"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Colossians 4:17

We are one of many "Restoration Branches" working to maintain the gospel taught by Jesus Christ himself. We believe this gospel was restored to the earth as The Church of Jesus Christ, on April 6, 1830.

We are a people with a strong testimony. We have learned that as we apply the teachings of Jesus Christ our lives are changed. We share in a warm and friendly environment both within our congregation and with friends of like faith around town, across the country, and around the world.

While we enjoy a vibrant social setting, many have learned that our God is seeking a personal relationship with each one. Our greatest joy comes by our individual association with our Heavenly Father. His request is that we show our love for Him by directing our care toward one another. Our goal then, is to help bear one another's burdens as we experience both the joys, and trials of life together.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish; but have everlasting life." John 3:16

There is a God. He is the perfect representation of truth, love, joy, justice, and all that is good in this world. He created you and he created me, and he loves us more than we can imagine. His goal is for us to be with him again after our earthly lives are through, abiding in joy and happiness forever.

There is also a devil. He is the father of all wickedness and evil, which causes hatred and suffering in the world. He knows that no imperfect person can abide in the presence of God, so he seeks to separate us from our Heavenly Father through sin.

God knew when he made us that we would fail; that mankind would be easily led astray by the devil. So from the very beginning of time, God has had a plan to save us from the temptations and frustrations of the devil, and bring us back to him. This plan would involve the life and death of his only son, Jesus Christ, but it was necessary in order to save us from death and hell. Today we seek to live our lives according to the specific plan which Jesus taught while on the earth. We seek to reach out in faith, and accept the promise of eternal life which has been extended to all those who will hearken unto his words. To learn about Jesus and his teachings about the plan of salvation, visit the links below! Further down there is also a very brief summary of our beliefs.

"And I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come; yea, the Son, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world; yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name." Alma 3:83-84

This is the story of a man named Jesus Christ. He was as much human as you or I are human. Yet he was also the Son of God, and the only completely righteous man that ever walked the face of the earth. He was sent from the courts of heaven to show us the way unto eternal life, but also to die, paying the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

This sacrifice was necessary, or all mankind would have been separated from God forever by our wickedness, and would have suffered in darkness and despair for eternity. But from the very beginning, the plan of God was to send his son Jesus to prevent this. The scriptures say, “as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1 Corinthians 15: 22. So it was that men looked forward to the coming of our Savior from the beginning of time, and had hope and faith in the prophecies of God concerning him.

"And he also said unto him, If thou wilt, turn unto me and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men;" Genesis 6: 53

From a young age, Jesus understood who he was, and the work which he was to do. Every year his parents, traveled from Nazareth to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover, and when he was twelve years old, he also went with them on the journey. After the feast was over they began the trip home, but after traveling a full day, they realized that Jesus was not with them. They returned to Jerusalem, and after three days of frantic search, found him in the temple, teaching doctors of the faith. They were all astonished at his understanding. His mother said, “Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing” to which he simply replied, “Why is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" Luke 2: 49

For the remainder of his life, there was never a moment when Jesus was not busy doing the work of God, his father in heaven. His life was spent traveling from city to city, teaching the principles of the gospel, such as faith, repentance of sins, and baptism to all who would hear. He suffered physical weakness and spiritual temptation as we all have. He performed many miracles healing the sick and the blind, and casting out devils. It was not the rich or righteous men of the world that he visited, but the poor, the leprous, and the sinners – the outcasts of society. His life was the perfect example of selflessness, as he sought with all his heart, might, mind, and strength to fulfill the will of God, and to teach others that through him, their souls might be saved.

But despite the prophesies of the many prophets that came before him, and despite the miracles that he performed, many did not accept Jesus as the true Son of God. Many of his people – the Jews – were looking for the Messiah to be an earthly king who would deliver them from Roman captivity. Jesus did not come to save them from the Romans; he came to save them from their sins. And because they did not recognize this, Jesus was ultimately charged with blasphemy for calling himself the Son of God, the penalty for which was death.

