We revere the Bible as God’s inspired Word, and our interpretation of Scripture is guided by tradition, experience, and reason. And because we’re a United Methodist church, we uphold the doctrine and the Book of Discipline of the UMC.
We’re also inspired and guided by these documents:
The Apostles’ Creed
The Apostle’s Creed is a statement of Christian beliefs that likely dates back to the fourth century. United Methodists recite the creed as a way of sharing what we believe, declaring our unity with others who share those beliefs, and celebrating our place in a centuries-long tradition of faith.
When worshipping with United Methodists, you’ll likely hear the creed spoken aloud. If you don’t know it, don’t worry — the words are in our hymnal (and often in the Order of Worship, or the program for the day’s services). Feel free to say the creed with us. You can also just listen and decide for yourself how well it reflects your own beliefs:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;*
the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic** church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
*Traditionally, this creed included the words, “He descended in to hell.”
**Here, “catholic” means “universal.”
The Social Creed of the UMC
When we first read the Social Creed of the UMC together in Sunday school, our hearts were deeply moved. This creed resonates with us, expressing ways we want our faith to influence the way we respond to the social issues our world is facing today.
We invite you to read it, too, and prayerfully consider whether this creed speaks to your heart as powerfully as it did to ours:
The Social Creed
We believe in God, Creator of the world; and in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of creation. We believe in the Holy Spirit, through whom we acknowledge God’s gifts, and we repent of our sin in misusing these gifts to idolatrous ends.
We affirm the natural world as God’s handiwork and dedicate ourselves to its preservation, enhancement, and faithful use by humankind.
We joyfully receive for ourselves and others the blessings of community, sexuality, marriage, and the family.
We commit ourselves to the rights of men, women, children, youth, young adults, the aging, and people with disabilities; to improvement of the quality of life; and to the rights and dignity of all persons.
We believe in the right and duty of persons to work for the glory of God and the good of themselves and others and in the protection of their welfare in so doing; in the rights to property as a trust from God, collective bargaining, and responsible consumption; and in the elimination of economic and social distress.
We dedicate ourselves to peace throughout the world, to the rule of justice and law among nations, and to individual freedom for all people of the world.
We believe in the present and final triumph of God’s Word in human affairs and gladly accept our commission to manifest the life of the gospel in the world. Amen.
The Social Principles of the UMC
United Methodists have a proud legacy of working for social justice and liberty. We are bold enough to interpret God’s love, take a stand, and respond in a way that reflects our faith.
These Social Principles were published in 2016 in The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church. After a member of our Sunday school shared them with the class one week, we were moved to adopt these principles as our own:
The Natural World
All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it.
The Nurturing Community
We believe we have a responsibility to innovate, sponsor, and evaluate new forms of community that will encourage development of the fullest potential in individuals.
The Social Community
We affirm all persons as equally valuable in the sight of God’s sight. We reject discrimination and assert the rights of minority groups to equal opportunities.
The Economic Community
We claim all economic systems to be under the judgment of God no less than other facets of the created order.
The Political Community
We hold governments responsible for the protection of people’s basic freedoms. We believe that neither church nor state should attempt to dominate the other.
The World Community
God’s world is one world. We pledge ourselves to seek the meaning of the gospel in all issues that divide people and threaten the growth of world community.
