We’re First Wayne Street United Methodist Church, and so our beliefs as a church community align with those of the United Methodist Church. We believe in God’s grace, in the dignity and responsibility of all people, and in the infinite possibility of conversion and new birth. We believe that faith and good works belong together, and that churches should work together to help do good and transform the world.
We believe in God’s grace.
Grace – the beautiful free gift of God’s love for every person. It is a love you cannot work to gain but only accept and share. Grace is the love God showed to us in Jesus. Jesus shared God’s grace when he ate with sinners, when he taught on the hillside, when he died upon the cross, and when he arose from the grave. It is God’s grace that draws us near to Christ, forgives us in our sin, and moves us to love others and to grow into the perfection of Christ’s love.
We believe in the dignity and responsibility of all people.
Every person is a special child of God. Because all persons are our sisters and brothers, we will work to bring them to the love of Christ, to bring about justice and equality, to be messengers of peace, and to bear other’s burdens.
We believe in conversion and new birth.
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 A change can happen in people when they turn away from selfishness and sin and experience the love of Christ. For some persons the experience is sudden – maybe while at prayer, in worship, or while gazing at the splendors of nature. For others the conversion happens after years of being in the church – when one is able to say for him or herself, “Jesus, you are my Lord and my Savior.”
We believe faith and good works belong together.
Love of Christ overflows into a love for all people. The Letter of James says: “Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” – James 2:17 John Wesley called people to actions born out of a heart aflame with Christ’s love. He referred to this outreach as social holiness. Being in a personal relationship with Christ leads one where Christ travels – among the broken in our world. Christ calls us to minister, heal, feed, and free as he does.
We believe in a connectional church.
We are one in Christ Jesus. We believe churches are called to work together – sharing insights and resources – to reach others for Christ. Through denominational organization and structures we maximize our effectiveness in making disciples and being in mission. Our collective strength is a transforming presence for good in the world.