Brethren Beliefs and Practices
As a part of the Anabaptist and Pietist streams of Christianity, the Church of the Brethren congregations find many communal and individual ways of expressing our call to follow the Way of Jesus.
No creed but the New Testament. We do not have one statement that expresses all that we believe. For us, the New Testament, especially the gospels and teachings of Jesus, form the basis of our faith and discipleship, as we seek to follow Jesus.
Community. Faith is not only personal, but also lived out more fully in community with many others. As a community of faith, we meet to study the Bible together, to worship as a congregation, to fellowship together, and to work together in serving the needs of others. Through community we learn to love others as Jesus loves us.
Service. We serve others in the spirit of Jesus’ example and teachings, as we read in John 13:1-17, Matthew 25:31-40, and other places throughout scripture. There are many varied ways to serve others in the faith community, in our neighborhoods, and the world beyond. We serve according to our abilities and gifts, through prayer and simple acts of caring for one another, as well by doing practical things like clean-up and rebuilding following disasters, resettling refugees, and helping in many other ways depending on need.
Simple Living. God created the earth with beauty and resources to provide all that we need. We honor the sacred gift of creation and the Creator in the various ways in which we care for the earth and all people. We try to be careful stewards of our income, possessions, and earth’s resources because we believe that God’s desire in creation is that all people may have enough food, clean water, shelter, access to education, health care, and other necessities of life.
Shalom. Shalom comprises peace and justice for the well-being of the whole community. There is no true peace without justice. In Shalom every person is treated with dignity, mercy, justice, and love. When there is conflict or disagreement we work together to be reconciled and find a resolution. In matters in which we are not of the same mind, we seek to live with forbearance toward one another in love and continue with openness to learn though prayer, scripture study, and listening to one another. We believe that war only brings destruction and death. In times of war, as in all times, we work to serve the needs of people, and to work for peace in nonviolent ways.
Christ in our daily living. Our faith is not something we practice only on Sundays. Rather our faith pervades all of life every day, public and private, whether at home, work, school, or in our free time. We are being transformed by Christ. In our private lives as well as in all of our relationships, we strive to grow more and more in the likeness of Christ, in love, compassion, forgiveness, service, friendliness, and joy.
Baptism. Baptism is the public expression of the transformation that has already begun within the person by the Holy Spirit. We believe that a person must be aware of the decision they are making in choosing to be baptized. We practice baptism by immersion. Although we do not baptize infants, we accept the validity of the baptism of people who have been baptized as infants or by some mode of baptism other than immersion. They may make a reaffirmation of faith when they choose to join our faith community.
Love Feast. Our Love Feast is a special celebration and remembrance of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples before his trial and death. Following John 13:1-17, we wash one another’s feet, share a simple meal, and have bread and cup communion. The act of kneeling to wash another’s feet, and to allow ourselves to be washed by another, is a reminder of the humility and the agape which is to characterize the followers of Jesus. There is also an option for handwashing for those who are not able to physically take part in footwashing.
No creed but the New Testament. We do not have one statement that expresses all that we believe. For us, the New Testament, especially the gospels and teachings of Jesus, form the basis of our faith and discipleship, as we seek to follow Jesus.
Community. Faith is not only personal, but also lived out more fully in community with many others. As a community of faith, we meet to study the Bible together, to worship as a congregation, to fellowship together, and to work together in serving the needs of others. Through community we learn to love others as Jesus loves us.
Service. We serve others in the spirit of Jesus’ example and teachings, as we read in John 13:1-17, Matthew 25:31-40, and other places throughout scripture. There are many varied ways to serve others in the faith community, in our neighborhoods, and the world beyond. We serve according to our abilities and gifts, through prayer and simple acts of caring for one another, as well by doing practical things like clean-up and rebuilding following disasters, resettling refugees, and helping in many other ways depending on need.
Simple Living. God created the earth with beauty and resources to provide all that we need. We honor the sacred gift of creation and the Creator in the various ways in which we care for the earth and all people. We try to be careful stewards of our income, possessions, and earth’s resources because we believe that God’s desire in creation is that all people may have enough food, clean water, shelter, access to education, health care, and other necessities of life.
Shalom. Shalom comprises peace and justice for the well-being of the whole community. There is no true peace without justice. In Shalom every person is treated with dignity, mercy, justice, and love. When there is conflict or disagreement we work together to be reconciled and find a resolution. In matters in which we are not of the same mind, we seek to live with forbearance toward one another in love and continue with openness to learn though prayer, scripture study, and listening to one another. We believe that war only brings destruction and death. In times of war, as in all times, we work to serve the needs of people, and to work for peace in nonviolent ways.
Christ in our daily living. Our faith is not something we practice only on Sundays. Rather our faith pervades all of life every day, public and private, whether at home, work, school, or in our free time. We are being transformed by Christ. In our private lives as well as in all of our relationships, we strive to grow more and more in the likeness of Christ, in love, compassion, forgiveness, service, friendliness, and joy.
Baptism. Baptism is the public expression of the transformation that has already begun within the person by the Holy Spirit. We believe that a person must be aware of the decision they are making in choosing to be baptized. We practice baptism by immersion. Although we do not baptize infants, we accept the validity of the baptism of people who have been baptized as infants or by some mode of baptism other than immersion. They may make a reaffirmation of faith when they choose to join our faith community.
Love Feast. Our Love Feast is a special celebration and remembrance of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples before his trial and death. Following John 13:1-17, we wash one another’s feet, share a simple meal, and have bread and cup communion. The act of kneeling to wash another’s feet, and to allow ourselves to be washed by another, is a reminder of the humility and the agape which is to characterize the followers of Jesus. There is also an option for handwashing for those who are not able to physically take part in footwashing.