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ABOUT THE UMC
With Christians of other communions we confess belief in the triune
God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This confession embraces the biblical
witness to God’s activity in creation, encompasses God’s gracious
self-involvement in the dramas of history, and anticipates the
consummation of God’s reign.
The created order is designed for the well-being of all creatures and as
the place of human dwelling in covenant with God. As sinful creatures,
however, we have broken that covenant, become estranged from God,
wounded ourselves and one another, and wreaked havoc throughout the
natural order. We stand in need of redemption.
" ... Because God truly loves us, GOD summons us to repentance, pardons
us, receives us by that grace given to us in Jesus Christ, and gives us
hope of life eternal."
THE SACRAMENTS
Sacraments ordained of Christ are not only badges or tokens of Christian
men’s profession, but rather they are certain signs of grace, and God’s
good will toward us, by which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not
only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm, our faith in him. There
are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to
say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.
Those five commonly called sacraments, that is to say, confirmation,
penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction, are not to be counted
for Sacraments of the Gospel; being such as have partly grown out of the
corrupt following of the apostles, and partly are states of life allowed
in the Scriptures, but yet have not the like nature of Baptism and the
Lord’s Supper, because they have not any visible sign or ceremony
ordained of God.
The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be
carried about; but that we should duly use them. And in such only as
worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation;
but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves
condemnation, as St. Paul saith.
OUR SYMBOL
Each time you see the cross and flame emblem, you are looking at United
Methodism's official symbol.
Known informally as the cross and flame logo but formally known as the
denomination's insignia, it has been in use nearly three decades. It is
seen in cities, towns and rural areas at every point on the globe.
The insignia is a cross linked with a dual flame. This symbol relates
our church to God by way of the second and third persons of the Trinity;
the Christ (cross) and the Holy Spirit (flame).
Apart from Wesleyan Trinitarian theology and warmth, the flame has two
other connotations. The flame suggests Pentecost when witnesses saw
"tongues as of fire." And the duality of the flame was meant to
represent the merger in 1968 of two denominations: The Methodist Church
and the Evangelical United Brethren Church.
OUR HISTORY
On April 23, 1968, The United Methodist Church was created when Bishop
Reuben H. Mueller, representing The Evangelical United Brethren Church,
and Bishop Lloyd C. Wicke of The Methodist Church joined hands at the
constituting General Conference in Dallas, Texas. With the words, "Lord
of the Church, we are united in Thee, in Thy Church and now in The
United Methodist Church," the new denomination was given birth by two
churches that had distinguished histories and influential ministries in
various parts of the world.
Theological traditions steeped in the Protestant Reformation and
Wesleyanism, similar ecclesiastical structures, and relationships that
dated back almost two hundred years facilitated the union. In the
Evangelical United Brethren heritage, for example, Philip William
Otterbein, the principal founder of the United Brethren in Christ,
assisted in the ordination of Francis Asbury to the superintendency of
American Methodist work. Jacob Albright, through whose religious
experience and leadership the Evangelical Association was begun, was
nurtured in a Methodist class meeting following his conversion.
OUR SOCIAL CREED
We believe in God, Creator of the world; and in Jesus Christ, the
Redeemer of creation. We believe in the Holy Spirit, through whom we
acknowledge God’s gifts, and we repent of our sin in misusing these
gifts to idolatrous ends.
We affirm the natural world as God’s handiwork and dedicate ourselves to
its preservation, enhancement, and faithful use by humankind.
We joyfully receive for ourselves and others the blessings of community,
sexuality, marriage, and the family.
We commit ourselves to the rights of men, women, children, youth, young
adults, the aging, and people with disabilities; to improvement of the
quality of life; and to the rights and dignity of racial, ethnic, and
religious minorities.
We believe in the right and duty of persons to work for the glory of God
and the good of themselves and others and in the protection of their
welfare in so doing; in the rights to property as a trust from God,
collective bargaining, and responsible consumption; and in the
elimination of economic and social distress.
We dedicate ourselves to peace throughout the world, to the rule of
justice and law among nations, and to individual freedom for all people
of the world.
We believe in the present and final triumph of God’s Word in human
affairs and gladly accept our commission to manifest the life of the
gospel in the world. Amen.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PLEASE VISIT THE
GENERAL CHURCH WEBSITES AT
WWW.UMC.ORG AND
INFOSERV.UMC.ORG/FAQ
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