ABOUT BELONG CHURCH

WHO WE ARE

Belong is a Christian community that values, welcomes, and affirms the full diversity of all people. Through Christ, God issued a radical invitation to all people to participate in a transformative community. We believe God's grace works through all people, and together, we are better able to be the community Christ has called us to be. We are a part of the United Methodist Church, and as such, we are connected to life changing ministries around the globe.
Belong is a place where many people gather together and explore the many ways in which God has been moving in our lives. By joining together in an inclusive, justice oriented community, we have the opportunity to encourage each other, challenge ourselves, and transform our world through the radical and redemptive love of Jesus.
Another word for this is Discipleship. Discipleship is one of those funny words—it is bogged down in churchy weight, but it also describes an incredibly powerful experience.

 

Disciples are those who follow Jesus. Discipleship is how we grow, as we follow Jesus in new ways and to new places.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

In short, we affirm the faith shared by all Christians, with a special emphasis on God’s love and grace. We also believe that belief is not the same as having faith.We believe that being a follower of Jesus is about more than believing a particular set of ideas. Instead, we become disciples as we move through the world, promote justice, and engage in mercy. Belong is a part of the United Methodist Church, though we recognize that very few of us have grown up in the Methodist tradition. Whatever your background, you are welcome here. 

AM I WELCOME AT BELONG?

Short answer: Yes!
Longer answer: You are a beloved child of God. We believe that in community, the light and love of God shine through us onto the world around us. We are blessed to have you in community with us, and we believe that God can and is working through you.
From our inception, Belong as a church is committed to justice. We intentionally include and honor the diversity of all people, including race, ethnicity, and national origin. This also means that people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcomed, celebrated, and invited to be their authentic selves in our church at all levels of participation and leadership, including ordination*, marriage, teaching, mentoring, and partnership. To find out more about what this means, please contact us, or visit the Reconciling Ministries Network website.
*As a part of the United Methodist Church, matters of ordination are overseen by laity and clergy from around our area. We commit to supporting any candidate with gifts for ministry through the candidacy process. Learn more at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

IS BELONG CHURCH A SAFE SPACE?

As much as possible, we hope, pray, and work to make church a safe space. This does not mean that we all agree, or that we see everything the same way. It does mean that your voice and presence are valuable. We encourage the formation of community through engaging in big—sometimes difficult—questions, yet our church community will never call into question the sacred worth of any person. As we work to build a Jesus-centered community, hate-speech, bigotry, and oppressive views will not be tolerated.