What We Believe

Banner Cross is a living community of faith, full of people on a journey of wanting to know more about God.  None of us believes exactly the same thing as everyone else, as our own life's experiences and understandings of scripture make us all unique.  We share a commitment to coming nearer to God, and to doing so together in a community of loving acceptance.

Banner Cross is a part of The Methodist Church of Great Britain, which has roots in, and a covenant partnership with, the Church of England.  We have very close ties with other members of the family of Methodist churches throughout the world, and many other denominations.  Locally, we have good relationships with our nearest neighbours, which include Anglican, Catholic, and independent congregations, as well as other Methodist churches.

We share many beliefs with other Christian groups, including faith in God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  We trust in the Bible as a source of wisdom and knowledge for both daily life and eternal salvation.  We are committed to living out our faith in practical ways that make us good neighbours and agents of hope and healing in the world. 

While Methodists believe many of the same things as other Christians, our heritage gives us certain distinctive emphases that we hold as very special:

We believe

- that God will comfort, guide, and forgive every person, regardless of who they are or what they've done.

- that serving God and serving others go hand in hand.

- that we need both quiet moments alone with God and the shared experience of a community of faith to find spiritual fulfillment and peace with God.

- that God's goodness and human efforts work together in the world, and that our deeds, both public and private, must match up to the things we preach and teach about God.

- that we are part of a bigger family, all following Jesus, and so we work together to make a difference in the world.