Calgary Inter-Mennonite Church Faith and Belief Statements (DRAFT)

   We believe that knowing GOD is a journey of faith and acts, that the HOLY SPIRIT is our guide on this journey.

   We believe that GOD reveals GOD self in a diversity of ways, including through the Bible, creation, the events of history, and through persons and experience.

   We believe that GOD is most clearly revealed in the person JESUS.

   We believe that JESUS mandated that we gather together as a company of believers, the church.

   We believe that the Bible is a guide for living that articulates principles of right living and reveals through stories much about the nature of persons and of GOD.

   We believe that understandings can be found under the guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT through the interpretive community.

   We believe that to question beliefs, traditions and teachings is acceptable and desirable in the light of our experiences and of current knowledge.

   We believe that baptism is an important symbolic act of obedience indicating our desire and willingness to follow the way of JESUS.

   We believe that we are children of GOD, a people called apart for service to the world.

   We believe our faith can be stimulated and challenged through knowing others who call GOD by other names and worship GOD in other ways.

   We believe that it is important to become aware of other faiths (pluralism) and hearing the stories of people from other faiths, to learn how they understand and experience GOD.

   We believe that communion or the LORD's supper is a sacrament mandated by JESUS that brings HIS people together and causes us to reflect on HIS life, death and resurrection and their meanings to us.

   We believe that GOD transcends gender and we are seeking to us language that reflects that belief.

   We believe that every person in our church is gifted and it is our responsibility, as a community, to search for and nurture these gifts, regardless of gender, race, age, sexual orientation.

   We believe that we live in a covenant relationship with GOD, defined by the two commandments of JESUS -- to love GOD and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

   We believe that the salvation JESUS brings is a wholeness and holiness, an integrity of body, mind and spirit. It shows itself in right relationships with GOD, ourselves, others and the earth.

   We believe that we are called to be peacemakers, that we are to approach conflict from this stance in all facets of life: our families, neighbourhoods, workplaces, and governments.

   We believe that we are called to be caregivers: stewards of the earth, of each other, of the gifts GOD has given us.

   We believe that, even though we are a community of believers who gather regularly to worship GOD, our worship of GOD is not restricted to the community, or by time or place.