Central United Methodist Church

We believe that four things guide our way of life:

1. Scripture
2. Tradition
3. Experience
4. Reason

They are interdependent, and allow for variety in theology.

We believe in human dignity.

We believe that God gives each person dignity and moral responsibility. The full splendor of humanity is seen in God's personal revelation, Jesus Christ.

We believe in tolerance.

We believe that while United Methodism retains much from its heritage, it acknowledges the virtues of different points of view, even within the same community of believers.

We believe in the primary importance of Grace.

Grace [God forgiving and loving us, even though we don't deserve it] is God's loving action in human lives through the Holy Spirit. It is the spiritual climate and environment surrounding all human life.

United Methodists believe in "Prevenient" Grace.

Prevenient means "goes ahead" or "runs ahead." This is the Grace, the divine love, that runs ahead of our conscious impulses and leads our hearts toward faith.

We believe in Conversion and New Birth.

We believe that the human heart can change, through the grace and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

We believe in Faith and Good Works.

We believe you can not have one without the other. Personal salvation leads to involvement in Christian mission in the world. Faith compels us to reach out to each other in love.

We believe in the Sacraments.

Like most Protestants, we recognize only those sacraments in which Jesus Christ himself participated: Baptism and the Lord's Supper (communion).

For us, baptism is the sacrament of initiation that joins us with the church and with Christians everywhere. It is a symbol of new life, a promise of God's saving love, a sign of God's forgiveness of our sins. Both infants and adults can be baptized. A person receives the sacrament only once in his or her life. Water is the special symbol of baptism. We baptize by sprinkling, immersion, or pouring.

The Lord's Supper is a holy meal of bread and wine that symbolizes the body and blood of Christ. The Lord's Supper recalls the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and celebrates the unity of all members of God's family. By sharing the meal, we remember and give thanks for Christ's sacrifice for our sins.

Grace is

 

God's heart opened up to us,

God's hands reaching out to us,

God's voice calling out our names over and over again for as long as it takes us to

Open our hearts to trust Him,

Open our hands to grasp His, and

Open our ears to hear and answer His call.

It is because of God's grace that we affirm the following values and seek to live in faith by

 

Growing in closeness to Christ and our fellow believers through worship, education, prayer and personal devotion;

Reaching out to share the love and message of Jesus Christ as we seek to remain open to God's guidance and call in our lives;

Affirming our spiritual gifts and using them to glorify God, serve others and build up the body of Christ;

Creating a safe haven for healing and growth; a place where honesty and accountability are valued and lives transformed;

Equipping and supporting each person for servant leadership and for their own unique ministry.