Why Our Church?
Who We Are
The United Methodist Church of Libertyville is the oldest church in Lake County still in operation today. Founded in 1836, our church has served as place of refuge and source of hope for residents of Lake County over three centuries and across multiple generations. Today, we continue our long tradition of using our gifts and graces to make a difference in our communities and around the world. We welcome all people and children of God to a warm, inclusive, friendly community with opportunities to grow, learn, serve and thrive as God intended.
What We Believe
We believe that God is desperately in love with humanity and has created us for an eternal relationship with God. We believe in the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ. God became human in Jesus of Nazareth; and his life, death and resurrection demonstrates God’s redeeming love. We believe in forgiveness, second chances and making a difference in the world. We believe you don’t have to wait until you have life all figured out before being part of the church or seeking out the love of God.
The Methodist Faith
Below, you will find a brief list of some of the distinctive characteristics of our denomination. The United Methodist Church is:
Global: Today we speak many languages and live in many countries—with different cultures, ethnic traditions, national histories and understandings of Christian faith and practice.
Connectional: Every United Methodist congregation is interconnected throughout the denomination via a unique, interlocking chain of conferences. The United Methodist Church practices representative democracy in its governance. Conferences elect delegates who are authorized to act and vote.
Inclusive: All persons are welcome to attend our churches and receive Holy Communion, and are eligible to be baptized and become members. Grounded in Scripture: United Methodist trust free inquiry in matters of Christian doctrine. Our faith is guided by Scripture, tradition, experience and reason. Of paramount importance, however, is Scripture as the witness of God’s creating, redeeming and sustaining relationship with God’s people.
Wesleyan: The United Methodist Church has a Wesleyan heritage, and as such, places an emphasis on mind and heart (knowledge and vital piety) and putting faith and love into practice (life). Concerned about social justice: For more than 200 years, The United Methodist Church and its predecessor bodies have expressed concern for God’s children everywhere — the poor, the orphaned, the aging, the sick, the oppressed and the imprisoned.
Mission-oriented: Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. In uncomplicated terms, this means we strive to nurture followers of Christ who then reach out and teach others about the love of Jesus.
Ecumenical: United Methodists consider dialogue and missional cooperation between United Methodists and other Christians as a valid witness to the unity of the body of Christ.
United Methodist Church of Libertyville is a Safe Gatherings
Congregation. This means that we are certified to assess risk and implement processes to reduce the likelihood of abuse in our congregation.
To learn more about Methodism, we encourage you to visit www.umc.org for more information.
