Our Beliefs

• The Scripture (Old and New Testament) is all encompassing in all doctrines (teachings) and practices of the Christian living. 
• From the Scripture, the doctrines of God's prevenient grace, justification by faith, sanctification by the power of the Holy Spirit, and glorification with Christ, as well as the principles of the Christian practices are derived.
• God has provided us with the means of grace to help us in the process of sancitification, that is the conforming of our total self to the image of Christ. The Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper), along with public worship, prayer, fasting and abstinence, reading of the Holy Scripture, etc. are spritual disciplines to help us grow in faith. 
• Christians are called to be salt and light of the earth in ways that are consistent with the teaching of the Scripture. We are called to assist the poor, resist injustice in whatever form it presents itself, stand for and with the vulnerable and those unable to defend themselves, etc. 

The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church, along with the Confession of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethern,  are the official documents of the beliefs of the United Methodist Church. These two documents are complementary,  and were born in their context and historical epochs. It would be beneficial to read them in light of classical ecumenism, which would be part of our context today. 

CLASSICAL ECUMENISM 

A lot of work has been done toward understanding theological positions and practices in the Catholic, Orthodox, and various Protestant denominations. The classical ecumenism (build upon the ancient ecumenical consensus of the Christian doctrines) is bringing these Christian churches toward the fulfilment of Christ’s prayer in the Gospel of John 17: Ut unum sint “that they all may be one” (17:21).

The work is on-going; various ecumenical engagements continue to dispell misunderstanding toward certain practices or theological stances of a tradition, and encourage Christians across all-denominations to move beyond the suspicion and hostility in the past toward mutual understanding, dialogue, and partnership to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In principle, John Wesley would be one prominent proponent of classical ecumenism, as he describes in his sermon “Catholic spirit,” “If your heart is as my heart; if you love God and humankind, I ask no more. Simply give me your hand.” Wesley sees that the kingdom of God is not of one earthly church's project, but the aggregate contribution and synergy of those, across denominational boundaries, who have the Spirit of Christ in their heart.