Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
2086 Parkview Avenue
Abington, PA 19001

Phone 215.659.2642 - Fax 215.659.8349

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Strengthening the Work of the Gospel Among Churches of the ELCA

Imagine Lutheran churches, one by one, recommitting themselves to the mission and ministry of the Gospel, and working together to bring the Word of Christ to a new generation.

Holy Trinity is one among such a group of Lutheran Congregations.

This began for Holy Trinity on January 29, 2006, when the congregation voted 73-8 in favor of becoming a member congregation of the umbrella confessional organization that had formed within the ELCA: The Lutheran Churches of the Common Confession (LC3).

This vote in no way moved Holy Trinity out of the ELCA. Instead this vote allowed Holy Trinity to join with a coalition of like-minded congregations to battle some pernicious and all-pervasive problems within our ELCA, especially the attacks on the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the “inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm” for this church’s “proclamation, faith, and life.” (As quoted from the Constitution of Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Since that date (January 29, 2006) The Lutheran Churches of the Common Confession (LC3) have continued to covenant with congregations from across the country, and with other Lutheran reform groups. Each of these congregations and reform groups has covenanted together around a shared statement of faith — The Common Confession. So many congregations and reform movements have come together under one umbrella that the umbrella group is now known as Lutheran CORE – Coalition for Reform.

Together CORE seeks to bring clarity to the modern Lutheran message, build trust among fellow-workers in Gospel, and move forward together within the Church with a common goal and direction. Through cooperative projects, shared resources, and mutual support, we are committed to communicating an intentional Christian witness that is founded on confessional Lutheran theology and grounded in the authority of the Word of God.

It is not the intent of CORE to form a new denomination or church structure, but to inspire a positive and active Lutheran witness within our present context. Like the mission societies of former generations, we have come together to help each other be faithful in our common calling to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, both at home and abroad.

The Common Confession

  1. The Lord Jesus Christ We are people who believe and confess our faith in the Triune God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We trust and believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
  2. The Gospel of Salvation We believe and confess that all human beings are sinners, and that sinners are redeemed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God alone justifies human beings by faith in Christ, a faith which God creates through the message of the Gospel. As ambassadors for Christ, God uses us to speak his Word and build his kingdom.
  3. The Authority of Scripture We believe and confess that the Bible is God's revealed Word to us, spoken in Law and Gospel. The Bible is the final authority for us in all matters of our faith and life
  4. A Common Confession of Faith We accept and uphold that the Lutheran Confessions reliably guide us as faithful interpretations of Scripture, and that we share a unity and fellowship in faith with others among whom the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached and the sacraments are administered in accordance with the Gospel.
  5. The Priesthood of All Believers We believe and confess that the Holy Spirit makes all who believe in Jesus Christ to be priests for service to others in Jesus' name, and that God desires to make use of the spiritual gifts he has given through the priesthood of all believers.
  6. Marriage and Family We believe and confess that the marriage of male and female is an institution created and blessed by God. From marriage, God forms families to serve as the building blocks of all human civilization and community. We teach and practice that sexual activity belongs exclusively within the biblical boundaries of a faithful marriage between one man and one woman.
  7. The Mission and Ministry of the Congregation. We believe and confess that the church is the assembly of believers called and gathered by God around Word and Sacrament, and that the mission and ministry of the church is carried out within the context of individual congregations, which are able to work together locally and globally.
     

Lutheran CORE Partners

Throughout the United States and Canada, a large movement of laity, pastors, congregations and reform groups are working together to maintain the biblical and confessional integrity of the Lutheran Church.

Based on a unified faith statement, the following organizations have all subscribed to the Common Confession, and have aligned themselves under the umbrella group Known as Lutheran CORE – Coalition for Reform.

Download This Document: What is a CORE Congregation?
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