What We Believe
Auburn First United Methodist Church (UMC) embraces everyone. We affirm that every person is a beloved child of God and all are invited into full participation in the life of our faith community.
We welcome and affirm people of every gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, who are also of every age, race, national origin, physical and mental ability, level of education, and of every economic condition, immigration, marital status and family structure - and so much more. As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and pledge to stand in solidarity with all who are marginalized and oppressed.
At Auburn First UMC, we aim to foster an atmosphere of belonging and purpose. Together, we can create a space of belonging through Community, Compassion, and Commission.
Community is life & faith shared (Acts 2:42)
Life is hard. Faith is complicated. As Christians, we believe you shouldn’t have to do either alone.
Compassion is love in action (Colossians 3:12-14)
As we live together in community, we recognize Christ in each person, and we are moved to respond with care, empathy, and mercy.
Commission is living faith through justice (John 20:21)
Community and compassion give us the courage to work against oppression and injustice. As God sent Christ to us, so we are sent into the world.
Who We Are
At Auburn First UMC, we believe the following:
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We believe that God was revealed through and in the life and teachings of Jesus. We support each other along the way as we strive daily to live out these teachings, grow in wisdom, and deepen our relationship with God and with all those we meet.
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We believe that we do not have a monopoly on the truth and we value different opinions and insights. Collectively, we understand that questions are often as valuable as answers and that easy answers are rarely satisfying for the problems a complex world provides. We hold personal integrity and individuality as higher values than conformity.
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We believe that all people are welcome to participate in our community and worship life at any stage in their faith journey. We do not believe in a God that discriminates based upon race, nationality, gender, age, class, ability, or sexuality. We do our best to live into this understanding of God.
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We believe that our true values and beliefs are expressed through the actions we take rather than in the words we profess. We believe we are called to work acts of justice for our sisters and brothers in need throughout the world because we know that the love God has for us is only equaled by the love God has for them.
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We believe we are imperfect people striving to walk more perfectly with God. John Wesley, our founder set us the goal of going on toward perfection, understanding perfection as a state where we have love for God and others that empowers us to transform, and not conform, to the world around us. While we might fall short of this goal, we continue to strive to be ever more transformed.
Inclusivity Statement
Auburn First UMC is an inclusive community that affirms every person is a beloved child of God. All are invited into full participation in the life of our faith community. We welcome and affirm people of every gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, race, national origin, physical or mental abilities, age, marital status and family structure, economic condition, and immigration status. As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and pledge to stand in solidarity with all who are marginalized and oppressed. Read more about our inclusive ministry here.
A Safe Space for All
At Auburn First, we believe it is important as a Church to guard and protect the children, youth, and vulnerable adults among us. We want our congregation to be a place of safety and trust for all people. Thus, we do all in our power to prevent abusive behavior, and by responding appropriately to abuse when it does occur. We strive to:
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Prevent physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of children (infant – 12 years), youth (13 – 17 years), and vulnerable adults (18 years and older unable to care for themselves or unable to protect themselves from harm or exploitation) within all church-sponsored activities and/or programs.
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Respond to abuse that comes to our attention in ways that promote victim protection, strive to stop the abuse, and encourage healing for all involved.
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Create and maintain a safe environment for children, youth, and adults to engage in the church community in person and virtually.
We aim to meet these goals by ensuring the following protocols are followed:
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Every class and event involving children, youth and vulnerable adults require 2 adults present at all times.
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All staff and children working with children, youth and vulnerable adults must be nationally background checked and attend Safe Sanctuaries training.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we work and live on the unceded, traditional ancestral lands of the first people of Auburn, the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla and Muckleshoot Tribes, the original stewards of the land, past and present. We honor with gratitude and acknowledge the ancestors of this place, and recognize that we are here because of the sacrifices and colonial oppression forced upon them. As we remember and repent of this story, and the harm caused to these peoples and this land, let us seek to honor their legacy, their lives, and their descendants by the work we do here, and commit to acts of reconciliation and justice in this present moment - and for all time.