AS UNITED METHODISTS WE BELIEVE
There is one God, revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, both human and divine, and He is the one Savior of the world.
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, and it contains all things necessary for salvation.
That becoming a Christian is not a matter of simply going through a ceremony or believing a certain set of doctrines; rather we enter a relationship through faith with God in Christ, and then begin a lifelong process of growth in that relationship.
In “the trained mind and the warmed heart”—that is, education is important, but it must be coupled with a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. An uneducated commitment can become bigotry and fanaticism; an uncommitted education can breed arrogant immorality.
“In the essentials, unity; in the non-essentials, diversity; in all things, love.” ~ John Wesley
The Sacraments
We practice open Communion—you need not be a United Methodist or a member of Crozet United Methodist Church to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion with us. The table is open to anyone who seeks to respond to Christ’s love and to lead a new life of peace and love. Our Communion table is open because we believe the sacrament is a means of God’s grace that is offered to all persons. We also know that Holy Communion is an important sacrament for all Christians including those with food allergies. At Crozet United Methodist Church, every Holy Communion table is free of gluten, dairy, peanut, egg, fish, soy, shellfish, and tree nuts. No matter who you are, we welcome you to the communion table.
We typically celebrate Holy Communion as part of our Sunday worship services on the first Sunday of each month. We encourage everyone to receive Holy Communion regularly as a means of God’s grace and as a reminder of His love for each of us.
What is Baptism?
- Baptism is a celebration of God’s grace and love in your life. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8) “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
- Baptism is a public acknowledgement of your personal faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus: “If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will openly acknowledge that person before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32)
- Baptism illustrates your new life as a Christian. “When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. The old life has passed away and a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians. 5:17) “By our baptism then, we were buried with Him and shared His death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead…so also we may live a new life!” (Romans 6:4)
As a United Methodist Church, we honor the practice of infant baptism. The baptizing of a person, whether as an infant or an adult, is a sign of God’s grace regardless of age. The difference between the baptism of adults and that of infants is that the Christian faith is consciously being professed by an adult who is baptized. A baptized infant comes to profess her or his faith later in life, after having been nurtured and taught by parents or other responsible adults and the community of faith. Whereas in adult baptism the believer makes a covenant with God and with the church, in infant baptism the covenant is made between the parents or guardians and the church on the child’s behalf. Infant baptism assumes that the child will be nurtured and formed in the faith at home and in church so that the child can come to know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.
Each year we offer a Confirmation Class targeted to our first-year high school students that explains the basics of the Christian faith, and that provides each young person with the opportunity to make their own personal decision for Christ and to become members of the church.
If you have been baptized in another Christian church or denomination, we do not ask you to be re-baptized in order to join CUMC. If you are a youth or adult who would like more information on becoming baptized, please contact Pastor Sarah at (434) 823-4420 or at pastorsarah@crozetunitedmethodist.org.
Baptism doesn’t make you a Christian, only your faith in Christ does that. Baptism is like a wedding ring — it’s the outward symbol of the commitment you made in your heart.