Statement of Faith

I needed to write a statement of faith. Here's what I came up with:

I believe in God the creator

Who made the sparrow and the hawk--

Who made Enchanted Rock and Grand Canyon--

Who made Life—in its infinite variety.

I believe in God the savior

Who suffers with and for us.

Who teaches.

Who heals.

I believe in God of the still, small voice

Who speaks to me in the woods

Who says, "Look," or "Love."

I believe in my human frailty --

My sinful nature that causes me to walk away--

And in the God who walks with me and waits for me.

I believe in the God who calls us to community--

To service.

To love.

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The Pharisees asked him, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

Jesus answered "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22: 36-40).

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I believe my life is about learning how to walk back to God, to love him and his creation, and to love and serve my neighbor.  I believe that individualism is a false god, an idol, and the true God calls us to live and worship and serve in community. The church, His body, is that community for me.  The church is a place of refuge and a place to face that from which we seek refuge. The church is called to be an agent of change in our world. 

Through the grace of God, I am sober and alive and in this place with these people, who are also called to be in community. Through serving God and loving my neighbor to the best of my ability, I am healed and made whole.

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As Anne Lamott once said, "I'm just shy of fish bumper sticker."