What We Believe
Let's cut to the chase.
Here's what we believe.
Below is a condensed version of our beliefs. Want a little more detail about Trinity's beliefs? Visit our What We Believe- Director's Cut.
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At Trinity United Methodist Church, we believe:
We believe that the church should be open and welcoming to all persons. We became a Reconciling Congregation in August 2019 with the following statement:
Trinity United Methodist Church in Duncanville, Texas fully embraces our call to do what is fair and just to our neighbor, to be compassionate, kind, and loyal, and to walk humbly with God. We believe that ALL people have sacred worth and a place at the table. We welcome and celebrate ALL members of our community, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, ability, social status, sexual orientation, or place along their spiritual journey. We rejoice in the gifts God sends us through the diversity of God’s people, and declare ourselves to be a Reconciling Congregation.
We believe in the Trinity. We worship one God, who is revealed in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For us, God fills the role as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Above all else, God is love.
We believe humankind was created in the image of God, and through our gifts of intellect and will, have been given special responsibility to care for creation. Each person possesses sacred worth, despite whatever divisions humanity may fathom or create.
We believe that God has gifted human beings with intelligence and freewill. These gifts enable us to choose to accept or reject a relationship with God, as well as choose between good and evil as part of the human experience. Choosing evil, known as sin, disrupts our relationships with God, each other, and within ourselves.
We believe that through the grace of God, we are forgiven for our sin, and can find the ability to forgive others and ourselves. To receive these gifts of forgiveness and new birth, we need only have faith and trust in God’s unconditional loved and grace. Our new lives of grace are characterized by love.
We believe God has a mission in the world—the reunion of creation to its Creator. We are meant to live together in love and harmony and care for each other and all of God’s creation.
We believe that the Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit and reveals to us all that is necessary for salvation. We use the gifts of church tradition, human experience, and human reason to interpret the Bible. In addition, we believe that tradition, experience, and reason are also sources of truth in their own right.
We believe in the practice of two sacraments—baptism and Holy Communion. A sacrament is a visible sign of God’s grace ordained by Christ.
Baptism is open to all ages, and signifies a person’s entrance into the family of God and symbolizes repentance, cleansing from sin, and new birth in God’s grace. Since baptism is a gift to the whole church, and was designed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, we recognize and accept baptisms performed in non-UM churches.
Holy Communion, also known as the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist, is a representation of redemption and a memorial of the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ. Since it is the Lord’s table, we practice open Communion. All persons are invited to partake regardless of a person’s age, religious background, or whether they are a member of our denomination or congregation.
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To learn more about Methodist beliefs in general, visit the United Methodist Beliefs page.