What we believe...
“What does the Lord require of you?
To do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your god.”
Micah 6 Verse 8
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What do Christians actually believe?
What do Christians actually believe?
Like all churches, St James has its own
emphasis and style;
We believe that our purpose at St James' Church is to look for
a consistent and enduring relationship with God. Through His grace we
seek to enjoy fellowship together and to provide support to one another.
By the strength of His Holy Spirit we wish to be witnesses for Christ
in our community by His word and by our deeds and our hope is to see
others drawn by the Spirit into a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
But what do Christians actually believe?
As Anglican Christians, we believe that the Christian Bible is God's
reliable message to us today. The Bible is all about God's relationship
with humans. It tells us that everything that exists was made by God,
and that he made humankind to enjoy a relationship of love with him.
| But most of the time we don't live that way ‹ we
fail to live up to God's high standards and instead serve our
own self-interests. Even small unloving acts towards God and others
are hurtful to God, and they create a barrier between us and God
cutting us off from him. 'For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.' Romans 3:23 |
Most of the time, we don't even notice, because we are used to living this way. Or we tell ourselves that life is just like that, or everyone does it. But God doesn't underestimate the seriousness of our situation, and realises that, even if we wanted to, we are just unable on our own to put right the things that separate us from him and so return to him. And the ultimate cost of our wrong-doing is permanent separation from God when we die.
| So, the Bible tells us, God himself came to our rescue. He came to the earth as the man Jesus Christ, showed us God's way of living, and then paid the price of all our disobedience and wrong-doing when he was put to death by crucifixion on a cross. Three days later, he rose from the dead, having defeated death itself. |
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
| This act of sacrifice, forgiveness, and power means that anyone can now be reconciled to God. God offers forgiveness freely to all. It is necessary only to accept it by accepting what Jesus did for you and acknowledging his sovereignty in your life. |
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
We at St James are a community of people who have discovered this amazing love of God. We now want to reflect and share it with those whom we meet; this is the heart of our vision. If you want to talk to someone about what you've read here, you are very welcome to contact us at the church office, where we'll be glad to talk with you.
St James Vision
Recently, the Church Council reshaped the vision for St. James around a familiar theme from 70 years ago;
that of St. James - The Barn Church:
‘Growing God’s Faithful People,
Celebrating God’s Generous Harvest,
Sharing God’s Sacrificial Love’
Growing God’s Faithful People
We are committed to;
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Growing all age disciples of Jesus who love God, themselves, and other people.
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Biblical learning that is related to our everyday lives.
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Personal and public prayer.
Celebrating God’s Generous Harvest
We are committed to worship that;
- Celebrates God’s generosity in creation, in community, and ultimately in Christ.
- Is relevant for different ages and backgrounds.
- Expects God to act in power to heal, reconcile and resource for holy & adventurous living.
Sharing God's Sacrificial Love
We are committed to;
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Working with others to use our gifts to serve our neighbourhood, city, nation and world.
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Living our lives responsibly in ways that do not destroy God’s world or other people’s opportunities.
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Supporting people and projects that offer hope and justice for the poorest communities of the world
St James 70th Anniversary Vision
E2006
Prayer and Pilgrimage
for feedback on the
Gedling Deanery Mission