We are a United Methodist congregation.
United Methodist beliefs have much in common with other Christian branches. We profess the historic Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed. We share a faith in salvation in and through Jesus Christ. We share a recognition of the authority of Scripture.
To read more about how our beliefs overlap with the rest of Christian tradition, a good summary can be found in a section of our Book of Discipline (BOD) called Our Common Heritage as Christians.
Yet, as a denomination that arose out of John Wesley's renewal movement in the Church of England, we do have some distinctive emphases.
1. Grace. You will hear Methodists talk about grace a lot. Grace is "the underserved, unmerited, and loving action of God" toward all humanity given through the Holy Spirit (BOD ¶ 102). Methodists understand God's character to be fundamentally gracious and loving. God's grace is extended to all people throughout our entire lives: drawing us into faith before we are even aware of God (prevenient grace), setting us in a right relationship with God through forgiveness and a renewed heart (justifying grace), and deepening our love of God and neighbor even to the point that we love as Jesus loves (sanctifying grace).
2. Christian Perfection. Methodists trust that the power of God's grace never ceases working in our lives. The Holy Spirit is always seeking to bring us closer to the heart of Jesus, to heal our sinfulness, and to make us more loving. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). Methodists believe such perfection is the goal of every human life, achievable only through the gift of God's powerful grace. The term 'perfection' is misleading, however. By 'perfect', we don't mean that a person doesn't make mistakes. Instead, we understand a 'perfected' person to be one who has a heart that is "habitually filled with love of God and neighbor" (BOD ¶ 102).
3. Faith and Good Works. Though salvation is by grace working through faith alone, Methodists understand that good works are always the fruit of God's grace faithfully received. So Methodists have a long tradition of emphasizing holy living. We do not think of holy living simply as attending church or daily prayer or reading the Bible, however, as good as those things are. A holy life is also concerned with justice for our poor and oppressed neighbors and for the spiritual well-being of our community in general. Because we emphasize faith and good works, Methodist theology tends to be very practical.
4. Social Holiness. John Wesley famously said, "There is no holiness but social holiness." He meant that the only way that any of us can become more like Jesus is by working together. Methodists understand that the journey of following Jesus is not meant to be done alone. So our churches and our denomination are structured around connection and accountability. We believe firmly that we need each other if we are to grow in faith and love.
5. A Method. The term 'Methodist' was first meant to disparage a group of young, English Christians, including John and Charles Wesley, who practiced a more disciplined Christian life. These early Methodists believed that faith ought to be accompanied with regular practices that help us to lead a holy and loving life. So Methodists tend to emphasize the spiritual and social practices that help keep us in love with God and neighbor. John Wesley's summary of the practices of those early Methodists (their 'method') is called The General Rules, and it still holds a place in our Doctrinal Standards.