WHAT WE BELIEVE
​I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are saved...
1 Corinthians 15:1-2
A METHODIST CONGREGATION
Middlesettlements is part of the world-wide United Methodist Church,
a diverse denomination allowing congregations freedom to live out their convictions.
At Middlesettlements, we are Methodists who continue to affirm the ancient Christian Creeds,
Wesleyan doctrine, and the authority of scripture over Christian belief and practice.
For more about Wesleyan doctrine, click here.
THE APOSTLES' CREED
On a typical Sunday, we affirm our faith by reciting the ancient and foundational Apostles' Creed.
This is our standard for faith and a confession our members make when joining the church.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
​I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
“catholic” means “universal” and comes from the Greek word for “whole.” In affirming the (little “c”) catholic church, we profess that regardless of denomination, century, or geography, all people who confess Jesus as Lord are bound together into One Church which is saved by God alone.
At special seasons during the year, we usually use one of the following professions of faith:
THE NICENE CREED
at Advent
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
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We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
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We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy [universal] and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
THE CHRIST HYMN
at Lent
Let us affirm our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
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Christ Jesus, though being in very nature God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death--even death on a cross.
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Therefore God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father. Amen.
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--from Philippians 2:6-11
RESURRECTION
at Eastertide
This is the good news that we have received, in which we stand, and by which we are saved:
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Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, was raised on the third day, and appeared first to the women, then to the Twelve, and then to many faithful witnesses.
We believe Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One of God, the image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation, firstborn from the dead, in whom all things hold together, in whom the fullness of God was pleased to dwell by the power of the Spirit.
Christ is the head of the body, the church, and by the blood of the cross reconciles all things to God. Alleluia! Amen.
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--from Matt 28:9-10, 1 Cor 15:3-7, & Col 1:15-20