Our Church History
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Salida Congregational Church has a rich heritage within the Salida community. Founded in 1910 , SCC has always been focused on bringing spiritual growth and understanding to the area's residents.
Located in the heart of Salida, we have provided a gathering spot for church members and local residents alike. In addition to church activities, civic and school groups have also benefitted from the centralized church facilities. Through the years, our church and its members have been spiritedly involved in many community organizations and activities. There exists a vibrant and solid history of outreach and civic pride to the betterment of the Salida community. |
- SCC is truly a family of God: Planted in Faith, Rooted in Love, and Growing in Grace -
Statement of Faith
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe in the present ministry of the person of the Holy Spirit, by Whose indwelling power enables the Christian to live a godly life.
We believe the Bible consisting of the Old and New Testament is the Word of God, infallible, and without error in the original manuscripts. Scripture is the only divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.
We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in Christ.
We believe that it is the responsibility of the Church, in every generation, to make this faith their own.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe in the present ministry of the person of the Holy Spirit, by Whose indwelling power enables the Christian to live a godly life.
We believe the Bible consisting of the Old and New Testament is the Word of God, infallible, and without error in the original manuscripts. Scripture is the only divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.
We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in Christ.
We believe that it is the responsibility of the Church, in every generation, to make this faith their own.
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Scripture Teaches.....
Salvation
Scripture teaches that in Genesis 3, human rebellion is recorded graphically. Human beings chose to turn away from God and go their own way. Injustice, evil, chaos, havoc and death erupted. We are all born into a fallen world that can be unjust and unfair. The wages of sin are death. God is in the business of reconciling rebels to himself. God delights in redeeming people who have sold out to sin, and this process is called, in the Bible, salvation. We cannot save ourselves. We must throw ourselves totally upon God’s free grace. Repentance and faith are the appropriate human responses to God’s amazing grace.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Human Destiny (Eternity)
Scripture teaches the bodily resurrection of the dead. Those who have put their faith in Christ will enjoy eternal life in heaven. Those who have not put their faith in Christ as Savior will be sent to a place originally created for the devil and his angels.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne ... then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” Then He will say to those on His left, "Depart from Me, accursed ones, into eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:31-34, 41).
Sacraments of Baptism and Communion
Scripture teaches that the two primary sacraments that Jesus left us: baptism, for the public acknowledgement of Christ’s atonement for our sins, and communion, to regularly remember what he did for us on the cross.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18-19). "For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you show the Lord's death until He comes" (1 Cor. 11:26).
Social Issues
Regarding the church and social issues, we feel strongly that as a body of believers, our number one responsibility is to meet the spiritual needs of the community. We are then to widen our circle of influence as laid out in Acts 1:8, reaching out to the world. Keeping the communities spiritual need as the goal, we reach out and touch people in love, and this may include meeting them in their emotional, educational, and material needs. We also need to come along-side people, where they are in their spiritual journey, and assist them to come closer to God.
Jesus said, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice" (Matt. 9:13).
Scripture teaches that in Genesis 3, human rebellion is recorded graphically. Human beings chose to turn away from God and go their own way. Injustice, evil, chaos, havoc and death erupted. We are all born into a fallen world that can be unjust and unfair. The wages of sin are death. God is in the business of reconciling rebels to himself. God delights in redeeming people who have sold out to sin, and this process is called, in the Bible, salvation. We cannot save ourselves. We must throw ourselves totally upon God’s free grace. Repentance and faith are the appropriate human responses to God’s amazing grace.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Human Destiny (Eternity)
Scripture teaches the bodily resurrection of the dead. Those who have put their faith in Christ will enjoy eternal life in heaven. Those who have not put their faith in Christ as Savior will be sent to a place originally created for the devil and his angels.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne ... then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” Then He will say to those on His left, "Depart from Me, accursed ones, into eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:31-34, 41).
Sacraments of Baptism and Communion
Scripture teaches that the two primary sacraments that Jesus left us: baptism, for the public acknowledgement of Christ’s atonement for our sins, and communion, to regularly remember what he did for us on the cross.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18-19). "For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you show the Lord's death until He comes" (1 Cor. 11:26).
Social Issues
Regarding the church and social issues, we feel strongly that as a body of believers, our number one responsibility is to meet the spiritual needs of the community. We are then to widen our circle of influence as laid out in Acts 1:8, reaching out to the world. Keeping the communities spiritual need as the goal, we reach out and touch people in love, and this may include meeting them in their emotional, educational, and material needs. We also need to come along-side people, where they are in their spiritual journey, and assist them to come closer to God.
Jesus said, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice" (Matt. 9:13).
Our Pastor
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Pastor James grew up in Southern California, the elder son of a Southern Baptist minister, so the church has always been a strong part of James' life.
It is funny how life has its twists and turns. While studying at California State University of Long Beach to obtain his history degree with the goal of becoming a high school teacher, a friend requested he take the exam to become a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff, which ultimately turned into a thirty-one year career in law enforcement. For the last three years, Pastor James has been obtaining his MDIV degree from Talbot Theological Seminary while being an associate pastor at Grace Taiwanese Church in |
Temple City California. James and his wife, Lu, who also is a seminary graduate from Fuller Theological Seminary, then received the call to come to Northern California and pastor at First Congregational Church of Salida.
Please visit our Blog to get to know us all a little better!