Our Beliefs

Back to Main

 

Statements of the Church

Mission Statement

We are called by the Holy Spirit and therefore commit ourselves to invite, nurture, and equip everyone with faith for daily living, and Christian service that all may know God's saving love through Jesus.

Vision Statement

We envision our community of faith as one of the leading churches in making disciples for Jesus; Therefore we dedicate ourselves to this ministry that all might:

  • Know Jesus Christ and His love by inviting everyone to meet Him no matter where they are on their spiritual journey.
  • Grow in that love through dynamic worship, prayer, Bible study and small group ministry.
  • Go and share His love with others through active service in our congregation, community, and throughout the world.

For you to know Jesus Christ and His love for you.
For you to grow in that love through worship, prayer, and small groups.
For you to go and to share His love with others.

Value Statement

As a community we value FAITH, which is our confident assurance of forgiveness and eternal salvation through Jesus Christ revealed to us by the Holy Spirit through God's Word. Faith frees us to live an authentic life of LOVE, HONESTY, COMPASSION and FORGIVENESS in all our relationships.

Being called and empowered by the Holy Spirit we live a life of decipleship marked by SELF-DISCIPLINE and COURAGE. Trusting that our self-worth is grounded completely in the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ we commit ourselves to HUMBLE SERVICE to God, our neighbors, and all creation.


Our Doctrine

We believe in the Triune God - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge one God in these three persons.

We believe that God the Father created the universe. He is loving, compassionate, just and kind. His deepest desire is to live in an intimate relationship with all people.

We believe that, because of his desire to live in a relationship with us, God became a human being. Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, is fully God and fully human. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus made it possible for all people to live in a relationship with God. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Way, The Truth and the Life. Through Him and Him alone people enter into a relationship with God.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the presence of Jesus Christ among us. Through Him God loves us, empowers us and lives in us. The Spirit gives gifts to all believers. We believe in all the gifts of the Spirit and encourage their use.

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Through it God reveals Himself to us. The entire Bible is God-inspired. The Old and New Testaments are the norm and guide upon which we base our faith.

We believe that the Church, be a local congregation or the worldwide fellowship of believers, is the body of Christ. As His body, we are called upon to worship Him, serve Him and be the vehicle through which the Good News in its fullness is shared with the world.

We affirm and identify with the confessions of the Lutheran Church. We affirm the centrality of grace alone, faith alone and Word alone.

We believe in and practice the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. We believe that through the waters of Baptism, God comes to us to adopt us as His children. Through Baptism God gives the gift of new life. We affirm the Baptism of infants.

We believe that through the Lord's supper, God comes to love us and forgive us. It is a meal of renewal. Jesus is really present in the meal.

We believe in the worth and value of the human being. Created in God's image, humans have dignity. Their worth is dependent, not on accomplishments, but on God's love. Because God sees humanity as worth dying for, we affirm and acknowledge the dignity of humans.

At the same time we acknowledge that humanity is separated from God because of sin. We joyfully proclaim the Good News that because of Jesus Christ, forgiveness is a possibility. It is that forgiveness that restores fallen humanity's worth.

We believe in and anticipate the return of Jesus Christ. Though we do not know the day and hour, we joyfully proclaim His soon return to inspire all people to make the most of life today.

 

The History of the Church

Emmanuel's History

Emmanuel Lutheran church was founded on January 5, 1947. The first service was held in the Orchard Beach Improvement Hall. Six months later the church was able to buy its first property, however the cornerstone on that property was not set for another two years.

In 1962 the church bought a house on Granada Road which would serve as a parsonage. At the same time the church bought Brandon's property for a new, larger church building. Seventeen years passed before the congregation voted to relocate to our current location at 8615 Fort Smallwood Road. In June 1982 services were moved to the new building.

Nineteen eighty-four saw the addition of the church counseling center. The church began to participate in NCEON in September of 1989 and the first internship for aspiring pastors began in September of 1990. Emmanuel started its popular train garden program in 1991.

The latest addition was built onto Emmanuel in 1997 and expanded the church's hall and added a new multipurpose room.

Lutheran History

The Lutheran Church began in the 1500's as a reforming movement which sought to restore the centrality of the Bible, Faith, and Grace within the Catholic Church. Although the earliest Lutherans preferred to be called "Evangelicals," their opponents labeled them "Lutherans" after their leader, Martin Luther.

Martin Luther

  • A. His Early Life
    • 1. Born -- November 10, 1483

Died -- February 18, 1546

 

    • 2. May 1505
      • a. Began law school to please his father
      • b. Luther more interested in theology/religious matters
    • 3. July 1505
      • a. Luther caught in thunderstorm
      • b. He was afraid to die
      • c. Asked St. Anne for help-he would become a monk if she saved him
      • d. Joined a monastery two weeks later
  • B. His Faith Struggle
    • 1. Saw God as harsh, angry God
    • 2. Luther guilt ridden over his sin
    • 3. Felt forgiveness depended on him
  • C. His Faith Discovery
    • 1. Began to lecture on the Bible
    • 2. Discovered a loving God who forgives freely through Jesus
  • D. His Faith in Action
    • 1. The Indulgence Controversy -- October 31, 1517
      • a. catholic Church promised forgiveness if people gave money
      • b. Luther was outraged
      • c. Wrote 95 statements against Catholic Church
      • d. Controversy followed
      • e. Luther hoped to reform Catholic Church but that did not work out

 

Back to Main