About God
We believe that God has been revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This three-in-one God created us, redeemed us from sin, and continues to accompany us in our life together.
God the Son became truly human in the person of Jesus Christ. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, drove out unclean spirits and in a supreme act of love, gave up his own life on the Cross. On the third day, he rose from the dead. This self-sacrifice, and its culmination in Christ’s victory over death, established a new relationship between God and human beings.
Although by our own sin we turn away from God, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are gracious gifts that call us home again, as often as we need. This turning back toward God is called “repentance,” and it is the first step in a new life.
About the Bible
The Old and New Testaments are God’s word in written form, the source and rule of our faith. They record the history of God’s relationship with the created world, and especially with human beings. But, more than a mere record of events, they are a spiritual interpretation of those events, and an insight into God’s unchanging will.
About the Sacraments
Jesus taught us to make disciples, washing them with water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This washing, called by the Greek word “baptism,” marks the death of the old sinner and the birth of a new person, a child of God. It also marks a formal entrance into the church, which is the community of God’s saints in all times and places.
The gift of baptism is offered to all human beings, with no regard for age or station in life. However, preparation is required, and so candidates for baptism should make themselves known to a pastor several months in advance.
Jesus also taught us to share a simple meal when we gather in his name and promised that when we did so he would be present with us. Trusting in his promise, we believe that the bread and wine of Holy Communion are also the Body and Blood of Christ.
Holy Communion is offered to all baptized Christians. We offer Communion Education classes for fifth-graders and celebrate that time of deeper learning about the Sacrament, but children may receive whenever they and their parents feel that they are ready.
In addition to Baptism and Communion, there are other Christian rituals – Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Confession and Absolution — that help to shape our life together as a community.
About Christian Living
The church is a community of worship, learning and service.
We meet weekly (and sometimes more often) to pray, sing and rejoice in the Lord’s presence among us. Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, Adult Bible Study, and connecting socially in Christ’s name are important parts of our ministry.
But, to paraphrase an old saying, it is not enough to be heavenly-minded if we do no earthly good. Our Saviour is active in charitable and relief work, both in Fauquier County and throughout the world. From a Habitat for Humanity house in Warrenton to hygiene kits for Syrian refugee camps, we answer Christ’s call to serve those whose needs are deepest. We have a partner congregation in Papua New Guinea: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bialla.
The Lutheran Confessions of Faith
To explore our beliefs in detail, we recommend the Book of Concord, a collection of documents from the time of the Reformation. It can be read online but, for a more modern translation, we recommend the edition edited by Robert Kolb and Timothy Wengert, available from Augsburg-Fortress Publishers.