About Us

Bethany Christian Church is a progressive congregation. We focus on responding to God’s love for the world by loving God, our neighbors and all creation. We seek to share what we believe so others may experience God as a loving, creative being active in all of life.

Over our 50+ year history our distinct identity and mission has grown to reflect four main values: Community, Hospitality, Outreach and Justice. Being intentional about these values, we believe, makes a real difference in the world around us. As we follow in the Way of Jesus, we define these values as follows:

• Community: We are an intergenerational family of faith embracing the value and beauty of each individual. We nurture one another spiritually on our journey from infancy to the far side of maturity. Through experiences of worship, education, and service we grow in relationship with God, with each other, with our neighbors, with ourselves, and with all creation.
• Hospitality: We embody hospitality. We build relationships within an environment safe for all, where all means every person. We welcome the stranger and the friend, the marginalized and the mainstream, and people of all ages, sharing the love of God by affirming individuals for who they are as reflections of God’s presence.
• Outreach: We partner with the larger community and our denomination, locally, regionally and globally, to share the abundance of God’s creation in an equitable and sustainable way, so that all may thrive.
• Justice: We are empowered by God to bring healing to a fragmented world. Through education and prayer, we discern what is just and proclaim God’s desire for peace, harmony and wholeness for the world.

In light of these values:

• We are an open and affirming congregation. This means we recognize the unconditional acceptance of Jesus Christ of all people, excluding no one.

• We are a designated “Shalom” Congregation within our denomination. This means we seek to be a peaceful people, devoted to bringing God’s peace and justice to every situation.

• We are a designated “Green Chalice” Congregation within our denomination. This means we seek to live our faith by caring for creation. We believe every element of creation has its rightful place. As each element in life supports all others, all can thrive.