We are not a church that requires everyone to have the same beliefs about everything in order to belong.  One of our denomination's websites proclaims:

We all share a faith in Jesus Christ, but the Church encourages us to think for ourselves, so we don’t necessarily share the same opinions about every faith issue or social concern. And there are lots of us: 8.5 million United Methodists live in the U.S., and 1.5 million more worldwide, with the largest growth in membership occurring in Africa and the Philippines. In all, there are 36,000 United Methodist churches in the U.S.

We aren’t striving to be all the same, but we are striving to work together to make a significant difference in the world. We have created an extensive Volunteers in Mission effort, which is the fastest growing mission movement in the United Methodist Church today. It provides an opportunity for practically anyone to experience Christian mission around the world, including the Caribbean, Latin America, many American states, Africa, and Europe.

Although local churches are joined by an organizational network, it is not a traditional hierarchy. There is no one person who leads the denomination. Once every four years, members of the United Methodist Church get together for our General Conference to make important decisions governing our policy and practices. We aren’t afraid to tackle the tough issues: racism, poverty, human rights, human sexuality, labor issues, the farm crisis, gender equality, environmental problems. Social advocacy and action have been part of our church since it began. We are no less committed today.

When Bishop William B. Oden preached at the consecration of Suncreek UMC's new building in 2004 he said “the United Methodist church is a church not of one mind, but of one heart.” We are a church of “Jesus Christ at the center.” And that is why we have a bright future. “We are one in Christ, but that oneness is spelled out in our mission to the world, not in whether we agree or not in doctrine, and in what we should look like within the church,” he continued.

We are a denomination that in blessed with very gifted ordained ministers.  We invest a lot of resources to make sure our clergy complete a rigorous graduate level education.  Our ordained clergy participate in a multi-year process to discern if they have the qualities and spiritual gifts required for exemplary leadership.

Yet, the ministers or clergy of the church are not the exclusive way to discover what God is seeking from you.  They are not the sole source of interpretation of the Bible.   They are there to help with all their gifts and knowledge, but you are expected to do significant personal work.   It is important that you be part of Bible Studies and other Faith Groups.   No one will assign you to one of these groups.  You make the choice about which groups are right for you.   These groups impart information, but they also encourage discussion and sharing of different perspectives.  They are a source of strength when life gets tough and they join you in celebrating life’s joys.

A vital part of the Christian Faith is reaching out to help those in need.    This goes beyond giving financial support to some kind of project that helps those in need.  That does make a difference, but we also need to give our time to help others.   We encourage every member to be involved in some kind of face-to-face missions activity.   We offer a lot of options and are always open to new ideas.   Sometimes, we approach a face-to-face missions activity thinking we are only helping others.  Yet, often we experience that we receive spiritual gifts that seem to exceed what we have given them.   Some recent participants in our Adult Mission Trips to Juarez, Mexico have articulated this especially well.  Click here to read some of their thoughts.

We seek to be a church where our faith leads to action.  It goes beyond a list of beliefs in our head to something more concrete.  It changes how we view ourselves and how we relate to others.  Join us as we seek to be a church that is:

ALIVE! IN CHRIST

CELEBRATING FAITH

BUILDING COMMUNITY

SERVING THE WORLD.

Do you want more information about the core beliefs of the United Methodist Church.  The United Methodist Church's website is a great resource.  Click here to view the What We Believe section of UMC website.  Some basic information about the character and spirit of the church is available at UnitedMethodist.com.

 There is a Place for You at Suncreek United Methodist Church!