And so the same people who welcomed him with hosannas, and were witness to the miracles which he performed, and heard the words of life which he spoke, cried out that he be put to death. He was beaten, spit upon, and nailed to a wooden cross, which was the common method of execution in Roman times. As he hung on the cross, he used his last bit of strength to utter the words “"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke 23:32.

The life of Jesus was not one of glory or renown, as would befit a king, much less a son of God. His life was one of service, and sacrifice, and his death was one of excruciating pain and loneliness. His life stands as the greatest expression of love that this world has ever witnessed. Through this love, he overcame, not only the emotional and physical trials of his time on earth, but conquered also the power of death and hell and now stands to judge all mankind justly and mercifully, having suffered pain and temptation as we. It is in this pure love that he calls to each of us. In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul writes:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ...Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8: 35 - 39.

This is the story of the Way, the Truth, and the Life. This is the story of our Lord who died for us, Jesus Christ.

"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone;" Ephesians 2:19-20

In the thirty - three years that Jesus Christ was on the earth, his name became known far and wide for the miracles that he performed, and for the boldness with which he declared that he was the Son of God. He raised the dead, cured all manner of sickness, and gave new commandments of love. These teachings and healings were not merely random acts of divine kindness. In Christ’s ministry there existed a single driving purpose – the salvation of mankind. The establishment of his church was a necessary part of that plan of salvation. The truths which Christ restored, and the priesthood authority which he granted unto certain men, were put in place to guide mankind on the path of righteousness, which leads to eternal life.

In the beginning of his ministry, Christ chose twelve followers, or disciples, to go with him. After the Spirit of God had reveled to them that Jesus was truly the Messiah, they all gladly left their previous occupations behind to follow him. In Matthew chapter 9, Jesus sees how great the multitudes of needy people are, and recognizes that “"the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.” Matthew 9:43. So he called his twelve unto him, and gave them “power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” Matthew 10:1.

This is an example of priesthood authority, or the authority to act with the power of God, in the name of Jesus Christ. While on the earth, Christ appointed men to other offices of priesthood, in order to assist the twelve apostles with the work of his church. In various places in the scriptures, we find that these offices are Prophet, Elder, High Priest, Evangelist, Seventy, Bishop, Priest, Teacher, and Deacon. It is important to note that these men did not choose to have this authority, nor did they earn it, but were instead called and ordained by God. “And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron” Hebrews 5:4.

In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul uses a church building as an analogy of the relationship between, Christ, his priesthood, and other members of the church:

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.” Ephesians 2:19 - 20.

We see in this analogy, that Christ is the “chief cornerstone”, or in other words, the stone from which the rest of the building is measured and leveled. The men of the priesthood align themselves with the teachings of Christ, and together form the spiritual foundation for the church.

How is it that the church plays a role in the salvation of mankind? It is true that Jesus Christ died to save us from Hell, but while he was alive he also taught of specific principles that were necessary for salvation. The Bible tells us that the doctrine of Christ consisted of six such principle; they are found in Hebrews 6:1-2. They are faith, repentance, baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Faith – Hebrews 11:6

Through faith, one believes in the words of Jesus Christ, and becomes willing to live in accordance with the commandments of God.

Repentance – Matthew 3:2,8

When one believes in Jesus Christ, they recognize their sinful state, and seek forgiveness from God. True repentance involves not only asking for forgiveness¬, but also having a true resolve to not commit that sin again.

Baptism – Acts 2:38

When one desires to repent of their sins and enter into the church, they are baptized. In Hebrews 6:2, it says “baptisms” indicating that there is more than one. The first is baptism of water. By the Bible we understand that one is to be completely immersed under water, by a priesthood member having authority to do so. It is symbolic of our sin being completely “washed away”, and is also symbolic of us being buried with Christ, to rise again as “new creatures.” The second step is the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Matthew 3:11, John 3:5. Through this second baptism, the candidate receives the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is given for spiritual discernment.

Laying on of Hands – Acts 8:15; 13:3

The laying on of hands is accompanied by prayer, and can be performed by priesthood for several different purposes including baptism of the Holy Ghost, blessing of children, and healing the sick.

