What We Believe

At Concord, we believe faith is a lifelong journey of discovering God's love, growing in community, and sharing that love with the world.

Concord Presbyterian Church is part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), a Christian denomination rooted in the Reformed tradition. We believe in one God — Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer — who is made known to us through Jesus Christ and continues to work in our lives through the Holy Spirit.

At the heart of our faith is God's abundant grace: a love we do not have to earn and a promise that we do not walk through life alone. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we encounter God's love, forgiveness, and invitation to new life. We are called to respond to that grace by loving our neighbors, seeking justice, caring for creation, and serving the world.

What We Believe

At Concord, we believe:

  • God's grace is freely given, and God's love is greater than we can imagine.

  • Every person is created in God's image and is worthy of love, dignity, and belonging.

  • Jesus Christ reveals God's love and calls us to lives of compassion, forgiveness, and service.

  • The Holy Spirit continues to guide, challenge, and renew the church.

  • Scripture is central to our faith and invites us into lifelong study, reflection, and faithful interpretation.

  • Questions and curiosity are important parts of growing in faith.

  • The church is a community where people of all ages, backgrounds, identities, and experiences can find belonging.

  • Faith is something we live, not simply something we believe, calling us to work for justice, peace, and the well-being of our neighbors.

  • Worship, music, prayer, learning, and joyful celebration help us recognize and respond to God's presence in our lives.

At Concord, we believe that Christ welcomes us to the table and nourishes us with God's abundant grace.

Communion, also called the Lord's Supper, is one of two sacraments celebrated in the Presbyterian tradition. Through the sharing of bread and the cup, we remember the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and celebrate God's ongoing presence with us. We believe Christ meets us in this sacred meal, strengthening us through the Holy Spirit to love and serve the world.

At Concord, anyone who needs the love of Jesus Christ is welcome at the table, including children. You do not need to be a member of Concord to participate.

This is Christ’s table and there is room for you.

Communion

In Baptism, we celebrate God's promise of grace and the gift of belonging to the family of God.

Baptism is one of the two sacraments of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Through water and the Word, we celebrate God's loving claim upon us and our welcome into the community of faith.

Presbyterians baptize people of all ages, including infants, children, and adults, because God's love comes to us before we can do anything to earn it. Baptism is not a reward for having all the right answers or reaching a particular point in our faith journey. It is a visible sign of God's grace and the beginning of a lifelong journey of discipleship.

Baptism is also a celebration of community. When someone is baptized, the congregation makes a promise to nurture, support, and walk alongside them as they grow in faith. We believe none of us is meant to make this journey alone.

If you are interested in Baptism for yourself or your child, we would love to talk with you.

Baptism

We believe the Bible is a sacred witness to God's love and an essential guide for our lives of faith. As Presbyterians, we understand Scripture to be inspired by God and written by people within particular historical and cultural contexts. We take the Bible seriously, recognizing that faithful interpretation requires study, prayer, curiosity, and an openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We believe Scripture invites us not only to learn about God, but also to wrestle with questions, deepen our understanding, and discover how God is calling us to live with love, compassion, and justice in the world.

Scripture

We believe every person is created in the image of God and deserves to experience the fullness of God's love and belonging. At Concord, we welcome and affirm people of every race, ethnicity, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, family structure, and place along the journey of faith. Our commitment goes beyond opening our doors. We believe all people should be able to participate fully in the worship, leadership, fellowship, and ministry of the church. As a congregation with a longstanding commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusion, we seek to be a community where every person is celebrated, valued, and empowered to share their God-given gifts. You are welcome here, just as you are.

Equity & Inclusion

As a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Concord Presbyterian Church affirms that God has created all people in God’s image, calls us into reconciliation with one another, and commands justice for the oppressed. Grounded in Scripture and our confessions, and mindful of past Presbyterian and ecumenical studies and statements on this subject, we commit ourselves to the work of anti-racism, both within and beyond the church. This includes confession, repentance, education, advocacy, and transformation. We affirm the beauty of human diversity as God’s gift and reject all attempts to erase or flatten it. In Christ, we pursue unity without demanding uniformity. 

Concord Presbyterian Church affirms the statement made by the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s document entitled Facing Racism: A Vision of the Intercultural Community “Because of our biblical understanding of who God is and what God intends for humanity, the PC(USA) must stand against, and work against racism. Antiracist effort is not optional for Christians. It is an essential aspect of Christian discipleship, without which we fail to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.”[1]

Although work has been done to end racism, we acknowledge there is more work to be done. Therefore, Concord Presbyterian Church commits to:

  • Continue to acknowledge and repent for the harm done in past to either create or maintain the systematic racism.

  • Share words of equity and justice throughout worship and every day throughout the year.

  • Have an intentional Black History Sunday at least annually during black history month, bringing in resources from the greater Wilmington, Delaware area and connecting the church with others who are already doing this work and doing it well.

We are called to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly (Micah 6:8). This means that we work, we care, and we repent, and with the power and companionship of the Holy Spirit, continue to work for a better world.

[1] Facing Racism: A Vision of the Intercultural Community, 222nd General Assembly (2016) https://www.pcusa.org/resource/facing-racism-a-vision-of-the-intercultural--40843/

Anti-Racism