Keywords:
associations, church, family music, faith, unique products, port au prince, portal, haiti, school, support haiti, events, umcorg, chapel, spiritual care, learning, classes, conversational prayer, child opportunities, biblical interpretation, christian education, prayer service, worship, first umc, bible readings, emotional care, prayer, haiti disaster, gospel, local church service, first united methodist church, port prince, youth choir, marietta, god, kindergartens, memberships, childrens ministries, nursery ministries, youth ministries, sanctuary, elementary school, faith in god, illness, nursery, bible studies, after school care, find a church, music ministry, first united methodist, news service, missionary, prayer chapel, toddler nurseries, elementary schools, confirmation, fellowship, pastor, bible study, programs, adult ministries, preschools, john wesley, choir, churche, preschool, womens bible study, apostles, earthquake, childcare, home missionary, 1st umc, affiliations
Detailed description:
The Bible is sacred canon for Christian people, formally acknowledged as such by historic ecumenical councils of the Church. Our doctrinal standards identify as canonical thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. Our standards affirm the Bible as the source of all that is "necessary" and "sufficient" unto salvation (Articles of Religion) and "is to be received through the Holy Spirit as the true rule and guide for faith and practice" (Confession of Faith).We properly read Scripture within the believing community, informed by the tradition of that community. We interpret individual texts in light of their place in the Bible as a whole.We are aided by scholarly inquiry and personal insight, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As we work with each text, we take into account what we have been able to learn about the original context and intention of that text. In this understanding we draw upon the careful historical, literary, and textual studies of recent years, which have enriched our understanding of the Bible.Through this faithful reading of Scripture, we may come to know the truth of the biblical message in its bearing on our own lives and the life of the world. Thus, the Bible serves both as a source of our faith and as the basic criterion by which the truth and fidelity of any interpretation of faith is measured.
