Lutheranism is a reforming movement within the Christian church. We are not the only or best group of Christians, but we think that we have an important voice in the church, as well as things to receive from other voices around us, both within the church and outside of it. God is not confined to “some heaven light years away” or to buildings that say “Lutheran Church” on the outside. God is on the loose out in the world, as the Bible clearly witnesses. We are called to discover God at work and join in it.

Prince of Peace is a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the largest Lutheran denomination in North America with about 4 million members. Learn more at elca.org.
 
“Evangelical” is a word that literally means “Good News.” This is sometimes confusing because we don’t seem to share very much in common with the evangelical movement in the USA. This name comes from the time of the Reformation and expresses our call to be a people who hear Good News and speak Good News to all creation!
 
At Prince of Peace, we tend to prefer finding good questions and living with them, rather than dwelling in rigid certainties.

We believe in one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit aka the Trinity. This means that God is a mutual, loving relationship and invites us to be fully part of this relationship.
 
One way we confess our faith is the ‘three ecumenical creeds’: the Apostle’s, Nicene, and Athanasian. They proclaim God as the creator and sustainer of all things and all life. They proclaim Jesus a fully God and fully human, who died, was buried, and was raised for us. They proclaim the Holy Spirit, who is at work in the world, creating relationships and communities of grace.

We follow ancient patterns of life and worship called liturgy, unafraid to use them how they work best for us here and now. We gather every Sunday and other holidays to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, pray for the world, ask for God’s mercy in places of darkness, speak God’s word of life to one another, and remember and receive Christ in our baptism and the meal. We are then sent into the world to infiltrate it with God’s grace through our daily work and life. The church is essential to Christian life and growth. Its members are all sinners in need of God’s grace, yet we are simultaneously God’s holy and beloved saints. The church exists solely for the hearing and doing of God’s word. Its existence is justified only when it proclaims the living word of Christ, administers the sacraments, and gives itself to the world in a life of service and love.

Whatever you feel comfortable in that is appropriate for going out in public. We are a pretty informal group and believe that God meets us at our worst, so you’ll be welcomed in any dress you choose.

Lutherans believe that all of life, including all possessions and capabilities, are gifts from God. All our lives and work are a response of thanksgiving and celebration for God’s grace. We are called to be Christ’s hands and feet in the world, advocating for justice and peace, standing in solidarity with those who are hurting, and speaking God’s word of hope and promise. This happens in our daily work and relationships, as well as in organized ways within the church. For example, we have long been involved in refugee resettlement work.

We do not worship the Bible, though we claim it as the primary, faithful written expression of God’s word, which we believe is living and embodied in the person of Jesus Christ. The Bible has been passed down, edited, and translated through generations. This process, though messy, reflects God’s living among us and speaking through us. The Bible was not dictated by God but was and is inspired by the Holy Spirit. When we read it and use it together as the church, God is actively speaking through and in us.

We are sinners and live in a world filled with sin: hate, prejudice, and violence. We seek to understand and confess our participation in sin in all its forms. We hope our community is one of healing and hope, proclaiming the truth about all people: you are God's beloved!

We are officially a ‘Reconciling in Christ’ congregation, which means that we have studied and voted to try to be intentionally open and affirming to all people. Our official welcome statement: “Prince of Peace is a Receptive, Responsive, and Reconciling in Christ community of faith. We wish to make known our caring, concern, and welcome to all people, whatever their age, gender, race, education or religious background, sexual orientation, physical or mental capability, economic, marital, or social status. We believe all individuals share the worth that comes from being uniquely created by God.”

Many of us are scientists! Our belief in this Triune God does not negate or supersede scientific understanding nor the gift of reason; we love dinosaurs and challenging questions! Jesus came to take away your sins not your mind.

Some of us are gay people and a variety of genders and sexual orientations! We have pastors who are openly LGBTQ. 

Some of us are women! We have women as pastors and in all leadership roles, as the Bible and early church (in some ways) clearly support. Our Presiding Bishop (kind of like our national president or national pastor) is currently a woman, Rev. Elizabeth Eaton.

Some of us are people of color! The ELCA as a whole is very white, but by lifting up other voices and engaging in global relationships, we hope to grow in our relationships with all people.

We seek to respect people of different religions and no religion, being curious about their beliefs and practices, assuming that we can learn from them and that Christ calls us to love them, not make them think like us. The ELCA is known for seeking to establish relationships with other Christians and other religions.