Our Faith

As Christians we believe in the God of love as revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Aware of our human frailty we claim the forgiveness and acceptance freely offered by God through faith. We respond to God’s call to each one of us by seeking to follow in the way of Jesus.

Each year we renew our commitment in a special covenant service in which we say the covenant prayer together. This is shown below together with attempt by Rev Martyn Atkins to summarised what it means for us to be followers of Jesus in the Methodist tradition.

Methodist Discipleship

Methodist Christian discipleship is rooted in and focused on Jesus Christ,

resourced by the Spirit of God,
is both life-long and whole-life,
communal rather than solitary,
committed to transforming and serving ‘the world’, locally, nationally and globally
and so is lived out on a ‘big map’,
all offered as worship to God as loving obedience.

Martyn Atkins, Discipleship and the people called Methodists (2010)

The Methodist Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own but yours.

Put me to what you will,
rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing, put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you or laid aside for you,
exalted for you or brought low for you.
Let me be full, let me be empty,
let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things
to your pleasure and disposal.

And now, glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
you are mine and I am yours.
So be it.

And the covenant made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

As a faith community we understand our calling to be one of service in the place where we live. This is expressed in our mission statement.
Southlands Methodist Church seeks to be
a beacon in the local community
faith in Christ,
and love and service to all.

The Methodist Church is part of the Protestant Christian tradition.

‘The Methodist Church claims and cherishes its place in the Holy Catholic Church which is the Body of Christ. It rejoices in the inheritance of the apostolic faith and loyally accepts the fundamental principles of the historic creeds and of the Protestant Reformation.’

Methodist Deed of Union

To explore further online about the Methodist Church, what Christians believe and what makes Methodism distinctive within the wider Christian Church see the Methodist Church Website.