What do you believe? We get that question a lot. Because we are different than most churches in Waynesboro, we are often asked if we believe in Jesus and if we read the Bible. Yes and Yes! Our faith (what we believe) is of utmost importance to us. We are an old church, not St. Michael’s, but the Church from where we came. Our Church ancestors are from England, Scotland, and Ireland where Christianity has been since 200 A.D. We take very seriously the faith and practice given to us from millions of faithful Christians over the past 2000 years. During this time our ancestors in the Church gave us great summaries of what Christians believe. Two of these are the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed Creed comes from the Latin credo, or I believe. We use the Nicene Creed every week to sum up what we believe. We do not have “official” statements of belief because we feel the Church Fathers did a such good job of summing up the faith without us tinkering with it.
What about the Bible? There is more scripture quoted in our Sunday service than most churches. This is not to say that other churches don’t use the Bible, on the contrary, we are thankful for the example of our Baptist, Presbyterian, and United Methodist (and other) brothers and sisters who place central importance on the proclamation of God’s Word. We read from all parts of the Bible each week. We hear a lesson from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the Epistles, and the Gospels. Our liturgy (our order of worship) also contains many quotes and references from the Bible that are beautifully woven in.
The Nicene Creed We believe in one God, We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
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:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
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.
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.*
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic 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.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living 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.