What We Believe
“We are proud members of the United Methodist Church that has a rich history dating back to 1770, when the oldest Methodist church in America was founded in New York City. In 1968, the Methodist Church joined with the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form the United Methodist Church.”
The United Methodist Church is a worldwide connection of more than 12 million members in Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States. We are the person next door, the church on the other side of the country, and the worshiping community across the globe. Together, we share a legacy of living as disciples of Jesus Christ, sharing God's love both in what we say and how we serve our neighbors.
The United Methodist Church shares a great deal with other Christian denominations. We believe God's grace is open to all, and therefore practice "open Communion"--meaning that anyone may participate in receiving Communion. We believe salvation is an open gift from God, accepted by individuals according to their own free will. The United Methodist denomination is a "big tent" theologically, providing space for theological discourse and, at times, disagreement.
Like many other Christian groups, we affirm the beliefs expressed in the Apostles Creed. These include:
The belief in one God, who is the Creator and sustainer of the universe.
The belief in the Trinity, that there is one God in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is fully human and fully divine.
To find out more about what it is to be a member of the United Methodist Church, please visit the UMC website.