What We Believe
What is a Lutheran?
Lutherans are, first and foremost, Christians! We believe the basic doctrines of orthodox Christianity, as expressed in the Creeds. Like all denominations, Lutherans have a particular “flavor,” or way of expressing and living out our faith, but even among Lutherans we don’t all do this in the same way. Except potlucks. We do all love a good potluck.
What makes Lutherans unique?
In a word: GRACE. A fundamental belief for Lutherans is that there is nothing we can or must do to earn God’s love or salvation, and there is also nothing we can do that would make God stop loving us. This frees us just to do the best we can, knowing and trusting that God meets us there.
What is the “ELCA”?
This stands for Evangelical Luther Church in America, and we are the most progressive branch of the Lutheran Church in America. “Evangelical” means we are rooted in scripture (evangelium is Greek for “good news”). “Lutheran” means we embrace the teachings of Martin Luther. “Church” means we see ourselves as a part of the whole Church on earth, whether Lutheran or not. And “America” means we are located in America, though we are a part of the World Federation of Lutherans as well and have relationships with Lutherans all over the world.
What do you believe about the Bible?
We take the Bible seriously, not literally, believing it to be the inspired Word of God. While there are some important events in there that we believe truly happened, we believe that the purpose of scripture is to point us toward God, and help us understand the ways that God has been present with and active among God’s people from the beginning. Sometimes this is done through storytelling, sometimes through poetry or other literary devices, sometimes in other ways. The living Word of God is as dynamic as the people reading it, and so a single interpretation is far too small to capture its depth!
What is baptism?
Baptism is God’s action, forgiving us our sin and, incorporating us into Christ’s family, and claiming as God’s own beloved. We usually baptize infants, but sometimes adults, too!
What is holy communion?
For Lutherans, Holy Communion is not just a symbol or memorial; we believe that Christ is truly present in the sacrament, offering us “forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.” Our communion table is open, officially, to all the baptized who believe that Christ is truly present in this meal. That said, we’re not checking IDs at the rail. If you feel God calling you to receive the sacrament, who are we to tell you that you can’t? (Though we do recommend that if you are not already baptized, you talk to Pastor about doing so!)
How do you feel about women or LGBTQ+ people in your church?
Our denomination (the ELCA) has been ordaining women for over 50 years, and we welcome and celebrate women in all levels of leadership. This congregation is also welcoming of people of all genders, sexualities, and identities. We have members, leaders, and staff who identify with each part of the LGBTQ acronym, and we value and welcome them fully into the life of our congregation and the mission we share. The more diverse experiences and perspectives we have, the better we can serve God’s people.