At Irving Park United Methodist Church, our beliefs are rooted in the historic Christian faith and shaped by the Wesleyan tradition of the United Methodist Church. We hold that God is at work in the world and in every human life, inviting each of us into relationship — with God, with one another, and with the whole of creation.
God the Creator
We believe that God, the Creator, is continually at work in the world and in each and every human being — inviting us into relationship with God, with each other, and with the created world. Creation is not a finished act of the distant past but an ongoing expression of God's love, and we are invited to participate in it as caretakers and companions.
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Savior, and the clearest revelation of the nature of God. Jesus came to earth to demonstrate how deeply God loves humanity and to show the world what radical, unconditional love looks like. In his teaching, his healing, his table fellowship, and his sacrifice, we see most clearly who God is and how we are called to live.
The Spirit of God
We believe that the Spirit of God encourages, strengthens, challenges, and sustains us. When two or more are gathered in God's name, the Spirit is present among them. Every human being has been given gifts of the Spirit and is unique and special — a beloved child of God. Because of this, we welcome all people regardless of their race, age, sexual orientation, gender, nationality, or political affiliation. We value the gift of diversity as a reflection of God's own abundance.
A Covenant Community Called to Serve
Jesus was a servant leader, and to be a committed follower of Jesus is to serve. That service takes many forms, responding to the needs of our neighbors and the world. We understand ourselves as a covenant community, responsible together for our own faith. Faith needs a community to nurture its growth — and faith does not hold still. It grows, stretches, and matures as we live it out together.
Four Sources of Truth
Like Methodists everywhere, we draw on four sources of truth as we work through questions of faith — what is often called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral:
- Scripture — the foundational witness to God's relationship with humanity
- Tradition — the wisdom of the church across the centuries
- Reason — the God-given capacity to think, question, and understand
- Experience — the living encounter with God in our own lives and community
We work through issues of faith using all four together, trusting that honest questions and reasoned reflection are not enemies of faith but companions to it.
The Bible
We believe the Bible is the inspired — or God-breathed — Word of God. It is an inspirational book, the story of God's relationships with humanity across many generations. We read it seriously and faithfully, listening for the living word it speaks to us today.
An Open Door
These beliefs are not tests to be passed before you are welcome. They are the convictions that ground a community where questions are honored, diversity is celebrated, and grace is freely offered. Wherever you find yourself on the journey of faith, you are welcome to explore it here. To see how these beliefs have shaped this congregation over time, read our rich history, and to learn what to expect on a first visit, see our welcome for first-time visitors.