Welcome
What We
Believe.
In the broadest
sense, the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) states: “Our
faith tradition is based on a life-transforming story.
The ELCA’s story is both ancient and
timely. It’s a
story of a powerful and
patient God who has boundless love for all people of the world, who
brings
justice for the oppressed. It’s
a story
of Jesus Christ, changing lives. It’s
a
story that b rings comfort and strength to people who today live in
modern,
often unsettling times. Learn
more about
our beliefs - and become a part of our story.”
In the most
focused sense, St. Timothy
Lutheran Church understands itself to be a collection of claimed,
redeemed,
forgiven children of God who have a mission in this community and in
the world:
share the love we have first received.
We are invitational, intentional and inclusive.
As a community of
faith, we share what
we have first received: the Word of God!
More than printed words on a page, Word
of God is three-fold:
Written - Living - Proclaimed.
We understand Word
of God to be
the Bible. Inspired
by God, men and
women were compelled within history to record a faithful witness to
God’s
activities in their lives and world.
We understand Word
of God to be
a person. Jesus
Christ is the Living
Word of God (see John 1:1-14). In
the
sacraments (Holy Baptism and Holy Communion) we believe that we
encounter and
are encountered by the Living Word of God - Jesus Christ. This presence is real and
tangible. This Word
is creative and redemptive...
dynamic and active in our midst, our lives, our world.
We understand Word
of God to be
something audible. When
the Gospel (the
Good News of Jesus Christ) is proclaimed – read, sung, shouted, spoken
– in the
midst of God’s people gathered, we believe that the Word of God is
present and
active in a power-filled and transformative way.
So... worship is
central to who we are
and what we do. Worship
is an opportunity
for us to pray, praise, thank, petition, experience, receive, give,
feed and be
fed. Worship is
where we usually
experience the sacraments and in worship God’s Word is
most visible and
viable. Worship is when God comes to us in a physical way and worship
fortifies
us to be of service within our lives and larger communities.
We invite you to
worship with us - to
experience God’s love and grace - to sing - to pray - to be silent - to
be
fed. We invite you
to encounter and be
encountered by God. We
invite you to be
equipped for ministry in the world.
A
favorite Lutheran hymn sums it up well (ELW #641):
Let us build a
house where love can
dwell and all can safely live,
a place where
saints and children tell
how hearts learn to forgive.
Built of hopes
and reams and visions,
rock of faith and vault of grace;
let this house
proclaim from floor to
rafter:
All are
welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place!
Pastor Lewis
Groce
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