Scriptural Integrity
"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." (Psalm 119:105)
We hold that the Bible itself is the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of humanity. We want to be a church where all of our activities are faithful to scripture with all aspects of our church inspiring and equipping people to study and obey God's word. Diving deeper into this sacred text draws us closer to God and shows us how to live holy lives.
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Intentional Hospitality
"Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people." (Acts 2:46-47a)
We invite everyone to feel at home here. The way that we continually greet one another is a high priority for us. Our congregation values that we should "offer hospitality to one another without grumbling" (I Peter 4:9). We strive to demonstrate the values of intentional hospitality by accepting the marginalized in society among us with open arms as Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
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Continuous Spiritual Growth
"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom..." (Colossians 3:16)
We emphasize the development of small groups where we discuss the scriptures together and encourage one another in following Jesus. A mentoring style of discipleship that has been practiced in this church for decades is valued as a necessity for every person so that they may experience a meaningful and purposeful life in Christ. We've developed an active ministry to help children grow in God's grace, embracing the heart of Jesus who said in Matthew 19:14, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
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Engaging Worship
"...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord..." (Ephesians 5:18b-19)
We want to encourage every person to participate in genuine, honest, and uninhibited worship of God, which we believe is an outward expression of a heart that is fully offering gratitude and praise to God for all that He has done and will continue to do for us. Through a variety of musical styles, skits, videos, and other media, our worship design team implements various methods to communicate scriptural truth and develops an ambiance to further connect our senses in worship every Sunday and at special events throughout the year.
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Engaging Worship
"...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord..." (Ephesians 5:18b-19)
We want to encourage every person to participate in genuine, honest, and uninhibited worship of God, which we believe is an outward expression of a heart that is fully offering gratitude and praise to God for all that He has done and will continue to do for us. Through a variety of musical styles, skits, videos, and other media, our worship design team implements various methods to communicate scriptural truth and develops an ambiance to further connect our senses in worship every Sunday and at special events throughout the year.
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Authentic Relationships
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." (Romans 12:9-10)
We see ourselves as people who sincerely care and support one another through honest conversations, holding one another accountable, and praying for one another. We believe that God wants us to be a church where our love for Jesus grows and overflows into loving relationships with others. We want to have the love of Jesus overflow to those living in our community who do not yet know Him. We know that people are starved for hope and purpose, and so we want to be a church characterized by every believer actively sharing the love of Christ with the world in authentic ways.
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Compassionate Outreach
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." (Matthew 25:35-36)
We have generously expressed our heart to serve others through several organizations throughout our community and beyond. We have reached the young, the elderly, the impoverished, the imprisoned, the sick, the homeless, and the hungry. Though lying deep in our hearts as a congregation, we feel we still have yet to discover more methods of being God's hands and feet. It is a value to which we aspire, one that we are actively working on developing.
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The statements above were unanimously reaffirmed by the
Leadership Board of Ithaca United Methodist Church in September 2020.