Statements of Faith

I am mentoring a girl going through confirmation at our church and I meet with her every few weeks to work on projects together as she goes through this year-long confirmation process. In our UCC church, she will decide at the end of that time some of the things she believes at this time in her life, things she doesn't believe, whether or not she wants to be baptized in the chilly Tolt River and whether or not she wants to join the church.

Our current assignment is one of the most important - writing a statement of faith. While she writes hers, I am writing mine. I love the Apostles Creed, but it's not all of the things that I hold dear as the absolute tenets of my faith.

Here is the Apostles' Creed:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN.


Here are my first few statements:

I believe in the perfect, absolute, parental love from God the Parent (sometimes Father)

I believe Jesus was A Son of God and that Jesus is the lens through which I see God best.

I believe in the perfect birth, the violence of the crucifixion and most importantly the redeeming resurrection of Jesus.

I believe in the Grace of God; that he forgives implicitly, completely and has no memory of my sins.