We are Christians
We believe in one God. We believe that God created and sustains the universe. We believe that God came into this world in a special way through the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the way the love of God is present in the world.
Our Sacraments
Together, with many Protestant churches, we recognize two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion. In a sacrament, God uses material things to express sacred mysteries.
Holy Baptism is the sacrament that initiates us into the church. Christian baptism is by water and the Spirit. In Baptism, we identify ourselves with the people of God and join the community’s journey toward God. In Baptism, we become members of Christ’s church.
Holy Communion is the sacrament that nourishes us in our journey by using real food and drink to re-enact Christ’s last meal with his disciples. As we return to the Table again and again, we are strengthened and we have the experience of being part of the church as the body of Christ in the world. Our celebration of Communion is open to all who wish to participate in Christian community.
Our Sacred Writings
We believe that the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and the New Testament are collections of writings inspired by God and written down by imperfect people. We believe they contain what is needed to give meaning to life. We believe they are worthy of our study, preaching and reflection.
A Congregation of the United Methodist Church
We belong to The United Methodist Church (link to UMC.org), which traces its roots back to John Wesley’s ministry of church renewal in England and North America. Through Wesley (1731-1791), we share in shared Christian tradition reaching back in history through the Church of England and the Catholic Church back to the earliest Apostles. Today, the United Methodist church is a denomination of 8.5 million Christians in the United States and about one million around the world. We are a member of the Holston Annual Conference (link to holston.org) (regional area) of the United Methodist Church.
We Are a Community that Extends Hospitality
Yes, we understand that every church would consider themselves to be a friendly and welcoming church. We think it is important enough to be a part of our vision. Everything we do, from worship to serving in the community, is viewed through the lens of hospitality. This kind of hospitality is not just limited to our sanctuary. We strive to extend it into the community by welcoming many groups and organizations to use our facilities. Not only is our building used for worship and study, but it is a place for meetings, creativity, and recovery.
We Are a Community that Serves
In the New Testament, James’ letter to the Christian community implores the early church to remember that “faith without works is dead.” Jesus reminds us that whatever we do to the poor, marginalized, those in prison and those who are different from us, you’ve done it to Him.
We take seriously our call to serve the community. We start right here in our own neighborhood with our service to the Fulton High School and Beaumont Magnet Academy communities, as well as the Volunteer Ministry Center. A faithful response to our Baptism is to serve others.
We are a Community that Embraces All
We believe that the Body of Christ should be diverse in every way possible. We strive to include all on this journey we travel together. But even beyond including others, we seek to embrace all. There are no qualifiers. You are welcome here. Embracing all goes beyond just welcoming. We desire to be in relationship and in ministry WITH all people. This is no more evident than in our ministry with our special needs friends. When we embrace all, we go beyond just welcoming and including. We say, “ALL of who you are is a part of this body.” In embracing all, we recognize the variety of gifts, talents, skills and abilities that each of us bring to the church.
We Are a Community that Extends Hospitality
Yes, we understand that every church would consider themselves to be a friendly and welcoming church. We think it is important enough to be a part of our vision. Everything we do, from worship to serving in the community, is viewed through the lens of hospitality. This kind of hospitality is not just limited to our sanctuary. We strive to extend it into the community by welcoming many groups and organizations to use our facilities. Not only is our building used for worship and study, but it is a place for meetings, creativity, and recovery.
We Are a Community that Serves
In the New Testament, James’ letter to the Christian community implores the early church to remember that “faith without works is dead.” Jesus reminds us that whatever we do to the poor, marginalized, those in prison and those who are different from us, you’ve done it to Him.
We take seriously our call to serve the community. We start right here in our own neighborhood with our service to the Fulton High School and Beaumont Magnet Academy communities, as well as the Volunteer Ministry Center. A faithful response to our Baptism is to serve others.
We are a Community that Embraces All
We believe that the Body of Christ should be diverse in every way possible. We strive to include all on this journey we travel together. But even beyond including others, we seek to embrace all. There are no qualifiers. You are welcome here. Embracing all goes beyond just welcoming. We desire to be in relationship and in ministry WITH all people. This is no more evident than in our ministry with our special needs friends. When we embrace all, we go beyond just welcoming and including. We say, “ALL of who you are is a part of this body.” In embracing all, we recognize the variety of gifts, talents, skills and abilities that each of us bring to the church.
