RECONCILING AND TRANSFORMING 

We, the Church of the Nativity, Northborough, Massachusetts, a member parish of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Western Massachusetts, by vote of the Vestry, declare ourselves to be a reconciling and transforming congregation.  The parish officially holds the following posture relating to our church and our culture, though our parishioners may not all be of one mind in the particulars. 

WE ARE TRANSFORMING 

We believe Jesus of Nazareth to be the Son of God, fully human and fully divine

We believe in one God who exists eternally in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and in Jesus Christ, fully human and fully divine, who lived, died, rose, and ascended bodily to redeem all people from sin and eternal death and to unite us to God.

Jesus said...’I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.’  John 14:6 

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty…We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God…We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life…  The Nicene Creed  

We believe the Bible to be the Word of God

We believe in the unique, divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and that they are entirely trustworthy, fully sufficient, and supremely authoritative in all that they teach, when properly interpreted in the light of catholic tradition and sanctified reason.

All Scripture is inspired by God, and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 

I solemly declare that I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation.  The Ordination Rites 

We promote a Christ-centered, biblical way of life and, in particular,

We promote a generous, simple lifestyle, resisting greed in our use of time and possessions.

We promote reconciling and peacemaking, resisting violence in thought, word, and action.

We promote Holy Matrimony, the union of a man and a woman, and, though we respect those in other kinds of faithful, loving relationships, we promote chastity for one and all.

Give, and it will be given to you.  Luke 6:38

Bless, O Lord, your gifts to our use and us to your service  A table prayer from the Prayer Book 

Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44 

Will you strive for justice and peace among all people?  The Baptismal Covenant 

Let marriage be held in honor by all.  Hebrews 13:4 

O God, you have so consecrated the covenant of marriage that in it is represented the spiritual unity between Christ and his Church…  The Marriage Service in the Prayer Book 

We believe in God’s power to transform us

We believe in the transformative power of God through Jesus Christ to effect real and positive change in individuals, relationships, institutions, and cultures.  We invite and encourage one another and others to be transformed by Him, particularly as we encounter Him together in Word and Sacrament.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.  The Prayer Book declaration of forgiveness 

We will seek to commend, defend and live out these essentials of transforming faith in the presence of one and all.

 WE ARE RECONCILING 

We believe that all people are created in the image of God

We believe that every human being is created in God’s image and, as such, carries an inherent dignity worthy of honor and protection.  Though we believe that Jesus Christ is the way to God the Father, we respect those who do not share our beliefs.

Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way…[God] is not far from each one of us.  For ‘in him we live and move and have our being’;  as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.”  Acts 17:22, 27, 28 

Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?  Will you respect the dignity of every human being? The Baptismal Covenant 

We recognize that we serve as God’s witnesses in a pluralistic culture

We value the democratic and pluralistic nature of our culture, including its diversity of ideas and beliefs.  Though we believe the Bible is the Word of God, we recognize that we do not live in a theocracy and, as such, we cannot command, but can only commend our beliefs to others.

By the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. 2 Corinthians 4:2 

Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?  The Baptismal Covenant 

We acknowledge the fallenness of human nature

We can see the brokenness of the human race in ourselves, in our relationships, in our communities, and in all cultures and nations.  We recognize our own need and that of all people for repentance and forgiveness, and of our call to promote equity and justice for all.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:8-9  

Sin is the seeking of our own will instead of the will of God, thus distorting our relationship with God, with other people, and with all creation.  The Catechism  

We believe in and will pursue the reconciling ministry of Christ

We seek to be a reconciling presence in the church and in the world, bearing witness to the transforming power of God in a way which explores and engages, and invites and welcomes, particularly the marginalized and the oppressed.  We seek to walk in the way of Christ who sought reconciliation with all people.

In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.  2 Corinthians 5:19  

The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. The Catechism    

We will seek to embody, extend and live out these essentials of reconciling faith in the presence of one and all, both to those in and beyond the parish, and particularly to those without a church community. 

We invite others to join us in this adventure of life and ministry in Christ.  As to our transforming faith we commend the witness of historic Christianity as revealed in the Scriptures and summarized in the two Creeds (the Apostles’ and the Nicene).  As to our reconciling faith, we commend the life and ministry of Jesus, who went to great lengths to make it possible for us to be reconciled to God and to one another.  As to our reconciling and transforming faith, we commend the study of St. Paul’s relationship with the church and culture of Corinth, particularly as described in 2 Corinthians 4-6, and the study of countless followers of Christ ever since who have pursued reconciliation and transformation as a way of life.