Statement Of Faith:
United Methodists share a common heritage with Christians of every generation and nation. This heritage is founded upon what the Bible says about Jesus Christ and which is the source and standard of all Christian teaching and belief. However, there are certain emphases of beliefs and practice that distinguish us from other denominations.

Distinctive United Methodist Emphases
God’s Grace Is Given To All - Divine love surrounds all humanity and precedes any and all of our conscious impulses. This grace prompts our first wish to please God, our first glimmer of understanding concerning God’s will and our first conviction of having sinned against God.

God’s Will Is To Save All - God reaches out in Jesus Christ to the repentant believer in accepting and forgiving love. Through the forgiveness of sin we are restored to God’s favor. Through the Holy Spirit our hearts are changed and we are given a spiritual “new birth”. This is often referred to as conversion. Such a change may be sudden and dramatic, or gradual and cumulative. Though it is a new beginning, it is also a part of an ongoing process. This salvation is accompanied by the inward assurance that we are now the children of God and a desire to express our faith through loving deeds.

Faith And Good Deeds Go Together - Faith is the only response essential for salvation. However, true and genuine faith will express itself in deeds of love. God’s grace calls forth human response and obedience.

Christians Are To Mature In Their Faith - Salvation does not end, but only begins, with the new birth. Through commitment and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are to grow in the knowledge and love of God and other human beings. In this way we become more like Christ who is the standard and goal of Christian living. Personal faith is nourished by worshiping with other Christians. Christian fellowship is essential for personal growth and for equipping and mobilizing the church for service to the world.

Christians Are To Have Concern For The World - Personal salvation should involve service to the world. Private devotion and love for God should overflow in love of others who do not yet know Christ as Savior and Lord. As Christians, we are to have concern for the spiritual as well as the physical and material needs of our fellow human beings in our own community and around the world. As United Methodists we respond to needs throughout the world by a connectional system based upon mutual responsiveness and accountability. Connectional ties bind United Methodists together in service, enabling faith to become active in love and intensifying our desire for peace and justice in the world.