WHO WE ARE
Guiding Principles
Compassion First
Compassion is the one activity that describes God, God is love. Compassion is the primary expression of all authentic Christianity. So, first and foremost, we try to be a community of compassion.
We Are Inclusive and Open and Affirming
We are a people of grace and welcome, affirming that membership, employment, participation, and leadership is not restricted on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, family configuration, national origin, ethnic identity, physical or mental ability, socio-economic status, age, political stance or Christian theological perspective.
We are Non-Creedal
Okay, what in the world does this mean? It simply means, we do not adhere to any particular creed or demand the adherence to any statement of faith. Most creeds were developed to identify heretics. Most creeds contain little or no statements about what Jesus of Nazareth actually did during his life. Creeds and statements of faith are lacking for this reason. So, we allow people the freedom to grow their own faith and be true to their own conscience.
Taking the Bible Seriously, Not Literally
We study the Bible as a document of ancient people's testimony about God. The Hebrew Scriptures are Israel's testimony and the New Testament is the early church's testimony about experiencing God through the person of Jesus of Nazareth. We do not read the Bible in a simple literalistic way, but rather take into consideration the cultural context and meaning of the text to its first readers. We take the Bible "seriously but not literally." The Bible is primarily a book of faith.
Jesus Showed Us God
Jesus is the center of our faith, more so than the Bible. We believe that Jesus' life (how he lived, what he did) revealed what God wants from all humanity. His message, life, and the way he faced death, still are relevant to us today and help us access God's will for our lives.
Salvation is About a Journey, Not a Destination
Salvation is a common term used in many religious circles. Of course, it is not primarily a "spiritual" term. Salvation comes in many forms, depending on what you need to be "saved" from. If you are hungry, salvation comes in the form of food. If a relationship is falling apart, salvation comes in the form of reconciliation. So, we understand salvation to be multi-dimensional. It's not about getting fire insurance to avoid hell. Salvation is the experience of moving closer to health and wholeness. Salvation is also progressive, it is not a one time shot. The Christian scriptures use salvation in all three tenses: We are saved. We are being saved. We will be saved. Thus, salvation is a journey, in which the Christian experiences salvation in the past, present, and future.
