Tag: belief

Pastor’s Notes 5/1/2026

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” –Mark 16:15

I love walking my dog early in the morning. There is something about the stillness of the desert, when the temperature is lowest and the stars still twinkle in a clear sky and everything is quiet. The awesomeness of morning can be almost eerie some days and yet I feel close to God. I trust fully that the holy presence is here, I just know.

This is belief.

In Biblical Greek, belief means to trust, to rely on, to commit oneself. It is about relationship with God and others and living in a committed way that reflects holy virtues.  

In the longer ending of the Gospel of Mark (16:9–20), belief is not portrayed as certainty wrapped up neatly with a bow. It is something that wavers. The disciples hear testimony of resurrection and they hesitate. They are presented with signs and still struggle. They are reluctant to trust that God is already at work beyond what they can see or control, even after all they have shared and been through with Jesus.

And yet, Jesus still sends them. “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news…” Right here and now, amid a fragile, growing, and sometimes resistant belief. This is their calling; this is our calling. This feels important to us.

If trust is real, lived, and relational, then it is something that grows. Belief grows through early morning walks, glorious sunsets, and mountain grandeur. It grows in community, in service, in showing up even when we are unsure. It grows as we listen to one another’s experiences and choose to lean toward hope rather than away from it.

Mark’s gospel doesn’t end with a polished faith, but it does end with a calling. A calling to proclaim good news not just with words, but with lives that reflect healing, welcome, courage, and love.

I look forward to worshipping with you in person or on YouTube this Sunday! The prompt question for you to think about this week: What fills you with awe and reminds you that God is still present?

Brett

Pastor’s Notes 8/22/2025

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Identity                                                   

“We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord’s Table as God has welcomed us.”    

Belief.

Belief proclaims who we are. Our identities, both personal and corporate, are shaped by beliefs. According to Merriam-Webster, belief is a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing.

As we are in the process of adopting a congregational mission and vision, it is critical that we can name what we believe. Over the next several Sundays, we will begin by understanding the core beliefs of our denomination. This Sunday, 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 will be the text important to our corporate faith that we will center around. I look forward to worshiping with you in the chapel or on YouTube this Sunday.

This is what our denomination says about our identity statement—the 12 core principles that our denominational faith is centered around.

Who do we say that we are? Identity is a vital concern for all parts of the church. Many long-time Disciples worry that we may be losing crucial characteristics of our common life. New Disciples want to know about the distinctive gifts of this community of faith. All of us need to have clarity about who we are in order to be faithful and effective witnesses to Jesus Christ.

A church’s identity must be firmly rooted in scripture and yet flexible enough to adapt to changes in culture and the shifting demands of mission. Early Christians in Jerusalem had to learn what it meant to be faithful in Antioch and Rome. The forebears of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), as they moved from the frontier to the city, had to rethink such matters as congregational autonomy and the goal of “restoring” the New Testament church. Today, we wrestle with what it means to be disciples of our Lord in a world that is increasingly pluralistic, globally connected, and yet so often violently divided.

Principles Of Our Identity

  1. We confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and proclaim him Lord and Savior of the world, requiring nothing more – and nothing less – as a basis of our life together.
  2. We hold the centrality of scripture, recognizing that each person has the freedom – and the responsibility – to study God’s Word within the community of the church.
  3. We practice the baptism of believers, which emphasizes that God’s grace demands a response of faith and discipleship, while also recognizing the baptism performed in other churches.
  4. We gather for the Lord’s Supper, as often as possible, experiencing at this table the gracious, forgiving presence of Jesus Christ.
  5. We structure our community around the biblical idea of covenant, emphasizing not obedience to human authority but accountability to one another because of our shared obedience to Christ.
  6. We participate in God’s mission for the world, working with partners to heal the brokenness of creation and bring justice and peace to the whole human family.
  7. We hear a special calling to make visible the unity of all Christians, proclaiming that in our diversity we belong to one another because we commonly belong to Christ.
  8. We witness to the Gospel of God’s saving love for the world in Jesus Christ, while continuing to struggle with how God’s love may be known to others in different ways.
  9. We affirm the priesthood of all believers, rejoicing in the gifts of the Holy Spirit – which include the gift of leadership – that God has given for the common good.
  10. We celebrate the diversity of our common life, affirming our different histories, styles of worship, and forms of service.
  11. We give thanks that each congregation, where Christ is present through faith, is truly the church, affirming as well that God’s church and God’s mission stretch from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth.
  12. We anticipate God’s coming reign, seeking to serve the God – Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer – whose loving dominion has no end.