We confess the historic teaching of the Christian Church that from the earliest days described the nature of God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  God is the Creator who orders and sustains the universe.  God so loved us that he gave us his begotten Son, Jesus Christ who is both divine and human.  He gave himself on the cross to be our Savior and Lord of our lives to transform us into his likeness.  Today, the Holy Spirit comforts, awakens, convicts and empowers us to transform the world.

We believe every person needs and may receive the unmerited favor of God available through Christ’s atonement on the cross.  We can also have assurance that we have salvation which grants abundant living and eternal life.

Salvation cannot be earned. While we embrace human free will, there’s no behavior, no matter how holy or righteous, by which we can achieve salvation. Rather, it’s the gift of a gracious God. God’s love, or grace, is given without any regard for our goodness. It’s unmerited, unconditional, and unending love.  Jesus is the manifestation of this grace.   By accepting Christ, we have power over sin and death.

We believe that the Church that it is an extension of Christ’s life and ministry in the world today, and that its purpose and mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ.  We believe that the Church is a place where broken people like ourselves can be healed.  The church helps us worship God and to support others as they grow in faith.

In thinking about our faith, we put primary reliance on the Bible. It’s the unique testimony to God’s self-disclosure history climaxing in the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ; and in the Spirit’s work in the early church. It’s our sacred canon and thus the decisive source of our Christian witness and the authoritative measure of the truth.

We believe that the kingdom or reign of God is both a present reality and a future hope. We believe that the reign of God is both personal and social. Personally, we display the kingdom of God as our hearts and minds are transformed and as we become more Christ-like. Socially, God’s vision for the kingdom includes the restoration and transformation of all of creation.

We hold baptism and holy communion as the sacraments of our faith.  Baptism is a symbol of initiation to a new life and a sign of God’s love and forgiveness.  As such, we believe that persons of any age can be baptized.  God offers this grace to all, as we begin our journey of faith.   We baptize by sprinkling, immersion or pouring.  We also encourage reaffirmation of our baptism.  Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, is a holy meal of bread and juice that symbolizes the body and blood of Christ.  It 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.