Lake Park United Methodist Church, Oakland

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE WESLEYAN?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE WESLEYAN? First, Wesleyans are ecumenical. We want to have fellowship with all other Christians. We are not separatist or sectarian. J...ohn Wesley’s first publication about the early Methodist movement was entitled, The Character of a Methodist. In that little pamphlet, he made it clear that Methodists had no desire to be distinguished from any other believers. That is still true today. We affirm the basic Christian doctrines. We affirm the historic creeds. We join in ministry with other Christians whenever and wherever we can. Second, Wesleyans view theology as an order of salvation. More than topics or doctrines, theology is the story of God’s grace (prevenient, converting, sanctifying, and glorifying) and our response to grace (holiness of heart and life) through a disciplined practice of the means of grace. This is a way of saying that Wesleyans understand Christianity more as a life to be lived than a set of beliefs to be affirmed. Within this larger view, Wesleyans have some particular theological emphases. The next three points describe them. Third, Wesleyans believe all people can be saved. We do not believe God has predestined some people to go to Heaven and others to go to Hell. We take John 3:16 literallythat God loves the whole world and is willing to save whosoever believes in Jesus. God is not willing that any should perish; He has made no decision that would exclude anyone from the possibility of being saved. Jesus died for all. No one needs to miss abundant life in time or for eternity. Fourth, Wesleyans believe people can know they are saved. We believe in assurance. Assurance is not presumption in the future; it is confidence in God in the present. Assurance is not saying, Look what a good Christian I am; it is declaring, Look what a great Savior I have. Assurance is also the source of a seminal sign of our salvation: joy. Wesley was convinced that true holiness would be accompanied by deep happiness. The Christian life is a blessed life. Fifth, Wesleyans believe people can be saved to the uttermost. John Wesley called it full salvation. Christian perfection is our hallmarksalvation in which we are not merely saved from sin, but also saved for righteousness. We can have entire sanctificationa response to God’s grace in which both the breadth and depth of our lives are devoted to God. This experience can be marked by a moment of surrender, and then it will be followed by a deepening devotion for the rest of our livesa cleansing and consecration Wesley described as the holiness of heart and life. Sixth, Wesleyans develop conjunctive theology. We combine beliefs rather than separate them for example, faith and works, personal and social, heart and head, word and table, piety and mercy, Christ, and culture. We believe the sum is greater than the whole of the parts. When theology is done dynamically, we have a greater depth of knowledge which can lead to a deeper life of discipleship. Seventh, Wesleyans are inspired to help fulfill the Great Commission. The world is our parish, and the Lord is our sending companion. We desire to communicate the Gospel in ways that enable all races and cultures to respond to God. We offer Christ in evangelism that results in the new birth and in nurturing that results in transformed living. We engage in a mission that recognizes the need to minister to the bodies, souls, and spirits of those to whom we go. Eighth, Wesleyans have a high view of the Church. We reject any idea of independent Christianity, and seek instead to be called into a Christian community that unites us with the great cloud of witnesses in the church of Heaven and forms us into a Great-Commission connection in the Church on earth. The conduct of worship and the administration of the sacraments create the Body of Christ, and we devote ourselves to being faithful to it. -UMC.ORG

All Saints Celebration Worship Sunday November 1 10AM PST

Bishop Minerva Carcaño . A word for this time. As United Methodists we believe elections should be free, fair and safe, worthy of our protection. Let us VOTE and express our commitment to mercy, compassion and justice.

Lake Park UMC Worship October 25, 2020

No doubt you remember our August "Holy Fool" the Reverend Elijah Walker. Perhaps you are wondering what he has been up to. Here's his latest exciting tweet: Big news: I found some land and I'm making it my home next month. It's magical. Here's a picture of some trees there. I need to scrape together $5,500 to make this #queer #tinyhouse community in rural Arkansas a reality. Who wants to invest in this dream? I need $5,500 to make it livable for the winter and to develop ...infrastructure for the longevity of the community. I have a solid income but poor credit history (medical debt that I'm working on)--so getting a personal loan from a bank isn't an option. But maybe... Maybe you want to invest in this vision. I'd love to talk to you about a private, personal loan. Or maybe you want to throw some cash our way and see what Light and Love can do with those resources. Let's dream. Let's talk. Let's create. Let's live. I'm in. Are you?