Serving the Richland Area for Over 40 Years!
Gull Lake UMC Celebrated its 40th year of ministry in May 2021! Previous pastors, old & new friends, and Bishop David Alan Bard all joined us for the special day. We look forward to many more years serving the Richland and Gull Lake community!
Core Principles
At Gull Lake UMC, we believe….
- All people, creatures, plants, and things are lovingly made. God is present in all of creation, and all of creation has its part in God. We are called to love every part of God’s creation just as God loves all.
- All of God’s Children are welcome in this place. All means ALL, and all means EVERY PART. The only things unwelcome in this place are violence and hatred.
- The Gospel is meant to be heard by people of all ages. In everything we do, we seek to create safe and engaging spaces for families and young children. Our ministry is intergenerational, and all of God’s Children deserve to be seen and heard together.
- Our Wesleyan heritage teaches us that scripture is authoritative, but not infallible. The most authoritative scripture is the Gospel of Jesus, which calls us to engage all scripture through the lens of The Greatest Commandment: to love God and love our neighbor.
- The climax of this Gospel narrative is the narrow path of Death and Resurrection demonstrated for us by Jesus during the Passion. To be converted is to be willing to lose one’s old life, and to be saved is to learn how to live again. This path offers but a brief glimpse of the eternal Love of God promised to us by Jesus.
- The ministry of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and our Wesleyan heritage each call us to be socially and politically engaged. This engagement is a vital part of our discipleship, but is not a whole substitute for it. Our politics may sometimes divide us, but our faith always unites us.
- We are not here to convince others that God is real. We are here to remind others that God is good. Empowering those who agree is more important than persuading those who disagree.
- We follow a denominational church model, which relies on clergy itineracy, institutional accountability, and faithful engagement with the UMC Book of Discipline. We believe these structures need regular reforming, but also keep us grounded during times of reform.