Pipe Creek Church
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH AND PURPOSE
This congregation:
Statement of Faith and Beliefs
1. Is founded upon the faith that there is but one true God, Creator of all things visible and invisible, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
2. Confesses Jesus Christ as true God [eternally begotten of the Father] and true man [conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary]. He died on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. He rose bodily from the dead, ascended into Heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest, Advocate with the Father and Head of the Church. He will come again to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace, as Lord of all;
3. Believes that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, is at work in the hearts and minds of believers, uniting them with the Lord and with one another. We believe His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ; to convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; to regenerate such as repent of their sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; to indwell, sanctify, comfort, guide, teach and empower the believer for godly living and service;
4. Maintains the New Testament as its only rule of Christian faith and practice and maintains both Old and New Testaments are inerrantly inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His Will for the salvation of men and women.
5. Believes the gospel is the Good News and God is in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Through the gospel God's sovereign will and Christ's redeeming grace are revealed;
6. Holds that the Church is the body of Christ and is under the Lord's mandate to be faithful in accepting and transmitting the Gospel by word and deed;
7. Considers that all members of the congregation are responsible for the total ministry of the Church;
8. Accepts the ministry of the Church universal to be the proclamation of the Gospel for all people both near and far [evangelism]; and as an individual body of believers to be joined together for the worship of God, for study of the Word of God, for prayer and fellowship [edification];
9. Adheres to the ordinances of the faith appointed by Christ which are administered in the local church congregation, not as a means of salvation, but as visible signs of its reality. These are:
a. Believer's Baptism [Matthew 28:19]
b. The Lord's Supper ["In Remembrance of Me" – 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17]
1 Footwashing
2 Agape Meal [Love Feast]
3 Bread and Cup Communion
c. Anointing and Laying on of hands [James 5:13-16]
10. Stands on the teaching of Scripture which enjoins believers to love their enemies, do good to them that hate them, overcome evil with good, and inasmuch as possible, live peaceably with all men. Therefore, we conclude that it is not fitting for the Christian to promote strife between nations, classes, groups or individuals. We will advise our youth on these teachings and seek to give guidance to those subject to call in the service of their country. We will also recognize that sincere Christians have conscientious differences as to their responsibility as Christian citizens to human government both in times of war and times of peace. We therefore exercise tolerance and understanding, and respect the individual conscience with regard to participation in war.
11. Believes that God designed marriage through scripture to be the union of one man and one woman. Jesus stated in Matthew 19:4-6 (NASB), “have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said for this reason a man shall leave his mother and father and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” We affirm marriage involves the union between a man and a woman as instituted by God in scripture.
Why the new name? Who are we? How have we changed? What happened?
The congregation worshipping in the red brick meetinghouse near New Windsor, MD, has a long and rich history. Initially known as the Dunkers at Pipe Creek, and later as the Pipe Creek Congregation of the German Baptist Brethren, the congregation traces its beginnings to 1758. They held meetings at the farm adjacent to the church until 1793 when they built a log schoolhouse that was also used for worship services. A meetinghouse was erected in 1806, enlarged in 1866, and rebuilt in 1891. John Lewis, a friend of Samuel Clemens’ (Mark Twain), was a member of this congregation. Abraham Lincoln worshipped there as he traveled back from giving his address in Gettysburg. Between 1778 and 1867, the Brethren at Pipe Creek hosted seven Annual Meetings of the denomination. In 1970, their name was changed to Pipe Creek Church of the Brethren.
Reflecting on the tagline for the Church of the Brethren, the congregation has continued the work of Jesus, peacefully, simply and together – until now. On April 16, 2023, the congregation held their first vote, supported by the majority of the members, to withdraw from the Church of the Brethren. This action could be viewed as being like a divorce, and in this case its cause is irreconcilable differences. The roots of the Brethren lie in the belief that the Bible is the literal, inspired Word of God. However, the congregation believes that denominational leadership has strayed from a belief in biblical authority. Some might ask if the LGBTQ question is the cause for this vote, as other denominations have faced this issue. The congregation sees this question as simply a symptom of the divergent views regarding the authority of scripture. They assure everyone that all who earnestly seek Jesus as Savior are welcome to join them for worship on Sunday morning.
Having gone through appropriate legal channels to change their name, they are no longer “Pipe Creek Church of the Brethren,” but simply “Pipe Creek Church.” However, their mission statement is unchanged: “We commit to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; to spread the Word simply and sincerely by giving, loving, and serving our neighbors; and by the manner of our living.”
