What We Believe
Our Statement of Welcome
As a Reconciling Congregation, Mount Horeb United Methodist Church celebrates the inclusive love of Christ. We embrace the image of God in all humanity and affirm all regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, race, sex, ability, ethnicity, education, faith tradition, family structure, political affiliation, social class, physical or mental health. Everyone is welcome here.
Within the United Methodist Church, policies regarding same-gender marriage and the ordination of LGBTQIA+ persons vary by pastor and regional conference. While these decisions are not uniformly applied across the denomination, Mount Horeb UMC fully affirms and celebrates LGBTQIA+ individuals in all aspects of church life, including marriage and ministry. Our commitment to inclusion reflects both our understanding of God’s love and our call to justice.
We welcome all individuals' thoughts and opinions to the table. We embrace diversity to grow a stronger faith community grounded in love. In the words of John Wesley, “We can love alike, though we may not think alike.”
Our Core Beliefs
1. God created us, loves us, and is with us always.
2. We are disciples of Jesus Christ.
3. God calls us to love and serve others.
4. We all have room to grow in faith.
5. God loves and values all people equally.
Denominational Beliefs
The United Methodist Church shares a great deal with other Christian denominations. We believe God's grace is open to all, and therefore practice "open Communion"--meaning that anyone may participate in receiving Communion in our churches. We believe salvation is an open gift from God, accepted by individuals according to their own free will. The United Methodist denomination is a "big tent" theologically, providing space for theological discourse and, at times, disagreement.
Like many other Christian groups, we affirm the beliefs expressed in the Apostles Creed. These include:
- The belief in one God, who is the Creator and sustainer of the universe.
- The belief in the Trinity, that there is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- The belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is fully human and fully divine.
At the core of United Methodist belief is that our faith is lived out in loving community and service to others. We insist that personal salvation always involves Christian mission and service to the world. The United Methodist Church has a long history of action and advocacy for social justice.
The Bible
As United Methodists, we believe the Bible is the living word of God, written through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the hands of human authors. We honor scripture as central to our faith, guiding us in our understanding of God, ourselves, and the world. Following the teachings of John Wesley, we interpret scripture through the lenses of tradition, reason, and experience—trusting that God continues to speak through the sacred text in dynamic and life-giving ways. We celebrate two sacraments—baptism and Holy Communion—as means of grace, rooted in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ as revealed in scripture.
A World-Wide Denomination
The United Methodist Church originated as a reform movement in the Church of England during the 18th century. Brothers John and Charles Wesley believed the good news of Jesus Christ should be presented to working class people in a way that they could both understand and accept. Today, the United Methodist Church is a worldwide connection of more than 12 million members in Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States. Learn more about the global organization, history, and people of the United Methodist Church.
The Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church
Our congregation is part of a larger network of churches that belong to this conference in the state of Wisconsin. We are a community of diverse people, yet we all share an important common element: a unique faith perspective and a goal to open hearts, open doors and open minds through active engagement with our world. Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
The Reconciling Ministries Network
As a Reconciling Congregation, we are associated with The Reconciling Ministries Network. They are committed to intersectional justice across and beyond the United Methodist connection, working for the full participation of all LGBTQ+ people throughout the life and leadership of the Church.
