We are Lutheran.
Calvary Lutheran Church is a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The ELCA is a Christian denomination that follows the teachings of Martin Luther, the 16th century evangelical reformer of the Christian church. Here are some of our beliefs.
God
We believe in the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit who created all things, redeems all people, and empowers all through the Holy Spirit. God revealed himself to us when he became human in Jesus and promised to be with us always through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
God's Mission
We believe that God's intent is to draw all people into his mercy and love. However, darkness and brokeness (sin) complicate things, separating us from our Creator. So God sent his only Son (Jesus) to seek out the lost, the lonely, and the hurting. Jesus died on the cross, but God's mission didn't end there. God poured out his Holy Spirit inviting us to participate in his restorative mission of mercy and love.
The Church
We are the church---that is, a body of believers who are called to share Jesus’ love for the sake of the world. Faith is strengthened and deepened in community.
The World
We believe God is calling us into the world, not out of it. Following the example of Jesus we strive to serve others and seek justice and peace.
Faith
Faith is first and foremost a gift of the Holy Spirit. It gives us a full life, liberated for a living, daring confidence in God’s grace. We listen to the witness of others and we watch for the ways God is active in the world around us. Faith opens a place for engaging others in conversation, for seeking the truth, for asking questions and speaking love in word and deed
Belief
We share in the faith expressed in the Apostles’, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, in the Lutheran confessional writings (collected as the Book of Concord), and in the ELCA Confession of Faith.
Bible
Despite the diversity of viewpoints and the complexity of the many narratives contained in the Scriptures, Lutheran Christians believe that the story of God’s steadfast love and mercy in Jesus is the heart and center of what the Scriptures have to say.
Salvation
Flowing out of Martin Luther's study of scripture, we believe that we are saved by God's grace through faith (Romans 3:24, Ephesians 3:24). There is nothing we can do, say, or believe to gain salvation, but rather God has already done it all through Jesus.
Means of Grace: Baptism and Communion
We experience God's grace through the means of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion (the only two sacraments in the Lutheran Church). Through baptism, God delivers us from evil, adopts us as children, and makes us members of the body of Christ. Through communion, God nourishes faith, forgives sin, and calls us to share his word and love with others. Because these sacraments are a means of God's grace, we do not limit either to age. We baptize infants and open the Lord's table to young children.