We celebrate that Christ has made us one body with many members all sharing in God's grace and unconditional love. We embrace all of God's people, of all ages, ethnicities, physical and mental abilities, marital status, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, or economic circumstances. We believe that we are all unique and worthy individuals created by God, and therefore commit our
selves to the ongoing work of racial equity, social and economic justice, and environmental care. We are finding life in community, and joyfully welcome you to join us in worship, prayer, study, service and fellowship. Adopted June 2014 and updated May 16, 2023
What We Believe
Lutheranism grew out of the Reformation movement of the early 1500s. Martin Luther, a monk in the Augustinian order and a biblical scholar, perceived that the church was drifting ever further from its roots in the gospel of Jesus Christ - a gospel that promised justification by God's grace through faith in Christ, not faith in the church or any other human construct. Through his writings, his preaching, and his teaching Luther sowed the seeds that would become Protestantism. Today, although our numbers are small in Canada, Lutherans number over 65 million throughout the world. In a small book explaining the fundamentals of Lutheranism Daniel Erlander describes Lutheranism using three words often misunderstood today: catholic, evangelical, reforming. [See "Baptized We Live: Lutheranism As A Way of Life, copyright 1981. The following explanations borrow heavily from this booklet.]
As catholic (small 'c') Christians Lutherans understand ourselves as part of that movement of people from all time and places who confess Jesus as Lord, gather around Word and Sacrament, and continue in the teachings and practises of the apostles as revealed in the Bible and the Ecumenical Creeds (especially the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds.) Erlander says this, "We are catholic Christians, members of the universal and apostolic church, one family in Christ by Baptism." And so, Lutherans accept the authority of Holy Scripture (though we tend to refrain from biblical literalism). Lutherans confess the Christian faith as it is proclaimed in the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. Lutherans practise liturgical worship much like our Roman and Anglican brothers and sisters. Lutherans observe the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Don't run away yet!!) Lutherans believe that everything necessary for salvation has been accomplished in Jesus Christ. Article IV of the Augsburg Confessions (the historical and official 'confessions' of our church) says: ...we cannot obtain forgiveness of sin and righteousness before God by our own merits, works, or satisfactions, but... we receive forgiveness of sin and become righteous before God by grace, for Christ's sake, through faith, when we believe that Christ suffered for us and that for his sake our sin is forgiven and righteousness and eternal life are given to us..." Erlander summarizes, "Lutherans are catholic Christians who teach and preach [that] our acceptance by God into [God's] kingdom of forgiveness and reconciliation and into the the church, [God's] covenant people, is totally a gift of grace received by faith." As reforming Christians, Lutherans understand that sometimes the tradition gets in the way of the proclamation of the gospel and must therefore be changed. Historical examples of reformation from the time of Luther include: the marriage of priests, lay persons receiving both bread and wine at Holy Communion, the Bible made available to all in the language of the people, bishops no longer ruling as "worldly powers." More recent reforms in the church include: the ordination of women, greater lay involvement in worship and the life of the church, the celebration of diversity in the church - ethnic, generational, and sexual. Erlander says that the task of living as a reforming movement in the church means "constantly letting the Holy Spirit show us where our personal and corporate lives must change in order to conform to the gospel." Though grounded in the gospel (from the Old English meaning "good news." The Greek word for good news is "evangel" from where the term "evangelical" comes) the church is a constantly changing, growing and living organism. We invite you to participate in this change and growth with us.
