What We Believe
One of the trademarks of United Methodism is that we rely on four sources to help us discern God’s movement in the world: scripture, tradition, reason and experience. Scripture is primary; it holds the authority for our faith and practice. But, we also look to our tradition for guidance – not just the United Methodist tradition, but the tradition of the Church as a whole. We also utilize and value our reason, trusting that God gave us a mind with the intention of using it. So we welcome science, philosophy and so forth as partners to the faith. We also rely heavily on our own personal experiences of God, believing that God is always revealing new things to each of us. With these four sources combined – scripture, tradition, reason and experience (otherwise known as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral) – we are able to more faithfully discern who God is and what God calls us to do in the world.
John Wesley, the father of the Methodist movement, coined the following phrase: Though we may not think alike, we may love alike. The United Methodist Church has a longstanding history of welcoming a diverse set of perspectives and opinions. So long as we are rooted in mutual love, we continue to celebrate and welcome our differences as people.
University Park United Methodist Church is rooted in one mission: to embody the love of Jesus for the good of our communities. Our vision of what that looks like is a world where all will: know and be known, feed and be feed, challenge and be challenged, and love and be loved.
Working towards our common mission, we are committed to welcoming all people, regardless of race, sex, gender identity, class, sexual orientation or any other distinction that might otherwise exclude someone from Christian fellowship. We believe that the church belongs to God, not us. So our doors and our hearts are open to all.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us at communications@upumc.org.
You can find more information about United Methodism, our Wesleyan heritage and our social principles by clicking the link below.
