About St. Paul Church

About St. Paul Church

St. Paul United Methodist Church

For over one hundred years, St. Paul United Methodist Church has developed and lived into a vibrant ministry and powerful tradition. St. Paul’s long tradition of bold vision, faithfulness, generosity, and inclusiveness continues on into its second century. Discover a little more about the church, what we believe, and how you can get involved.

About St. Paul Church

St. Paul is a multi-generational congregation of loving and imperfect people. As a congregation, we desire to engage our minds along the journey of faith. We seek to celebrate faith as a gift of God, a gift that transforms our hearts to share God’s heart. Ultimately, we commit our hearts and minds in steadfast and faithful hands-on service.

We seek to experience God in many ways – through worship, music, mission, art, and community.

At St. Paul, you will find a safe and open congregation where we experience the love of God and grow as followers of Jesus Christ. Know there is always place for you here.


What We Believe

As part of the United Methodist Church, St. Paul shares a common heritage with churches around the world. Our foundational statement of beliefs can be found in The Book of Discipline. We share the following affirmations in common with all Christian communities:

The Trinity

We describe God as three-in-one. “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” are most commonly used to refer to the threefold nature of God. Sometimes we use other terms, such as “Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.”

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2 CORINTHIANS 3:17

God
We Believe…
  • In one God, who created the world and all that is in it.
  • God is sovereign; that is, God is the ruler of the universe.
  • God is loving.
Jesus
We Believe…
  • Jesus was human. He lived as a man and died when he was crucified.
  • Jesus is divine. He is the Son of God.
  • God raised Jesus from the dead and that the risen Christ lives today.
  • Jesus is our Savior. In Christ we receive abundant life and forgiveness of sins.
  • Jesus is our Lord and that we are called to pattern our lives after his.
The Holy Spirit
We Believe…
  • God is with us through the Holy Spirit.
  • The Holy Spirit comforts us when we are in need and convicts us when we stray from God.
  • The Holy Spirit awakens us to God’s will and empowers us to live obediently.

God

 We love because he first loved us.
1 JOHN 4:19

The Bible
We Believe…

  • The Bible is God’s Word.
  • The Bible is the primary authority for our faith and practice.
  • It is important for Christians to study the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Human Beings
We Believe…

  • God created human beings in God’s image.
  • Humans can choose to accept or reject a relationship with God.
  • Humans need to be in relationship with God in order to be fully human.

The Church
We Believe…

  • Church is the body of Christ, an extension of Christ’s life and ministry in the world today.
  • The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
  • Church is “the communion of saints,” a community made up of all past, present, and future disciples of Christ.
  • Church is called to worship God and to support those who participate in its life as they grow in faith.

The Reign of God
We Believe…

  • The Kingdom (or reign of God) is both a present reality and future hope.
  • Wherever God’s will is done, the Kingdom is present. It was present in Jesus’ ministry, and it is also present in our world whenever persons and communities experience reconciliation, restoration, and healing.
  • The fulfillment of God’s Kingdom is still to come.
  • Church is called to be witness to the vision of what God’s kingdom will be like and a participant in helping to bring it to completion.
  • Gods’s reign is personal and social. Personally, we display the kingdom of God as our hearts and minds are transformed and we become more Christ-like. Socially, God’s vision for the Kingdom includes the restoration and transformation of all of creation.

Sacraments

Like many Protestants, we believe that baptism and communion are sacraments.

 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
JOHN 6:35

The Lord’s Supper (Communion, Eucharist)
We Believe…

  • The Lord’s Supper is a holy meal of bread and wine that symbolizes the body and blood of Christ.
  • The Lord’s Supper recalls the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and celebrates the unity of all the members of God’s family.
  • By sharing this meal, we give thanks for Christ’s sacrifice and are nourished and empowered to go into the world in mission and ministry.
  • We practice “open communion,” welcoming all who love Christ, repent of their sin, and seek to live in peace with one another. We offer a gluten-free option for those who experience food sensitivity.

Baptism
We Believe…

  • Through baptism we are joined with the church and with Christians everywhere.
  • Baptism is a symbol of new life and a sign of God’s love and forgiveness of our sins.
  • Persons of any age can be baptized.
  • We baptize by sprinkling, immersion, or pouring.
  • A person receives the sacrament of baptism only once in his or her life.

We Welcome You

St. Paul will always offer you a place to connect with God through prayer, study, and worship. With a multitude of activities, classes, events, and services, we hope you will find a place to connect. We welcome you to join us anytime.