This We Believe…
We are non-creedal church. So one does not have to profess a belief or buy into any statements in order to be a part of our community. This freedom of belief and thought is essential to who we are as a community who choose to journey together. We strongly believe that no matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey you are welcome here!
As Christians we follow Jesus, but we know that Christianity is only one path of many. We believe that Jesus taught us first and foremost to love. He was an example of how to live, an embodiment of God’s love and light here on earth, and he taught us that God’s realm exists here on earth. He lived his life preaching about what he called the Kingdom of God and its accessibility to any who choose to seek it.
Each individual determines their relationship with God and their theological worldview. At its simplest and most complex, we believe God is love. Christianity is our chosen path, but we affirm that other paths to God are available through different religions and personal spirituality. We believe that the path to God is primarily through our actions- ie how we live our life. God’s requirement for us is that we seek justice, love kindness and walk humbly. -Micah 6:8
We believe in the Holy Spirit and its ability to transcend the world connecting each of us to one another and to our Creator. We are One in the Spirit, and this universal Oneness calls us to care for one another, all sentient beings and the very earth itself.
We believe in the power of prayer –that the very act of praying is transformative. This prayer has a powerful impact on our community, ourselves and connects us with our God. There is no one way to pray and we encourage one another to connect with God in a way that is most meaningful for the individual. Among our regular prayers we pray for strength for the weak, healing for the broken, courage for the frightened, comfort for the lonely, peace for the world –both the inner and the the outer, and love to be given and received by each of us.
Biblical teaching is at the center of our faith. We believe the Bible is the source of inspiration, and we have inherited this text from our ancient Jewish ancestors and the early Christian communities who wrote of their experiences and understanding of Jesus and the early Church. We do not take the Bible literally, but we take it seriously. It is a collection of human writings inspired by God’s Spirit. To that end we seek to understand it in it’s socio-cultural historical setting and then apply it as necessary to our lives. We believe the Bible holds timeless truths that transcend culture and can have a powerful effect upon our lives and our relationship with God and Jesus.
Speaking out against injustice and inequality is a mandate of our faith. The prophet Isaiah called us to loosen the yoke —and we are bound by this call to action. Therefore we seek to be a beacon of light in our community, struggling for justice, and living God’s love.
We embrace differences and diversity, gender equality, we openly welcome and affirm gay, lesbian, bisexuals and transgender persons, people of the Christian faith, or any other faith who choose to be a part of our community including those who profess no faith at all.
Our goal is not convert others to Christianity it is to live a Christ-like life and as we sing, “they will know we are Christians by our love.”
Isaiah 58:6-8
6 Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
We believe we have been called to carry the Light!