What We Believe

What is involved in Lutheran Spirituality?

God is constantly "wooing" us.  God woos us with unconditional Love, called Grace.  This Love, this Grace, breaks into our lives through the ordinary in extra-ordinary ways.

The water in Baptism claims each of us as a beloved child of God.

Sharing bread and wine, we gather in community with God. We are awakened in  new life through the mysterious presence of the Resurrected Christ.

The words of Scripture ignite Divine Wisdom in each of us. 

Being Lutheran is being part of a movement rather than a religion.  Daily discovering God's unconditional acceptance and Love for us and daily living out that love in re-forming our corners of our world.

At First United, we live out the Lutheran spirit of reformation. Some of the ways we do that are:

• Reconciling in Christ

We are a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation. We have declared that all persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities are equally welcome to join fully in the worship and life of this Christ-centered community.

• Progressive Christianity

First United is an affiliate of The Center for Progressive Christianity (TCPC) and seeks to further its mission:

• To reach out to those for whom organized religion has proved ineffectual, irrelevant, or repressive, as well as to those who have given up on or are unacquainted with it.

• To uphold evangelism as an agent of justice and peace.

• To give a strong voice both in the churches and the public arena to the advocates of progressive Christianity.

• To support those who embrace the search, not certainty.

•  Interfaith Awareness

We believe that, as Hans Kung wrote:

There will be no peace among the nations until there is peace among the religions.

There will be no peace among the religions until there is dialogue among the religions.

 

First United is a place where the dialogue happens. We long to hear your voice. We believe our wisdom will only be enhanced by continued conversation with all of our neighbors.  Together we work for peace, justice, and the good of all people and all creation.