Christian Beliefs

A story like no other…

Christians believe that, in the person of Jesus Christ, God has come among us as one who speaks our language and shares our life. Over 2 billion people worldwide believe this, as have countless people over the past 2000 years. Their experience of Jesus has transformed their lives and their vision of how God wants human lives and our world to be. In the person of Jesus Christ, we see the human face of God, revealed to us through the Bible and the teachings of the Church, under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ life, words, and deeds teach us what God is like just as Jesus went about doing good, showing mercy, forgiving sins, and healing human hearts, minds and bodies, so we believe that God continues to do these things through the Church and Christian people today. Jesus teaches us the dignity of every human life and that all people are precious in the sight of God.

It was not because of his goodness that Jesus was put to death but because his teaching so contradicted the attitudes and beliefs of his day. Jesus’ startling claims about who he was challenged the people of his day to see God in a new light, as revealed in Jesus as his only Son. Through his death on the Cross, Christians believe God has forgiven our sins – how we choose our selfish ways above the ways of God. Through Jesus’ rising from the dead and his resurrection, God has opened up the way to eternal life with him forever, a life that begins now when we become disciples of Jesus, his Son.

It was the truth and power of Jesus’ resurrection that his first disciples preached: not just because they believed it was true, but because it transformed their lives, their understanding of God and their hope for life as God intends it, both in this world and the next. It is the same truth and power that attracts people to Jesus today. This is the Good News Christians preach in every generation: that through Jesus, we may have a living, dynamic relationship with God, know the healing power of his forgiveness in our lives and the world, and hope for eternal life.

At St Mary's and St Matthew's, we seek to offer all people an experience of the Christian message's beauty, truth, and goodness through welcome, outreach, hospitality, and care. Whether this is in the beauty of our worship, the generosity of our hospitality, or the peace of the church buildings, we seek to radiate the love of God in all that we do.

We offer regular courses for those who want to explore more about or deepen their Christian faith: this often leads people to baptism and confirmation.

We invite you to journey with us wherever you are on the faith journey. We don’t claim all the answers to life’s most difficult questions, but we offer openness and a safe place to explore these questions with those at different stages of life’s journey.