Beliefs

Mission Statement: We are called to love, grow, and share JOY through Jesus Christ!

Vision Statement: Joyfully feeding hearts and souls by touching lives for Jesus Christ.

Welcome Statement: Welcome to St. Mark’s UMC, a Lighthouse Congregation embracing all individuals.

Lighthouse & Welcome: Welcome to St. Mark’s United Methodist Church! As a Lighthouse Congregation we resolve to embrace individuals in search of a caring and safe church community, free of judgement, where together we continue to grow in faith and home through the sharing of God’s love and grace, the example set forth through the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and experience joy while supporting one another along the path of our daily spiritual journey.

St. Mark’s has decided to become a Lighthouse Congregation of The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist Church. In doing so, not only do we commit to remaining a part of The United Methodist Church, but we also commit to serving those who have lost their church homes through disaffiliation or closure. We will partner in this work in the following ways:

• Worship: Providing worship opportunities whether online or in person. These services should be intentional about engaging and welcoming new people into the fold.
• Discipleship: Creating space to learn and grow, through small group gatherings, Bible studies, and prayer opportunities.
• Mission: Inviting fellow United Methodists into opportunities to serve through hands on ministries. This can include any outreach ministries that involve making a difference and sharing the love of God with others.
• Sacrament: Communion will be offered at least one Sunday a month, but also may include invitations to communion outside of traditional worship, such as mid-week gatherings and in small groups.
• Pastoral Care: Offering care such as hospital visits, gatherings at coffee shops, and finding ways to be available to those in need of pastoral care. This is not just the responsibility of the pastor but includes ways in which the congregation may engage in care ministries.
• In the United Methodist Church, Lighthouse Congregations are local churches that are equipped and willing to be a caring and hospitable place that welcomes anyone whose church has closed or disaffiliated.

The Lighthouse movement began when UM churches began leaving the denomination, primarily since 2022. Persons who were not in agreement with church votes to leave, or “disaffiliate,” or who wanted to remain United Methodist, felt they had lost their church homes. The Lighthouse initiative seeks to provide a safe landing place for all who feel disenfranchised by the disaffiliation process.

If you have experienced closing or disaffiliation, consider St. Mark’s a resting place, with people who will care for you while providing a haven of peace and grace.

 

Core Beliefs	As United Methodists, we share the beliefs of the Christian church across the millennia: We believe in one God, the Creator of all there is (Genesis 1:1-30) We believe in Jesus Christ, His only-begotten Son, who existed before creation and through whom all things were made (John 1:1-5), who became human and was born of the virgin Mary (Luke 2:6-12), who died for the redemption of all persons on the cross and who was raised from death to new, eternal life, thereby ensuring all who trust in Him have eternal life through Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:3-8, 20-26) We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Breath of God, who is also God, the Third Person of the Trinity, who lives in the hearts of all believers in Jesus, and whose testimony in us assures us of our salvation (Romans 8:17); we believe the Holy Spirit progressively transforms us into the image of Christ, our Savior (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) We believe that Jesus will return at the end of time, and that He will renew all creation (Revelation 21:1-7) We believe the inspired words of God through Scripture contain everything necessary to guide us into the way of salvation (Hebrews 4:12) We believe that all human beings need the redemptive work of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins and redemption from evil and death (Romans 3:21-26) We believe that this salvation is offered freely to each human person (Romans 5:6-10, 18) We believe in the Church, the one body of Christ, the assembly of all those who have trusted Jesus for salvation (Ephesians 2:19-22)
Sacraments	United Methodists celebrate two sacraments. Sacraments are visible signs of the grace of God. These sacraments are Baptism and Holy Communion.In both these sacraments, God gives us His grace (His love and undeserved favor) through the common elements of water, bread, and juice. Baptism is available to all persons, from birth to death. Baptism may be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. In baptism, we are cleansed from sin; we die to our old selves and rise to new and eternal life; we are identified with Jesus, our Savior; we are incorporated into God’s people, the Church. Communion is celebrated at least monthly. All persons are welcomed to the Table of the Lord, which is indeed His table and not ours. We believe that saving grace may be received through sharing the elements of bread and juice. Parents or guardians make the decision on when their children are ready to receive Communion. In Communion, we praise the three Persons of the Trinity; we remember the sacrifice of Jesus for us; we renew our covenant with God and with each other; and we experience a foretaste of eternity at the marriage feast of the Lamb.
Service & Outreach	Ministry and mission have been cornerstones of the Methodist movement since its origins in the 1700s. Following in the footsteps of John and Charles Wesley, St. Mark’s UMC affirms our responsibility to love our neighbors as we do ourselves, which is demonstrated in how we work for the good of our church, community, and world.
Children & Youth	We affirm that children and youth are not “the future of the church,” but the church NOW. We love kids and love to have them in worship! Fussy babies and toddlers are a joy. We believe in developing not only the faith of young people but their gifts for ministry by involving them in all aspects of the church’s life. We invite kids to be in worship with adults for the first half of the service, which helps them learn what church is about and helps to connect them to the “big church.” Then kids may break out into Faith Factory Sunday classes for the rest of the service, to learn about God’s great love for them in Jesus.
Music & Worship	We gather for worship to praise the Lord, to hear him speak, to celebrate his presence among us. God is in the worship space long before we arrive! And music leads us into an attitude of worship. Music opens our hearts and brings us closer to the Lord. And since we are all unique in the type of music that touches our hearts, we worship in different musical styles —primarily hymns at the 9 Service and more modern worship songs at 10:30 Service.
The United Methodist Church	St. Mark’s is a part of the United Methodist Church, which is a network, or denomination, of thousands of churches across the United States, North America, and the world. We are all united in our common beliefs, and in our common practices. To learn more about the United Methodist Church, or to learn more about what we believe as members of the United Methodist Church, Visit The Beliefs Page.