Our Beliefs

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

What We Believe

We are a community that seeks to walk together in the Light of Christ. Rooted in the rich heritage of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, we embrace the timeless teachings of Scripture, the historic Christian creeds, and the Lutheran Confessions. Our beliefs reflect our commitment to God’s grace, faith in Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word. We invite you to explore these core tenets that unite us as a family of believers.

Grace Alone

We believe that God’s grace is the cornerstone of our salvation. This grace is a free and unearned gift from God, given to us out of His boundless love and mercy. It is through grace alone that we are forgiven, redeemed, and welcomed into His family. 

Faith Alone

Our salvation is received through faith alone in Jesus Christ. This faith is a trust in God’s promises, made known to us through His Word. It is by faith that we are justified and made righteous before God, and that faith produces good works in joyful response to God’s love.

Scripture Alone

The Bible is the inerrant and infallible written word of God, and it is the ultimate norm and authority over all we practice and preach. In Scripture, God reveals His Law and His Gospel so that we would believe in His Son, Jesus, and be saved.

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This mystery of the Trinity is central to our faith, reflecting the dynamic and relational nature of God. Each person of the Trinity is fully God, yet there is only one God.

God the Father

God the Father is the creator and sustainer of all things. He is loving and merciful, inviting us into a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. As our heavenly Father, He provides for our needs and cares for us with His faithful and hospitable love.

  • 1 Corinthians 8:6: “Yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.”
  • Ephesians 4:6: “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
  • Matthew 6:9: “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.”
  • James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

God the Son

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is our Savior and Redeemer. He became incarnate (took on human flesh), lived a sinless life, and died on the cross to atone for our sins. Through His resurrection, He conquered death and offers us eternal life. His life-giving love and sacrifice are at the heart of our faith, calling us to follow Him.

  • John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
  • Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
  • 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”
  • John 14:6: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'”

God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is God’s presence with us, working in and through us to bring about His purposes. The Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth. The Holy Spirit creates faith with us through the means of grace: Baptism, The Lord’s Supper, Absolution, Preaching, and the encouragement of fellow believers 

  • John 14:26: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
  • John 16:13: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
  • 1 Corinthians 12:3: “Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.”

We acknowledge that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Sin separates us from God and each other, but through God’s grace and forgiveness, we are restored. We confess our sins and receive God’s absolution, striving to live faithfully and reflect His love and hospitality.

  • Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
  • 1 John 1:8-9: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
  • Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
  • James 4:17: “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

Salvation is a gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not earned by our works but given freely by God’s grace. This life-giving promise of eternal life and a restored relationship with God is available to all through trust in Jesus Christ.

  • Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
  • John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
  • Acts 4:12: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
  • Titus 3:5: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”

Baptism is a sacred act instituted by Christ, through which we are brought into God’s family. In Baptism, God works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe. It is not just plain water, but water included in God’s command and combined with God’s Word. As we are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we are reborn as children of God, marked with His promise and grace.

  • Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
  • Acts 2:38: “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”
  • Romans 6:4: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
  • 1 Peter 3:21: “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ”

The Lord’s Supper, also known as Holy Communion, is a sacrament instituted by Christ in which He gives us His true body and blood, under the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of sins. This sacred meal strengthens our faith, unites us with Christ, and with one another as the body of Christ. In the Lord’s Supper, we receive the assurance of Christ’s presence and His promise of eternal life.

  • Matthew 26:26-28: “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'”
  • 1 Corinthians 11:27-28: “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”

For more information about our beliefs and practice concerning communion, including whether you should take communion with us, click the button below.

Our church embraces and upholds the three ecumenical creeds of the historic Christian faith. These creeds are foundational to our beliefs and practices. Through Baptism, we welcome individuals into the faith, affirming the truths articulated in the Apostles’ Creed. The Nicene Creed is significant for its clear affirmation of Jesus Christ’s divine nature and His role in our salvation. We also recognize the profound declaration of the Trinity’s power and work as outlined in the Athanasian Creed. Additionally, as a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), we are bound to the Lutheran Confessions as found in the Book of Concord, which faithfully expound the teachings of Scripture. These creeds and confessions connect us with the faithful who have gone before us and those who will come after us, uniting the church across time and space. 

Christ does not indeed for believers to be alone, but in community in the “Body of Christ,” the church. The Church is founded through God’s Word by the Triune God, who gathers his people together around his Word and Sacraments to follow and witness to the crucified Christ.  The Church is the context for the Christian life.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:27: “Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it.”
  • Romans 12:4-5: “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
  • Ephesians 2:19-22: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
  • Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

The center of our life together is worship, when we gather together to receive God’s gifts through His Word and Sacraments. But we don’t stay there! Sunday prepares us for Monday, for the challenges and joys of the daily life of faith. Learn more about what to expect in our traditional and contemporary services when visiting us for the first time by clicking the button below.

  • Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
  • Psalm 95:1-2: “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!”
  • Romans 12:1: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
  • Psalm 122:1: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!'”

Still Have Questions?

We’re glad to tell you more about who we are! If you have more questions about our beliefs after looking this page over, or just want to chat, reach out to us!