wipe away every tear and restore all things to God. Then shall our reconciliation be made complete by the Almighty, Sovereign and Triune God with whom we shall live forever in unbroken fellowship.

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