We confess . . .
The Triune God:
- the Father, creator of all that exists;
- Jesus Christ, the Son, who became fully human, suffered, and died for the sins of all human beings, and rose to life again in the ultimate victory over death and Satan; and
- the Holy Spirit, who Creates faith through God’s Word and Sacraments, and gathers us together as Christ’s Church.
These are the three persons of the Trinity who are coequal and coeternal, yet one God.
In the name of the Father…
As children of God, we have a new family: our brothers and sisters in Christ. We live in total dependence on our Father, who gives us life and everything we have. We are devoted to selfless generosity for those in need. Since everything we have is God’s, we joyfully share with those who lack. Therefore, we commit to provide for our brothers and sisters in Christ, to serve those outside the Kingdom of God, and to contribute to the collective mission of our congregation.
In the name of the Son…
Through faith in Jesus’ perfect life, death, and resurrection for us, we freely receive forgiveness of our sin, the promise of eternal life, and a restored relationship with God in Christ through the Word and Sacraments. Because we are forgiven, we forgive one another in the name of Christ. “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13). We are devoted to loving one another.
In the name of the Holy Spirit…
God the Holy Spirit applies the benefits of Christ to us through the Word and Sacraments. The Holy Spirit brings us together as the people of God and sets us apart from the world, even as we live in it. Together, we are the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit equips us and sends us forth to share the good news of Christ with all creation. “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).
The Means of Grace
The Triune God comes to us through the means of grace. These means (the Word and Sacraments) are preaching, the written and shared Word of God, Holy Baptism, Absolution, and the Sacrament of the Altar. Through these means the Triune God gives us the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, that Christ won for us by his death and resurrection.
The Holy Scriptures
We confess that the Old and New Testaments of the Bible are God’s Word. The Holy Scriptures are the sole and infallible source and authority for everything we believe, teach, and confess. They reveal to us God incarnate, in Jesus Christ, for our salvation.
The Lutheran Confessions
As a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), we confess that the Lutheran Confessions are a faithful exhibition of the Holy Scriptures. We subscribe to these confessions because they are drawn from the Word of God, and we regard them as true and binding for our faith and life together.
These Confessions are contained in the Book of Concord and include:
Our Purpose as God’s People
As the people of God in Christ, we live out a three-fold mission in the world:
Witness
We devote our entire lives, personally and collectively, to the fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Authorized by God through our Baptism, and sent by him, we are disciples of Jesus. The Holy Spirit enables us to participate in making disciples of Jesus as we journey through life. By the grace of God, when disciples are made, we guide them to be Baptized in the Triune name of God, and we personally ensure they are taught the commands of Jesus for their life of discipleship. “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46-47). Therefore, we boldly live this blessed life of discipleship amidst those who do not believe and who are not baptized. We joyfully share with them our faith in Jesus, bring them to baptism, and welcome them as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Mercy
As the people of God, we are called to love and serve others as God in Christ has served us. St. Paul the Apostle tells us that Christ, although true God, humbled himself to the point of death to deliver us from sin, death, and the power of the devil (Philippians 2:5-6). Baptized into Christ, we share in his humility by serving others in their physical and spiritual needs. As the disciples of Jesus, we look for ways to help others in all their bodily needs (Luther’s Small Catechism 1:5). As a congregation of the LCMS, we do this in part by supporting the work of our Synod, its agencies, and Recognized Service Organizations throughout the world. We also work to serve our neighbors here in the Midway neighborhood of St. Paul, working together with other local congregations.
Life Together
We are united through our baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are devoted to maturing and deepening in this blessed life of discipleship. Jesus is our Lord, so we will depend on him for salvation and follow His example for how to live. We will strive to learn from Jesus how to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and to “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). Therefore, we commit to spending regular time in God’s word with our brothers and sisters in Christ, learning, discussing and encouraging one another as we follow Jesus.
When we are gathered together to hear God’s word, pray, praise, and receive the Lord’s Supper, we are strengthened and unified in faith (Acts 2:46). Christ gives to us his gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation when we gather together in the Divine Service. The Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith (Luther’s Small Catechism 2:3). In our life together we are formed as disciples of Jesus Christ, through prayer and meditation on scripture.