Mission Statement

WE ARE
a community of Christians who are drawn together by our journey of faith. We welcome all, unreservedly. Our aim is to nourish people who seek Christ’s sacred way of living.

WE SEARCH
for spiritual truth and renewal through worship, prayer and study.

WE CELEBRATE AND EXPLORE
our faith in joyful worship, music and the arts.

WE FOLLOW
Christ’s example as expressed in the Gospels by caring for, encouraging and serving others in our homes, church, community and the world.

WE FAITHFULLY DISAGREE
with the discriminatory policies of the United Methodist Church regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gendered individuals and families. Though we recognize there remain differences of opinion among us, we at Diamond Hill United Methodist Church, as a Reconciling and Welcoming Congregation, believe that we are called to be reconciled to God and to one another.*

*This statement was added to our mission statement in 2009 by the Administrative Council, as a result of Diamond Hill’s rising consciousness about the discriminatory language present in the United Methodist Book of Discipline and judicial decisions. Although the Book of Discipline affirms the “sacred worth” (¶161.F) and civil rights of LGBT people (¶162.J), it also states that homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching” (¶161.F), prohibits clergy and churches from holding “homosexual unions” (¶341.6), prohibits “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from ordination (¶304.3), and prohibits the general church and annual conferences from funding “any gay caucus or group” (¶806.9, ¶613.20). Furthermore, in 2005, the highest court of the church affirmed a pastor’s right to deny membership based on sexual orientation (Judicial Council Decision No. 1032). Diamond Hill, although faithful to the United Methodist Church, publicly disagrees with these policies and hopes for a more inclusive future. For more information on the inclusive movement of the UMC, see www.rmnetwork.org.