God: We believe that God is the source and essence of all things. God has created and is still creating, therefore God is a dynamic presence in the world, and is still doing new things. We look to see where God is at work in the world and to join God in making a meaningful difference in the world.
Jesus: There are many understandings of Jesus in the United Church as there are in many denominations. Jesus is the son of God; a wise teacher, healer and friend; the Christ; the one who died because of sin; Saviour; companion; guide. We seek to be disciples of Jesus the Christ who shows us how to love and be in the world as one who changes the world. We encourage a relationship with Jesus who informs our daily living and calls us to live lives of justice and hope that lead to abundant life for all.
The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is that power that strengthens, guides, comforts and convicts us at different times in our lives and comes from God our source of life. The Holy Spirit moves in ways unknown and unseen and cannot so much be understood as felt and expressed through our daily living and our desire to be as God would have us be in the world.
The Bible: The Bible is the foundational and authoritative document of the United Church. We take the Bible seriously but not literally. The Bible is God-inspired and gives us the truth and wisdom that undergirds the life and work of the church and our personal lives. The Bible gives us a vision for a new creation in which we all hope and work toward as a community of faith.
Prayer: Prayer is communion with God and as such is expressed in a multitude of ways: spoken word; meditation; reflection; contemplation; song; and action. We express our relationship with God in ways seen and unseen and prayer is a reflection of the connection we feel with and to God.
Sin: Sin, in traditional terms is expressed as "missing the mark." We have missed the mark of all we can be. We sin when we don't express the fullness of what our lives can be. We believe that God is gracious and just and forgives us our sin yet gives us the example through Christ of what the fullness of life can look like and calls to express our full humanity. We are perfectly human and as such will fall short of the mark, but God calls us on to ever and ever greater opportunities to be our best.
United Church Creed:
We are not alone, we live in God's world
We Believe in God:
Who has Created and is creating
Who has come in Jesus, the Word
Made flesh, to reconcile
And make new,
Who works in us and others
By the Spirit
We Trust in God
We are called to be the Church:
To celebrate God's presence,
To live with respect in Creation
To love and serve others,
To seek justice and resist evil,
To proclaim Jesus crucified and risen,
Our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.