About Southminster Presbyterian Church
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Welcome to Southminster... A safe and challenging place to grow, explore, question and make a difference.
Southminster people are friendly, accepting, devoted, and informal. They come from all kinds of religious backgrounds, and all are seekers. Southminster has been affiliated with the “More Light” Network since 1995 and is a member of the Welcoming Congregations of Portland. Our goal is to include, not exclude.
Our Theology
…working toward justice
Southminster has a living theology, changing as we change, growing as we grow. We call God “God” and we believe there is one God, eternal and universal. Hearing and heeding Jesus’ saying, “feed my sheep,” we believe God’s will is that we actively promote healing and justice for all.
…inclusion of all
As we have tried to understand Jesus and live out God’s will, we have come to value inclusiveness and diversity and to trust that in our common call we can honor and respect each other and serve God together. We have made a home for those with doubts and questions about faith, and we encourage questioning and exploration as natural, essential aspects of the faith journey.
…questioning and growth
We feel obligated to lovingly challenge each other to grow in faith. We believe spiritual maturity begins when we serve others, locally and globally. We believe the life and teachings of Jesus are the clearest revelation we have of God. We look both to the Bible and to the lives of others for this revelation, guidance, and inspiration in our individual faith journeys.
…creating relevance and new meaning
We do not espouse a literal interpretation of the stories of the Bible; rather, we believe they are “truth stories”, which are able to raise questions and teach us about God and ourselves. It is this theology that gives our lives meaning and joy and has led us to several characteristic actions: insistence on inclusive language, full participation of women in the church, More Light, a woman’s right to choose, and growth toward better stewardship of the earth
