OUR BELIEFS
Our Vision
Being A Community United In Christ
Lone Oak United Methodist Church is a medium-sized congregation within the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of United Methodist Churches. Our church embraces a healthy respect for questions and thought-provoking conversation. Stated simply, we operate out of a “grace theology.” We believe the greatest demonstration of God’s grace came through the life, death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ.
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Our journeys begin and end in that same grace, which we understand to be the unearned, undeserved love of God. Grace surrounds us before we’re aware of it, moves us to say “yes” to God through forgiveness of our sins, and continues to work in our lives so that we develop in holiness of heart and life.
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Following our founder John Wesley’s example, we stress putting faith into action to live out Jesus’ example to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and our neighbor as we’re loved by God.
We encourage persons to grow in faith and service to God through the practices of prayer, worship, study, witness, and service.
United Methodist Beliefs
The United Methodist Church connects more than 12 million members on four continents, and engages in ministry all around the world. To better understand the connectional structure of the UMC, visit www.umc.org
We join with millions of Christians through the ages in an understanding of God as a Trinity—three persons in one: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in Jesus Christ as both wholly the Son of God and wholly the Son of Man - God's Chosen Messiah who has freed us from our sin through His self-giving sacrifice on the cross. Jesus lived, suffered and died, so all believers may be reconciled with God through him.
We believe in the Holy Spirit - God's ever-present activity among us today - which guides, comforts, and sustains us and reveals its presence in ministry through the fruits and gifts.
We believe we are created in God's likeness and can choose to accept or reject a relationship with God.
Tested by faith and proven by experience, the Holy Bible is the authority for our faith and practice. We believe these books, both Old and New Testaments, are collections of writings, inspired by God, written and translated by human beings, and are therefore are worthy of study and reflection.
Christian faith is, in part, a matter of hoping. We believe in and trust the Lord of the future, and we lean into the future that God has promised. We seek to live as citizens of God’s Kingdom here and now as we anticipate the future hope when God’s Kingdom comes in full.
We believe the Christian Church is the body of Christ, an extension of Christ’s life and ministry in the world. The Church community is made up of all past, present, and future disciples of Christ.
United Methodist Sacraments
The United Methodist Church recognizes two sacraments, baptism and communion.
These two acts have a special place in the church because Jesus commanded them and participated in them.
Baptism
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Baptism marks the beginning of our lifelong journey as disciples of Jesus Christ.
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Through baptism, we are joined with the Triune God, the whole of Christ’s church, and our local congregation.
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The water and the work of the Holy Spirit in baptism convey God’s saving grace, the forgiveness of our sins, and new life in Jesus Christ.
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Persons of any age may be baptized—infants, children, youth, and adults.
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United Methodists baptize in a variety of ways—immersion, pouring, or sprinkling.
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A person receives the sacrament of baptism only once in his or her life.
LONE OAK UMC CORE VALUES: WHO WE ARE
Many More Things Unite Us Than Separate Us
We Are a Family in Faith
Together, we learn and grow stronger in faith.
We Embrace All Ages & Stages
We are enriched by our diverse ages and experiences.
We Are Authentically Accepted
Your faith is unique to you. We support and encourage each journey.
LONE OAK UMC CORE VALUES: WHAT WE DO
If You Wish To See The Best In Others,
Show The Best In Yourself.
We Value God’s Message
God’s Message is revealed through the study of Scripture, supported by church tradition, sound reasoning, and our own experience.
We Value Presence over Appearance
We invite everyone to come as you are.
We Value Love Without Limits
Because God first loved us, we love unconditionally.
LONE OAK UMC CORE VALUES: HOW WE DO IT
We Will Never Change The World By Going To Church. We Will Only Change The World By Being The Church.
We Commit to Worship & Prayer
We promise to love and glorify God anytime, anywhere through our thoughts, words, and actions.
We Commit to Give in Gratitude
All blessings come from God, and we willingly share them with others.
We Commit to Seek to Serve
We pursue opportunities to serve our community with love, care and support.