Crosses on a hill

What we believe

As a church family we believe in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, revealed to us in the Bible, who lives in his people through the Holy Spirit.

We believe that there is one God, who created the universe, the world and everything in it. He made human beings in his image to be in relationship with him. God is himself a relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the Trinity, the three different faces of God.

Human beings have a problem. God created us with free will, but, instead of choosing life with him, we chose to go our own way and reject his good purposes for us. Turning away from God and going our own way is what the Bible calls ‘sin’. We face the consequences of this sin in our own lives and ultimately in death.

The good news is that God has given us a way back to him: his son Jesus Christ. Jesus lived as a human being, so he understands what our lives are like. He lived in an ordinary working family, he enjoyed a party but also what it meant to be bereaved. He was a unique person: he never rejected God and sinned.

Jesus ministered for three years – you can read eyewitness accounts of his life in the Bible, in the New Testament gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. He changed the lives of those he met: he healed the sick, stilled the storm and fed over 5,000 people from five loaves and two fishes; he brought God’s forgiveness to sinners and raised the dead. Just as humans reject God, the civil and religious leaders of the time rejected Jesus. He was unjustly arrested, tried and executed on a cross. When this sinless man died, he took the punishment for your sins and mine, so that we can be right with God.

On the third day after his execution, Jesus was raised back to life by God. Humanity’s final enemy, death, could not defeat him. Jesus’ resurrection is proof of his victory against death and evil. A few weeks later he ascended to heaven, where he remains until his return one day to judge the world and bring an end to history. In the meantime, God lives in people through his Holy Spirit.

If you accept Jesus into your life, asking him to forgive your sins and to be at work in your life, you can have eternal life with God and receive the Holy Spirit.

As part of the Church of England, we believe these things and follow the way of life handed down to us in the Church’s historic creeds and the 39 Articles of faith. As part of the worldwide Church, we are united with all Christian believers in believing and trusting in Jesus Christ, God’s son, our saviour.

If you would like to explore the Christian faith for yourself, join us on a Sunday or try one of our courses.