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We Believe in Jesus Christ
Our church believes that Jesus Christ was here on earth many years ago. He had a family, He got sick, He went to school, and He paid His taxes. Jesus had friends that He cared for, He dreamed at night, and had a favorite food. He felt pain, anger and happiness. He watched the sunrise. He had an imagination. Jesus was completely human, but He wasn’t only human. We believe that Jesus was also completely God. In the Bible, the book of John tells us that Jesus was one with God in the beginning, and that He became one of us, and made His home among those He had created. Jesus is the very image of God, and took on human nature as part of His great plan to redeem this fallen world. Through His word and deed, He brought good news to the poor, sight to the blind, and through His death and resurrection, freedom to those made captive through sin. Jesus triumphed over sin and death. Jesus invites anyone and everyone to be reconciled to God, offering peace and freedom to those that accept it. |
Jesus Christ Mosaic
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Created
We believe in the one, true, living God, Sovereign over creation, and abounding with mercy and grace. He is the eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God exists as the perfect Father and He desires to be with us and bless us, for He knows you and He loves you. Humanity was His greatest creation, made in His image, and he gave us the capacity to love and reason, created in us a longing for community, and made us responsible for the safe-keeping of the rest of creation. Yet when we look around, we see that the world is sick, both the material and the spiritual. Our hearts pursue greed and dishonesty, our families are broken and unhappy, and our global community is indifferent to the suffering, disease and death that surround us. How did this happen? |
Sinful
We believe that the first humans fell into sin, allowing evil to gain hold of our hearts and the world we call home. Since then, all people disobey God and choose darkness. This is our new nature, we are lost and corrupt and there is no amount of good things that we can do to make ourselves well and whole again.
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Saved
But here is the good news! Through His son Jesus, God set about a plan of redemption, healing and global restoration that can save us from our inner darkness. Regardless of the choices we have made in our lives, we know Jesus has come as the great Doctor to this world, and only He can save those who are wounded, broken and hurting. All those who are caught in the power of sin can call on His name and be saved.
Jesus wanted to protect us and be with us so badly, that He willingly sacrificed Himself for us, freeing us from our internal bondage. Those who recognize their need to be free of sin can give their heart to Jesus Christ, and they will be made new. |
Remade
When we accept Jesus, He transforms our hearts by dwelling within us in Spirit. No longer is sin the master of our choices and desires, because we are directly connected to God. We become part of God’s family, He begins the process of removing those painful and deep-rooted things that would inhibit us from leading full and satisfied lives. the old-self is put away, and we are remade. This transformation unlocks our potential to be spiritually healthy and vibrant. Everything ugly within us is made beautiful.
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Connected
And
this is where we can help. This process of change is not easy, and not
instantaneous, and we all need help on this journey out of sin. The church is
the extension of God’s family here on earth. It’s not the building that
matters, but the people, and we want to be a people that matter. We want to be
people of concern and compassion, of peace and of hope. We want to connect with
you and be a support to you in any way we can. Regardless of where you are on
your spiritual journey, we would love to be there for you, and give you what
you need to take the next step.
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Community
We love being together, and we love that God calls us to be together. Too often we are convinced that we have to live this life alone, when we know that being with other people is very beneficial to living healthy, happy lives. We recognize that we live in a society that values independence and being self-sufficient, but we believe that a deeper fulfillment comes from relationship and being vulnerable with others. This life is not meant to be lived alone!
This community goes deeper than the superficial. This is not about having friends that you chat with on Sundays and forget about the rest of the week. Through weekly programs, small groups, social media, and a general spirit of fellowship, we want to provide ways for us to stay connected. This community also extends beyond our immediate church body. We are part of a family of churches extending from St. Catharines to every part of the world, and desire a spirit of cooperation and collaboration as we seek to be God’s Kingdom here on earth. We are so grateful for our brother and sister churches, and value our differences. Community is not about uniform acceptance of doctrine or opinion, but rather the desire for healthy and sustaining conversation. We want our community to be a place of encouragement and growth. We want to hope for reconciliation, even with those that have hurt us most. We want to support our families in any way we can, and enable our families to support and love each other. |
Rest
Through Jesus, God offers you His peace. Jesus, the one who was completely man, and is completely God, understands you, and can help you through the troubles in this life. We are called to give up our burdens to God, and allow Him to take away our anxiety and stress. This is sometimes easier said than done, but we know that this is where God is leading His people. We are being led into a life unhindered by fear, bitterness, and resentment. Give those things up to God, and believe that Jesus can change your heart. Even though the journey through change may be long and hard, He welcomes you into His family, and will help you every step of the way.
A full document of the Mennonite Brethren confession of faith can be found by clicking here or @ our conference website: http://www.onmb.org/ |
