THE STONE CHURCH
WITH A WARM HEART
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We believe in the sovereignty of God. God is the authority in our lives. We can’t control God. Our task is to seek out God’s call upon our lives and live it to the best of our ability.
We believe in the authority of Scripture. God’s word comes to us in the Old and New Testaments. This is the means by which God has shared God’s truth with humans. At the same time, though, not all scripture is equal! Humans are the ones who wrote down their perceptions and understandings of God. The test of time has shown that these writings contain holy wisdom, but we acknowledge that human culture has also gotten swept up, at times, with God’s truth. Presbyterians believe that the Holy Spirit continues to guide us as we study to discern God’s word to us today. In this manner we are said to be reformed and reforming! God continues to dawn new light and new understandings on us each day!
We believe in the justification by grace. We cannot earn God’s forgiveness and salvation. It is a free gift offered in the life and the death of Jesus Christ, God’s son who was both fully God and fully human. He lived and shared God’s truth, was crucified, died and was buried. God lifted him from the grave to offer life and healing to us all.
We believe in the priesthood of all believers. Everyone, lay people, as well as clergy have equal access to God. All are called to study God’s word and to discern for themselves God’s call upon their lives. People of good faith can disagree on matters of faith. In our congregation ALL people are welcome and considered children of God.
We observe two sacraments:
Baptism-- by which we are united with other believers and washed clean by Christ’s gift upon the cross. We observe infant baptism, as well as adult baptism, and baptism is a once for all time event in which we recognize that God is the one who has called us to faith in Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s Supper--This is also called the eucharist or communion. It is the breaking of bread and the pouring of the cup (We use grape juice) and with these elements we remember Christ’s last supper with his disciples. By taking these elements we are lifted spiritually into the presence of God where we are given the tools we need to follow in Christ’s way.
We share the good news of our faith. Just as Christ went about Galilee and Judea healing and offering new possibilities of life to those he encountered, we are called to seek out ways to bring Christ’s healing and love to our community and world. We begin by gathering together to worship and support one another. We then reach beyond our walls to love others in Christ’s name.
We believe in the authority of Scripture. God’s word comes to us in the Old and New Testaments. This is the means by which God has shared God’s truth with humans. At the same time, though, not all scripture is equal! Humans are the ones who wrote down their perceptions and understandings of God. The test of time has shown that these writings contain holy wisdom, but we acknowledge that human culture has also gotten swept up, at times, with God’s truth. Presbyterians believe that the Holy Spirit continues to guide us as we study to discern God’s word to us today. In this manner we are said to be reformed and reforming! God continues to dawn new light and new understandings on us each day!
We believe in the justification by grace. We cannot earn God’s forgiveness and salvation. It is a free gift offered in the life and the death of Jesus Christ, God’s son who was both fully God and fully human. He lived and shared God’s truth, was crucified, died and was buried. God lifted him from the grave to offer life and healing to us all.
We believe in the priesthood of all believers. Everyone, lay people, as well as clergy have equal access to God. All are called to study God’s word and to discern for themselves God’s call upon their lives. People of good faith can disagree on matters of faith. In our congregation ALL people are welcome and considered children of God.
We observe two sacraments:
Baptism-- by which we are united with other believers and washed clean by Christ’s gift upon the cross. We observe infant baptism, as well as adult baptism, and baptism is a once for all time event in which we recognize that God is the one who has called us to faith in Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s Supper--This is also called the eucharist or communion. It is the breaking of bread and the pouring of the cup (We use grape juice) and with these elements we remember Christ’s last supper with his disciples. By taking these elements we are lifted spiritually into the presence of God where we are given the tools we need to follow in Christ’s way.
We share the good news of our faith. Just as Christ went about Galilee and Judea healing and offering new possibilities of life to those he encountered, we are called to seek out ways to bring Christ’s healing and love to our community and world. We begin by gathering together to worship and support one another. We then reach beyond our walls to love others in Christ’s name.
