Q & A With the Minister, Reverend Mark Fountain > Belief Questions > What do you believe?
Dear Friends:
These are answers to FAQ I receive about the church. They may not supply all the information you need, but perhaps they can start a conversation. Contact me at any time: mfountain@mac.com
Peace,
Mark Fountain, Minister
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We believe in the love of God, known personally, shared in community, and offered to the world in active expressions of compassion and justice. God's love is a deep well, from which we replenish our life and discover our purpose as a congregation.
The current religious climate tends to divide, distinguish, and exclude. As an alternative, we invite all people to experience the generous quality of God's love, expressed throughout the story of Scripture and embodied in the life of Jesus, who taught us to respond to the wonder, hardships, and opportunities of life by "loving God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind, and loving our neighbors as ourselves." (Matthew 22:7)
Women, men, and children from a wide variety of Christian traditions--including Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Baptists, and Roman Catholics--have found in our church a home for their rich and varied backgrounds. People from a broad range of Christian beliefs--conservative, moderate, and liberal--can be found sitting side by side during worship on Sunday mornings.
True to our Congregational story and the Mayflower window seen as you enter the Sanctuary, we are a "pilgrim people." So, we don't claim to have "arrived," but at our best we have a passion for the journey. The broad ecumenical values of historic Christian faith help to unite us. However, in the non-essentials, we celebrate our diversity and maintain an open spirit of acceptance toward one another. Our purpose statement is a working document that helps to capture the life and spirit of what we believe:
We are a Christian community of individuals, bound by covenant, directly responsible to God. United in love as followers of Christ, we seek a closer walk with him.
While respecting the diversity of peoples and religions in our world, we are dedicated to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Guided by Scripture, we practice our faith through worship, fellowship, prayer, and education for all ages. Led by the Holy Spirit, we aspire to serve with compassion those within and beyond our doors.
For the gift of God's creation, and for the peace and joy that comes from following Christ, we give thanks and rejoice!