Story of Redemption in Christ!

What defines those who gather together and call themselves the church?

Well we hope to be marked by wisdom and insight, counsel and valor, and as one’s who are true to God. As United Methodists we believe that we strive towards this is four ways. First we look towards the scriptures. We believe them to be a living word that can meet us where we are. But scriptures cannot be interpreted alone. They are looked at against the backdrop of tradition, of our collective history. Not just the history of the UMC, but of this particular UMC. Not just the history of the church as a whole, but the history of our experience with each of the churches we attended before. When we bring our traditions together, we have a richer understanding of who we are. We also believe that everyone’s experiences matters. We each have personal stories to tell, and we gather together to share those. God did not create human beings to be in a vacuum. No, we need to honor our past as we look towards our future. And out of our experiences, we derive wisdom. And reason. We are intelligent beings and church is not a place to throw that out the window. We gather together to help each other grow in reason and discernment.

Next, the church is about the marginalized first and foremost. This is not charity. This does not mean giving people handouts. It means sitting with people who have suffered various forms of oppression and creating a space where their story can be heard. It is asking them how they want to change what has been done to them, either personally or systemically, and seeing how we can match our gifts with theirs to make that happen. In a world that seems to have justice only for those who can afford it, this may be a charge that makes the church unpopular in the eyes of those who don’t understand this mission, but that does not excuse us from the charge. 

And lastly, we are about redefining relationships. Instead of asking what can the church do for me, we gather together to ask how we can serve each other and those we come into contact with each day. We say that each and every one of our relationships – no matter their level of depth – is important. And we exhibit this principle every week when we gather. Those around us in worship matter. The very presence of another human being affects our physiological responses. We need each other to be present around us in this space, because we are incomplete without each and every person. We are the body of Christ – with each of the members being vital. When we are not present, we cause the body to be less than what it could be.