The Methodist Church
The Methodist Church is a 12.5-million-person-strong global church found in 136 countries around the world. The denomination seeks to open hearts, open minds and open doors to an active faith in our Creator God, our Savior Jesus Christ, and God’s Holy Presence, who inspires us to live the Gospel message and encourages our engaging ministry and missional outreach to the world.
John Wesley and the early Methodists placed primary emphasis on Christian living — putting our faith and love into action. This emphasis is what Wesley referred to as “practical divinity” which continues to be a hallmark of Methodism today.
Affirmations of Faith
We believe in the Holy Trinity: God our Creator, Jesus Christ our Savior, the Holy Spirit- God’s presence within us and in the world.
We believe in God’s grace as an unconditional, undeserved and unearned gift of God’s love.
We believe in Jesus Christ as the ultimate expression and fulfillment of God’s grace whose life, death and resurrection offer to all people transforming forgiveness and the promise of life eternal.
We believe the Bible is the Word of God.
We believe prayer is our lifeline with God.
We believe the Church is the body of Christ in the world today, present to form disciples of Jesus Christ and to share God’s love through Christ in the local and worldwide community.
The Sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion
Ortega Church recognizes two sacraments – Baptism and Holy Communion. These two sacred expressions are celebrated as “outward signs of an inward grace.” The signs are acknowledged by Christ’s Church as acts of God’s grace in which Jesus participated during his earthly ministry, and commanded his followers to share.
Baptism of Adults, Infants and Children
Baptism marks the beginning of our lifelong journey as disciples of Jesus Christ. Ortega Church shares the Sacrament of Baptism as a sign of initiating a journey of faith with Jesus Christ in partnership and practice within the community of faith – Christ’s Holy Church.
Adults Baptism – Baptism is shared with adults who make first time professions of faith in Jesus Christ and who are ready to embark on a journey of faith in the fellowship of believers. A renewal of baptism vows may be shared with those who are professing or re-affirming their faith in Jesus Christ, who were baptized as an infant or child.
Infant and Children Baptism – In the Sacrament of Baptism, an infant or child does not yet speak for themselves, but others — parents, joined by family members, or sponsors, and the Church – publicly reaffirm our own baptismal vows and commit to walk with the child until he or she is ready to make a profession of faith for themselves.
Parents are the greatest influence in their child’s life. As your church, we want to be your encouraging partner and trusted guide! We look forward to celebrating this special day with you and your child. You will learn the specific details concerning baptism at the Parent Orientation with Pastor Art.
For more information, please make an appointment to discuss baptism, for you or your child, with Pastor Art McClellan at artmcclellan@ortegachurch.org.
Holy Communion
Holy Communion is an act of remembrance recalling the last supper Jesus shared with his disciples. It is more than just a ritual of remembering. It is a primary act of our faith through which we connect with God and to one another, as we are spiritually nourished for a life of ministry in devotion to Christ and for our service to the world.
In the Gospel of Luke (22:19), Jesus shares the bread and cup with His disciples and says, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Holy Communion is a representation of the gracious acts of God through Jesus Christ, commemorating that Christ died for our sin, and celebrating that Christ is risen and is alive here and now, not just remembered for what was done in the past.
In the Great Thanksgiving, “We offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving, as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christs’ offering for us.” We pray that the Holy Spirit of God will come upon us and on the gifts of bread and wine so “we may be the body of Christ (representatives of Christ) for the world. We pray, “By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes, and we feast at His Holy Banquet.”
God’s work of uniting us with Christ and with each other is a means of God’s grace by which God feeds us, sustains us and empowers us to live as Christians in the world. As we remember what God has already done, and is doing today, we are strengthened and transformed by the presence of Christ as we receive the bread and wine, to respond to God’s love by loving God and others. For more information, contact Pastor Art McClellan, artmcclellan@ortegachurch.org, or 904.389.5556, ext 112.