Our Beliefs and Practices
About God
We believe God exists as an eternal relationship of love among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, inviting us to participate in that relationship of love. God is the great mystery and creator of the universe. We were created in God’s own image, to love and to be loved.
God the Son became human in Jesus Christ, and is our example for living a life of love, courage and dedication. We believe Jesus helps us understand a deep joy in sacrifice, and is our source of salvation. We believe Jesus died, and was resurrected, defeating the power of sin and death, allowing us to truly live.
God the Holy Spirit is an active power in each of our lives. The Holy Spirit is God’s presence living in us, and serves as sustainer, encourager, and comforter as we move through daily life.
About the Community of Faith
New Hope is a Community of Faith that accepts every person who walks through our doors just as they are. We long to be a wider family of faith, going beyond our building to be in ministry outside our doors. We live out our faithfulness to this community through participation in “The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations” as described in the “Our Goals” (link) page.
About the World
We believe God is interested in redeeming the entire world to be that which God created it to be. Our vision of the world is seen through the lens of grace. God’s grace is freely given to us from the beginning of our lives to draw us to God, forgive us of our sins, and transform us into the people God created us to be.
About Being United Methodists
As United Methodists we open our doors and hearts to all people. As we struggle to make decisions about how to live, we do so with prayer and study. Scripture is the primary source for our beliefs. Our beliefs are also guided by Tradition (the practices of the Christian church through the ages), Experience (the spiritual experiences of Christians overall), and Reason (we believe in a faith that makes sense).
In the simplest sense, as United Methodists we believe: “If your heart is like my heart, take my hand” (2 Kings 10: 15) – and we will walk together…….