About Our Beliefs

Ebenezer United Methodist Church has been a part of the Methodist faith since Methodist circuit

preachers began visiting the new congregation in the late eighteenth century. We became United

Methodist in 1968, when The Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren.

As United Methodists, we affirm these Christian beliefs which unite us with our Christian

siblings across denominations:

Triune God

We confess belief in the triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the work that the Triune God has done in the world.

Sin

We believe that we are fallen persons, who have broken our covenant with God, becoming estranged from God, our identity as the children of God, and our neighbors. We live in a broken world, in need of redemption.

Salvation

As Christians, we believe in the mystery of salvation in and through Jesus Christ. Christ was Emmanuel, God among us, and through his life, death, resurrection, and ascension, restored us to relationship with God, allowing us to accept the grace that has been given to us. In Christ, we find forgiveness and the promise of life eternal.

Holy Spirit

We believe in the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is an advocate, comforter, teacher, and a reminder that we are never alone, for the divine is in us, shaping us and guiding us.

Scripture

We believe that Scripture is the word of God, and that Scripture is the authority on matters of faith. As Christians, on a journey of discipleship, we believe in the importance of studying both the Old and New Testaments.

Grace

God’s prevenient grace goes before us and behind us. Before we are even aware of God, God’s grace is there. This grace is what first makes us seek to be in relationship with God. Once we become aware of God’s grace, we believe that is our decision to choose and accept that grace, acknowledging our own sinfulness.

Justification

The moment in which we truly accept God’s grace for our sins, and become reborn as people fully in relationship with God

Sanctification

Through the work of the Holy Spirit, when we have accepted God’s grace, we continue to be shaped in the image of God, growing ever closer to being full of love for God and for neighbor.

Faith & Works

While we believe that faith is the only response essential to salvation, we also remember that our faith should lead to good works and fruits of the Spirit.

Means of Grace

On the journey to sanctification, there are places and practices in which we can encounter God’s grace, such as prayer, fasting, reading Scripture, visiting the sick and those who are incarcerated, and having Communion. Every time we encounter God’s grace, we are shaped more fully in the image of God.

Mission of the Church

As United Methodists, we affirm and uphold the mission of our denomination, “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”