What We Believe
Our Vision
To be a Christ-centered community where every person is welcomed, every life is valued, and God's love transforms individuals, families, and our community.
Our Mission
We seek God through worship and prayer, connect with one another in authentic community, and serve our neighbors with compassion. Together, we make disciples of Jesus Christ and share His love in Purcellville and beyond.
Our Core Values
What Guides Us
Seeking God
We pursue a deeper relationship with God through worship, prayer, scripture, and everyday faith.
Connecting with Others
We believe life is better together. We build genuine relationships where everyone is welcomed, valued, and encouraged.
Serving with Love
We are committed to caring for our neighbors and sharing Christ’s love through compassion, generosity, and service.
Growing in Faith
Faith is a journey. We encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to learn, grow, and take next steps in their walk with Christ.
Welcoming All
No matter where you come from or where you are in life, you are welcome here.
United Methodist Church Beliefs
United Methodism is a very large denomination within the United States and is continually growing in other parts of the world as well. But what exactly do United Methodists believe anyway. For that, we at Bethany would like to give you a basic understanding of the United Methodist Church. In the Nicene Creed, from the Council in Nicea 325 AD, it says we believe in the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church. And so, let us talk about what the United Methodist Church believes through this framework.
ONE – The United Methodist Church is a connectional church. This means that every United Methodist Church is connected to one another. We share together in ministry in a plethora of ways. Some United Methodist Churches will share a pastor. If one church is too small to afford the pastor’s salary, we yoke them together in order to make sure we provide trained and vetted leadership to every congregation. The United Methodist Church also shares together our resources and finances through apportionments that allows the larger Church together to do much more than any one single congregation could do.
HOLY – The United Methodist Church believes in holiness. That is we as individuals and as a community are to seek after holiness. Because of this belief, many United Methodist Churches are involved in Social Justice issues as we seek holiness not only on a personal level, but as a society as well. In regards to our own personal holiness, small groups have been a foundational aspect to methodism and its growth.
CATHOLIC – This is a word that often confuses some people. Some will immediately think of the Roman Catholic Church. This is not the meaning by which the United Methodist Church would understand this. Rather, the world catholic means universal. One of the primary thing that helps unite the Church is our understanding of Sacraments. In the United Methodist Church we have two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion. At Baptism, God claims the individual as God’s own child. We do baptize children, but with the understanding that the parent and congregation will continue to help nurture that child in the faith until he/she claims God for themselves. At Holy Communion, we practice an open table. This means that all people who are welcomed to the table. If they have not been baptized yet, they are still welcomed, but are encouraged to be baptized.
APOSTOLIC – This is yet another word that is not used outside the Church very often. The word apostolic simply means “sent”. In the United Methodist Church being sent is an important word to both pastors and laity alike. Our pastors are a part of an itinerant system. This means that the pastors serves the congregations to which they are sent to by the Bishop. For our laity, at the end of every worship service, they too are sent out into the world to be the body of Christ, the Church, for the world. We understand our selves sent to serve in God’s world.