OUR BELIEF

REACH UP, REACH OUT!

 

OUR MISSION

We the people of First United Methodist Church of Santa Rosa commit ourselves to the mission of growing loving communities of faith centered on Jesus that express themselves through both personal spirituality and social responsibility, reaching up to God and reaching out to all people in God’s love.

 

WE ARE A CHURCH THAT BELIEVES IN CREATING A LOVING COMMUNITY OF FAITH

  • Reaching up - a community of faith expressing our love for God and all people through personal spirituality; challenging ourselves to examine our faith through prayer and reflection; changing our hearts with experiences of spiritual growth; inspiring our spirits through vibrant and progressive worship; engaging our minds in theological, historical, and biblical study; and so much more.

  • Reaching out - a community of faith expressing our love for God and all people through social responsibility; challenging our world view by studying contemporary social and moral issues; changing our understanding of society through tangible acts of love, peace, and justice; inspiring our spirits by supporting and working with other social agencies withing the larger community; engaging our world by financially and spiritually supporting missionaries and mission projects, and leading hands-on Volunteer in Mission experiences; and so much more.

WE ARE A RECONCILING CONGREGATION

“We celebrate God’s gift of diversity and value the wholeness made possible in community equally shared and shepherded by all. We welcome and affirm people of every gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, who are also of every age, race, ethnicity, physical and mental ability, level of education, and family structure, and of every economic, immigration, marital, and social status, and so much more. We acknowledge that we live in a world of profound social, economic, and political inequities. As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and pledge to stand in solidarity with all who are marginalized and oppressed.” From Reconciling Network, https://rmnetwork.org/ 

ONENESS IN CHRIST STATEMENT

We affirm that all persons are precious to God and of sacred worth. God pours out amazing love and grace to everyone.
We seek to be an inclusive church. We warmly invite into our life and mission all people without regard to race, nationality, sexual orientation, ability, age, gender identity, financial circumstances, or marital status.
We are a large and diverse community of faith. We certainly do not always agree on theology or public issues. Our desire, however, is to build bridges of mutual respect and understanding. Above all, we seek to love one another as Christ has loved us.
We are learning that the words of our founder, John Wesley, are true: "We do not have to think alike to love alike."

 

“Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences.”

— John Wesley