Opening our hearts, we look inward into ourselves.
Opening our minds, we work to connect the two places together.
St. Marys United Church declares itself to be "a community of believers, who proclaim (or witness our beliefs) that Jesus Christ is Lord and who follow his example in our concern for individuals and for the whole of society." (exerpted from the Mission Statement of St. Marys United Church).
As a congregation of Christ's people gathered under the guidance of the United Church of Canada, we turn to our denomination for help in understanding who we are called to be.
A New Creed
We are not alone, we live in God's world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
We recognize that many of the people who have committed their work and lives to God, through the ministry of this church, are entering their elder years. We also recognize that many of the younger participants are searching for ways of sharing their committment to Christ's call through the realities of sometimes overwhelming lives.
As we celebrate our 156th year as a gathering of Christians, we can honestly say that we do not know where God is leading us.
And yet... even without knowing... we keep working to hear and live out God's call.
posted on Sunday, July 11, 2004