What We Believe

As a part of the United Church of Christ, we are committed to freedom of belief and encourage everyone to explore their spirituality and understanding of God without rigid doctrinal constraints. However, here is a little something to give you a taste of what we find important at Pilgrim.

We believe that God is love, the heart and soul of everything and the energy that gives life to us all and calls us to a higher existence. We think God was revealed in Jesus in a special way, but not exclusively. Jesus found God in himself and shared this to help other people find God in themselves. So we follow Jesus’ Way and let this love guide us, too. Through this Spirit of Love, we think God is still speaking in the world and nudges us to be kind to everyone and work for justice and equality in our communities. This compels us to be an “open and affirming” church that welcomes LGBTQ+ persons into the full life of our community without judgment or condemnation.

Forgiveness is a big deal to us, both for others and ourselves. We believe that we are all spiritual “pilgrims,” each of us walking our own path and driving our own roads and spreading the same love that animates the world. We all take different pit-stops along the way, however, we come together weekly to celebrate, learn, encourage, support, and enjoy one another’s company. In this road-trip of life, grace is our wheels, love is our engine, and faith is our view as we look out the windshield welcoming whatever comes next with wonder and gratitude.

If numbered lists are more your thing, we fully affirm the “Core Values of Progressive Christianity”

1. We believe that following the way and teachings of Jesus can lead to experiencing sacredness, wholeness, and unity of all life, even as we recognize that the Spirit moves in beneficial ways in many faith traditions
2. We seek community that is inclusive of all people, honoring differences in theological perspective, age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, class, or ability.
3. We strive for peace and justice among all people, knowing that behaving with compassion and selfless love towards one another is the fullest expression of what we believe
4. We embrace the insights of contemporary science and strive to protect the Earth and ensure its integrity and sustainability.
5. We commit to a path of life-long learning, believing there is more value in questioning than in absolutes

Taken from progressivechristianity.org.

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760-729-6311