The people of God gathered as Bethlehem Lutheran Church believe in the Triune God.  God created and loves all of creation – the earth and the seas and all of the world’s inhabitants.  We believe that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, transforms lives through his death on the cross and his new life, and we trust that God’s Spirit is active in the world.

Bethlehem is a congregation in the Lutheran Christian tradition. Lutheranism began in the sixteenth century when a Catholic priest and scholar named Martin Luther raised concerns about the church’s teachings.  What started as an academic debate escalated into a distinct separation between the Roman Catholic church of the time and those who accepted Luther’s suggested reforms. “Lutheran” became the name of the group that agreed with Luther’s convictions. Today, Lutherans still celebrate the Reformation on October 31 and still hold to the basic principles of Luther’s theological teachings, such as Grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone. These comprise the very essence of Lutheranism.  As Lutherans, we believe:

  • We are saved by the grace of God alone — not by anything we do;
  • Our salvation is through faith alone — a confident trust in God, who in Christ promises us forgiveness, life and salvation; and
  • The Bible is the norm for faith and life — the true standard by which teachings and doctrines are to be judged.

Learn more about what Lutherans believe here.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Upstate NY Synod of the of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.