Delaware Valley United Methodist Church

What We Believe
The Delaware Valley United Methodist Church is connected to the global ministries of the United Methodist Church. We believe that, by working together with churches throughout the world, we can do more of God’s work than any one church could do alone. The distinguishing marks of a United Methodist are probably best illustrated by a commitment to the basics of Christianity and by a

Christian lifestyle, rather than by assenting to a particular scheme of beliefs. United Methodists share a common heritage with other Christians:

Conviction that God has mercy and love for all people
Belief in a triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Faith in the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ
Celebration of the sacraments
In these and many other ways, United Methodism affirms the unity of all Christians in the Body of Christ. United Methodists also share four main guidelines for belief. These guidelines help us understand our faith and make choices in our life; they include the following:

Scripture
Tradition
Experience
Reason
For United Methodists, baptism is the sacrament of initiation that joins us with the church and Christians everywhere. It’s a symbol of new life, a promise of God’s saving love, and a sign of God’s forgiveness for our sins. Both infants and adults can be baptized, because God offers the primary work in the sacrament. A person receives the sacrament only once in his or her life. Water is the special symbol of baptism. United Methodists baptize by sprinkling, immersion, or pouring. To find out more about the history and beliefs of the United Methodist Church, go to www.gcah.org (General Commission on Archives & History), www.umc.org (The People of the United Methodist Church), or gnjumc.org (Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church).