What We Believe
Purpose The purpose of this church shall be as revealed in the New Testament, to win people to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and commit them actively to the church, to help them grow in grace and in knowledge of Christ that increasingly they may know and do His will, and to work for the unity of all Christians and with them engage in the common task of building the Kingdom of God.
Statement of Identity
We are Disciples of Christ,
a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord's Table as God has welcomed us. • Disciples of Christ Statement Of Identity Our Confession
This confession is the opening paragraph in the Preamble to the Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It is used by many Disciples congregations in worship as an affirmation of the faith of the church throughout the ages – not as a “test of fellowship,” but as a statement of faith that identifies the Disciples’ commitment to and place within the universal and ecumenical church.
As members of the Christian Church, We confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and proclaim him Lord and Savior of the world. In Christ's name and by his grace we accept our mission of witness and service to all people. We rejoice in God, maker of heaven and earth, and in God’s covenant of love which binds us to God and to one another. Through baptism into Christ we enter into newness of life and are made one with the whole people of God. In the communion of the Holy Spirit we are joined together in discipleship and in obedience to Christ. At the Table of the Lord we celebrate with thanksgiving the saving acts and presence of Christ. Within the universal church we receive the gift of ministry and the light of scripture. In the bonds of Christian faith we yield ourselves to God that we may serve the One whose kingdom has no end. Blessing, glory, and honor be to God forever. Amen. CommunionFor I have received of the Lord what I have also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way he took the cup also after supper saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread, and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
I Corinthians 11:23-26 (NRSV) From the Preamble of The Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ): "At the Table of the Lord we celebrate with thanksgiving the saving acts and presence of Christ" The Lord's Supper or Communion is celebrated in weekly worship. It is open to all who are followers of Jesus Christ. The practice of Holy Communion has become the central element of worship within the Disciples tradition. Disciples' observance of the Lord's Supper emanates from the upper room, where Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the living Christ is met and received in the sharing of the bread and the cup, representative of the body and blood of Jesus. The presence of the living Lord is affirmed and he is proclaimed to be the dominant power in our lives. We practice "Open Communion", meaning that ALL Christians are welcome to the communion table regardless of church membership or denominational affiliation. |
Baptism
Peter said to them," Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven;, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Acts 2:38 (NRSV) From the Preamble to The Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), rev. 2005 "Through baptism into Christ, we enter into newness of life and are made one with the whole people of God." Just as the baptism represents the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it symbolizes the death and burial of the old self of the repentant believer, and the joyous birth of a brand new being in Christ. Those who founded the Disciples movement taught baptism by immersion as the accepted form. From the : "Word to the Church on Baptism," Commission on Theology, 1987 Baptism is a public act by which the church proclaims God’s grace, as revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, through the use of a visible sign of God’s gracious initiative and the human individual’s response in faith. With other Christians we affirm that baptism is at once a divine gift and a human response. Baptism, as a gift of grace, received by faith, expresses its meaning in a variety of images: new birth; a washing with water; a cleansing from sin; a sign of God’s forgiving grace; the power of new life now and the pledge of life in the age to come. The meaning of baptism is grounded in God’s redemptive action in Christ, it incorporates the believer in the community in the body of Christ, and it anticipates life in the coming age when the powers of the old world will be overcome, and the purposes of God will triumph. MembershipJoining us in our work for the Lord is easy! You may join by profession of faith and baptism, by statement or by letter from the church where your membership is currently. An opportunity is given at the close of each Sunday service for you to come forward and indicate your desire for salvation, re-dedication, baptism, church membership or prayer support. At any other time you may contact our Pastor or any member of the Elder, Deacon/Deaconess Board and they will be happy to assist you.
Most ImportantlyRomans 3:23
For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. John 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. Pray and ask God today to forgive you of your sins and tell him that you claim his free gift of grace and salvation and that you claim him as your Lord and Savior. If you did pray that prayer today, please contact us and let us know, so that we can rejoice with you and so that we can help you get started in your new walk with Christ. We look forward to hearing from you! |
