We confess the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
OUR BELIEFSWe confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of
all who believe.a. Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and
through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation.
b. The proclamation of God's message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of God,
revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed, beginning with the Word in cre-
ation, continuing in the history of Israel, and centering in all its fullness in the person and
work of Jesus Christ.
c. The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God.
Inspired by God's Spirit speaking through their authors, they record and announce
God's revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them God's Spirit speaks to us to
create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world.We accept the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God
and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life.We accept the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith.
OUR IDENTITY
We believe that all power in the Church belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ, its head.
All actions of this parish are to be carried out under his rule and authority.We believe that the Church exists both as an inclusive fellowship and as local congregations gathered
for worship and Christian service. Congregations find their fulfillment in the universal community of the
Church, and the universal Church exists in and through congregations. The Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America, therefore, derives its character and powers both from the sanction and represen-
tation of its congregations and from its inherent nature as an expression of the broader fellowship of
the faithful. In length, it acknowledges itself to be in the historic continuity of the communion of saints;
in breadth, it expresses the fellowship of believers and congregations in our day.OUR CALLING
We believe that the Church is a people created by God in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit,
called and sent to bear witness to God's creative, redeeming, and sanctifying activity in the world.To participate in God's mission, we:
a. Worship God in proclamation of the Word and administration of the sacraments and
through lives of prayer, praise, thanksgiving, witness, and service.
b. Proclaim God's saving Gospel of justification by grace for Christ's sake through alone,
according to the apostolic witness in the Holy Scripture, preserving and transmitting
the Gospel faithfully to future generations..
c. Carry out Christ's Great Commission by reaching out to all people to bring them to faith
in Christ and by doing all ministry with a global awareness consistent with the under-
standing of God as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier of all.
d. Serve in response to God's love to meet human needs, caring for the sick and the aged,
advocating dignity and justice for all people, working for peace and reconciliation
among the nations, and standing with the poor and powerless, and committing ourselves
to their needs.
e. Nurture members in the Word of God so as to grow in faith and hope and love, to see
daily life as the primary setting for the exercise of their Christian calling, and to use the
gifts of the Spirit for their life together and for their calling in the world.
f. Manifest the unity given to the people of God by living together in the love of Christ and
by joining with other Christians in prayer and action to express and preserve the unity
which the Spirit gives.To fulfill these purposes, we shall:
a. Provide services of worship at which the Word of God is preached and the sacraments
are administered.
b. Provide pastoral care and assist all members to participate in this ministry.
c. Challenge, equip, and support all members in carrying out their calling in their daily lives
and in their congregation.
d. Teach the Word of God
e. Witness to the reconciling Word of God in Christ, reaching out to all people.
f. Respond to human need, work for justice and peace, care for the sick and the suffering,
and participate responsibly in society.
g. Motivate members to provide financial support for the parish's ministry and the ministry
of other parts of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
h. Foster and participate in interdependent relationships with other congregations, the
synod, and the churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
i. Foster and participate in ecumenical relationships consistent with churchwide policy.
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