I trust and believe in one triune God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, creator and sustainer of the evolving universe. I believe that God created all people equally in the image of God, yet “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. (Rom 3:23) From this I am reminded that I act in ways that separate me from God.  I trust and believe that God is merciful and gracious and through Jesus Christ redeems all of my sins. God is a God who is faithful to me even when I fail to reciprocate with faithfulness. I believe God is infinite in wisdom and is the great “I AM.” God is indescribable within our confining language but can be known through God’s characteristics as witnessed within scriptures and within God’s actions in the world.  

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I trust and believe in Christ who lived and continues to live among us. I trust and believe that Christ is God incarnate being fully human and fully divine. He came proclaiming the new kingdom in which He preached a radical message of grace that embraced the impoverished, destitute, unclean, and marginalized of society. He came offering healing, comfort, and salvation for all in need. The kingdom he proclaimed challenged authoritative institutions by confronting their legalism and oppression of others. Because Jesus came offering grace to all, He willingly submitted to painful suffering by death on a cross and was resurrected, defeating death and evil once and for all.  Through this gracious act He offers salvation for all.

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I trust and believe in the Holy Spirit, poured out on Pentecost Sunday who offers comfort, guidance, and claim us binding together God’s people in all places. It is the Holy Spirit that prays when we can’t find the words, gives us courage, and invites us to live faithfully as servants in Christ’s kingdom. I believe it is the Holy Spirit that empowers our faith making us able to follow Christ. 

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I trust and believe that salvation is a gift of grace given by God through Christ’s redemptive sacrifice and not received by our own means. Salvation means we have been made right before God despite the many times we fall to sin. Salvation is something to be rejoiced and gives us hope of eternal life with God. It is this gift of salvation that should stir in each believer the desire to live a life worthy of Christ’s sacrifice.  

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I trust and believe in Scripture, but not always in how they are interpreted by humans. I trust that the Scriptures are the word of God revealed most fully in the life of Jesus, but also written and translated by fallible humans.

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I trust and believe that God works in and through the church which consists of the communion of saints in all times. I believe that when we gather with the saints in corporate worship we experience Christ’s Spirit especially vivid in the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s supper. I believe that the sacraments are gifts of God’s grace. I believe in one baptism in which the Spirit claims us as God’s children. I believe that Jesus gave the sacrament of the Lord’s supper to remind us of His sacrifice and nourish our faith. When we participate in the Lord’s supper we are celebrating God’s grace and the presence of Christ uniting us with Christians in all times and places.

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I believe that the mission of the church is to proclaim Christ’s gospel of grace and salvation. The church is called to continue Christ’s work in the world. I believe this calling recognizes that the church is to be a unified faith community who trust in God above all else, who recognizes Jesus as head, and who allows the Holy Spirit to work in and through all ministries as witnesses to God’s saving grace. I believe the church is called to care for those in need, stand against injustices, and “speak truth in love.” (Eph 4:15)

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I trust and believe that in life and death I belong to God. The Holy Spirit abides in me, reminding me of Christ’s death and resurrection which makes me righteous before God forever.