The Bible tells us that there are certain Spiritual Gifts that are enjoyed by true followers of Christ. Because Christ ascended up into heaven, he gave his disciples the gift of the Holy Ghost, to comfort and guide. Similarly, these spiritual gifts are given to mankind to assure them that the gospel of Christ is true, and to assist them in their spiritual walk. “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” Ephesians 4:8

Paul names some of these gifts in 1 Corinthians 12: wisdom, knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, prophecy, discerning of spirits, miracles, divers kinds of tongues, and interpretations of tongues. Joel 2:8 also mentions dreams and visions.

Priesthood authority, the principles of the gospel, and the gifts of the spirit where all instituted by Jesus Christ himself while he was on the earth. They are given as necessary helps on the path toward eternal life. There are many Christians today that believe these gifts are no longer available to men, or that they are no longer needed. However, the gospel of Mark claims that “these signs shall follow them that believe.” Mark 16:16. These are promises to all men, and signs of the true church of Christ.

"For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever..." Isaiah 29:25

After the Death of Joseph Smith Jr. in 1844, Jesus Christ’s church on earth was in need of a prophet, seer and revelator of the Smith Lineage. To provide for His church, God had previously set apart Joseph Smith III under the hands of his father. We believe that through those years without the prophetic office the true church of Jesus Christ remained in those faithful to the original teachings of the church organized on April 6th, 1830 by Joseph Smith Jr.. These faithful saints met in branches of the original church keeping the ordinances pure as originally taught. They waited for the time when the Lord would move upon His chosen prophet to return to the work. It wasn't until 1860 that Joseph Smith III came back to a conference of those branches. He testified that he was present because of the promptings of the Holy Spirit and stated, “I am here by a power not my own." He accepted the call to be prophet, seer and revelator of the church and was set apart by the authority provided by God through His servants.

We believe that we are still a part of this same church and find ourselves in much the same situation as those faithful saints of old. We are without a prophet, and accordingly without the ability to have authoritative calls to fill the higher quorums of the church. So we function in branches of the Christ’s church awaiting the time when the Lord will move to set His house in order. We pray that we are faithful and worthy to be those so authorized in our day to carry out the work entrusted to the church of Jesus Christ in these the last days.

"I sought the Lord and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4

Why do we believe that there is a God? Is it because we are naive - that we are somehow oblivious to advancements in philosophy or science? Is it because we find it necessary to explain the tragedies and sufferings occurring every day all around the world? Perhaps it is because of the tradition of our fathers? No! We believe because of the undeniable evidence that God is at work in our lives. Our God is a living God - an active God. He is busily engaged in the work to save mankind, and he does this by revealing himself to us. He is not distant or angry. He has told us in the scriptures that “ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart Jeremiah 29:13.” This is why many people have never had an experience with the Almighty. Because our sins and imperfections separate us from him, he can only reach us if we seek after him with all our hearts.

“Our God is a living God - an active God...He is not distant or angry”

But as we step out in faith, and put the promises of the scripture to the test, God is faithful to us in fulfilling those promises. We stand unmoved in our conviction that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, not because it is popular, not because it is tradition, and not because we find it necessary to justify the pain and suffering in this world, but because we have felt the love of our Father in Heaven. This section is dedicated to a small portion of the evidences we have that God is alive, that he loves us, and that he hears our prayers.

Everyone is welcome to join us as we worship the Lord! Our purpose is to invite His Spirit to be with us, instruct us, and strengthen us. Accordingly, we worship in a reverent manner. All our services include prayer, hymns of praise, scripture reading, and often preaching. Our Wednesday night services are an opportunity for anyone to pray or testify of the joy they have found in Jesus Christ. You will never feel pressured to participate in this, or any of our services. Many come just to hear the testimonies of the Saints, and to enjoy the presence of the Holy Spirit!

We have a large parking lot, but it can be difficult to find a close spot on Sunday morning. If you need a close spot come early! There is also a drop off area at the front door for those that are unable to walk far. You will be greeted at the door, and handed a program. You may find a seat at your leisure, or ask one of the ushers for asistance. You should NOT expect to be singled out, or asked to participate in any way which you are uncomfortable with. You should expect to find a warm, friendly welcome from a people who wish to share the love of Jesus Christ.   We hope to see you soon!