Overview
St. Paul's is a congregation of the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod.
We believe, teach, and confess the Triune God. The Father created all things and still daily and richly provides for all His creatures. The Son became fully human to suffer and die for the sins of all people, and to rise again to redeem us from death. The Holy Spirit creates faith in our hearts through the Means of Grace: God's Word and Sacraments (Baptism & the Lord's Supper).
Being "Lutheran" means that we preach, teach, and confess the truth of God's Word as taught by Martin Luther and our Lutheran Confessions (Book of Concord). These teachings can be summarized in three short phrases, often called the 'solas' of the Reformation.
Grace Alone - God loved His people so much, even though they are sinful and rebellious against Him, that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to save us through His death and resurrection. "Grace" is the free gift of salvation given by God because of what Christ did for us. It's not something we could ever earn or merit.
Faith Alone - By His death and resurrection, Jesus has won forgiveness and eternal life! That's the Gospel. Those who hear this Good News and receive it by faith have exactly what it promises: forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation from sin. God's Word creates faith in Christ. It's not something we can do on our own.
Scripture Alone - The Bible is God's inspired and inerrant Word. It contains no mistakes and is completely reliable. God inspired human writers to reveal His Law and His Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. The Law shows us that we are sinners. The Gospel promises that we are forgiven by God's grace through faith in Jesus.
The Lutheran Confessions
Our members confess the Scriptures as the inspired and inerrant Word of God, and subscribe unconditionally to the Lutheran Confessions as found in the Book of Concord (1580) because they are drawn from the Word of God. They are a true exposition and explanation of the Scriptures. The Lutheran Confessions are exactly that - a confession of what God has revealed to us in His Word. For that reason, the Lutheran Confessions are authoritative for all pastors, rostered church workers, and congregations of the LCMS. The simplest of these Confessions is Luther's Small Catechism. The Augsburg Confession of 1530 gives more detail on what Lutherans believe.
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
The word "Synod" comes from Greek words that mean "walking together." In the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, this term has rich meaning, because our congregations choose to belong to the Synod voluntarily. Though diverse in their service, these congregations "walk together" in our shared confession of Jesus Christ as taught in the Scriptures and in the Lutheran Confessions. They support one another in the work of ministry, in sharing the true Gospel for the sake of the world.
Learn more about the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod here: https://www.lcms.org