Going Deeper

First Christian Church dba BEAR CREEK CHRISTIAN CHURCH is an Open and Affirming congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  We affirm the life and teachings of Jesus Christ by welcoming all people of diverse race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status to worship and participate fully in all aspects of church life in a safe, loving, nurturing, and compassionate community.  We affirm the faith, baptism and spiritual gifts of all Christians, celebrating that all people are part of God's good creation.  We work to advocate for those who know the pain of exclusion and discrimination by the church and society.  We invite you to help us embody our denomination's identity statement - "We are 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."

We have no "creeds" that are required; there is no set of beliefs about God that you must profess in order to count this as your church community.  We strive for a Christian faith which is both socially relevant to our time and intellectually sound, while holding true to Jesus' teachings about a God of unconditional love for each and all.  No one is excluded from God's grace!  Everyone has their own questions about faith and life, and we celebrate that!  At Bear Creek Christian Church you will find a company of friends eager to help and encourage you as you move forward on your spiritual journey.

As far as we are concerned, your "membership" in this community is defined by your participation.  At the same time, each Sunday we give everyone an opportunity to make an affirmation or re-affirmation of faith in response to our movement's traditional question, "Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and do you take Him as your Savior?", and we celebrate when individuals come to know Jesus Christ in this way!

This means:

We find our unity in Christ, not in particular positions on theological or political issues.

• We take the Bible seriously, but not literally.  We believe the central message of the scripture is that God loves each and every person and wants justice for each and every person.

• We won’t tell you what you "have to" believe, and we cherish our freedom to differ in opinion.

• We believe in helping others in need at home and around the world.

• We believe every person, of every age, sex, race, class, sexual orientation, and gender identity has gifts to share in ministry and leadership.

• We celebrate communion every Sunday, and everyone is welcome.

• We practice baptism by immersion, while acknowledging, accepting, and celebrating other forms of baptism as well. Typically, individuals begin a journey towards baptism around age 10.