Beliefs

The United Methodist Church is an 11-million-strong global church

that opens hearts, opens doors and opens minds through active engagement with our world.

John Wesley and the early Methodists placed a primary emphasis on Christian living, on putting faith and love into action.

This emphasis on what Wesley referred to a "practical divinity" has continued to be a hallmark of the United Methodist Church today. We invite you to learn more about our rich theological heritage.

A distinctive characteristic of the Methodist teaching is that people must use logic and reason in all matters of faith.

Also important is the acknowledgement of "prevenient," "justifying" and "sanctifying" graces.

It is taught that people are blessed with these graces at different times through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prevenient grace is present before the y are saved from the error of their ways.
Justifying grace is given at the time of their repentance and forgiveness by God.
Sanctifying grace is received when they have finally been saved from theirs sins and the sins of the world.

Likewise, the Methodist Church places a great emphasis on missionary work and other forms of spreading the Word of God and His love to others.

United Methodists share the following basic affirmations in common with all Christian communities:

Trinity - We describe God in three persons: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are used to refer to the threefold nature of God.

God - We believe in one God, who created the world. We can experience God's love and grace.

Jesus - We believe that Jesus was human; he lived as a man and died when he was crucified. Jesus is our Savior; in Christ, we receive abundant life and forgiveness of sins.

The Holy Spirit - We believe that the Holy Spirit is God with us.

Human Beings - We believe that God created human beings in God's image. Humans can choose to accept or reject a relationship with God.

The Bible - We believe that the Bible is God's word.

The Reign of God - We believe that the kingdom of God is both a present reality and future hope.

Sacraments - We recognize two sacraments in which Christ himself participated:

Baptism - It is a symbol of new life and sign of God's love and forgiveness of our sins.
Communion - The Lord's Supper is a Holy meal of bread and wine that symbolizes the body and blood of Christ.

To learn more about Methodist denomination, please visit: http://www.umc.org