We believe that Jesus has called us here on the Northside of Fayetteville to reach up, reach in, and reach out for God’s love. So we will reach up to God in worship, reach into each other through fellowship; and reach out to God’s world through service. In this way, we hope to live out Jesus’ greatest commandment to love God and our neighbor (Mark 12:30-31).
St. Andrews is a part of The United Methodist Church and is connected to tens of thousands of other congregations around the globe and millions of other Christians. The UMC’s mission statement is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. So we work together to grow, renew, and revitalize the church, and to help out our neighbors in need across the world. To learn more about some of the things we do together, click on these links: https://umcmission.org/ and https://umcmission.org/evangelism-and-church-revitalization/
Our Foundational Documents
As a congregation of The United Methodist Church, our foundational document, ultimately, is the Bible. Our denomination’s founder, John Wesley, interpreted scripture to guide him to write down his “Articles of Religion” in 1784. They are still foundational today, and are found in our denomination’s Book of Discipline—another guiding book for our life together. Our Social Principles help us to live out our faith together across the world as well. Finally, one of the ways we remind and recommit ourselves to this historic faith is that after every sermon our church affirms our faith together. We use several Affirmations of Faith throughout the year. Here are a few of our favorites:
The Apostle’s Creed (United Methodist Hymnal #882)
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, 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, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and 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.
**universal
A Statement of Faith from the Korean Methodist Church (UMH #884)
We believe in the one God, creator and sustainer of all things, Father of all nations, the source of all goodness and beauty, all truth and love.
We believe in Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, our teacher, example and Redeemer, the Savior of the world.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, God present with us for guidance, for comfort, and for strength.
We believe in the forgiveness of sins, in the life of love and prayer, and in grace equal to every need.
We believe in the Word of God contained in the Old and New Testaments as the sufficient rule both of faith and of practice.
We believe in the church, those who are united in the living Lord for the purpose of worship and service.
We believe in the reign of God as the divine will realized in human society, and in the family of God, where we are all brothers and sisters.
We believe in the final triumph of righteousness and in the life everlasting. Amen.
Affirmation from 1 Corinthians 15:1-6 and Colossians 1:15-20 (UMH #888)
This is the good news which we have received, in which we stand, and by which we are saved:
Christ died for our sins, was buried, was raised on the third day, and appeared first to the women, then to Peter and the Twelve, and then to many faithful witnesses. We believe Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One of God, the firstborn of all creation, the firstborn from the dead, in whom all things hold together, in whom the fullness of God was pleased to dwell by the power of the Spirit. Christ is the head of the body, the church, and by the blood of the cross reconciles all things to God. Amen.