We believe that Prophetic and Apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are not the word of men but the very Word of God spoken through God's chosen vessels by the Holy Spirt. Therefore the Scriptures are the only source, rule, and norm for judging all doctrines and teachers.
We adhere to the Lutheran Confessions of the 16th century as they are found in the Book of Concord. We believe that the confessions speak with authority on matters of faith because they have been formed and normed by the Holy Scriptures
We believe that man is hopelessly lost in sin and cannot save himself. But mankind has hope because God has sent us a Savior, Jesus Christ. It is only in Christ that we have salvation. Our Lord tells us that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. Scripture emphasizes that we have been justified, declared righteous, by faith in Christ alone. At Gethsemane, Christ is preached and offered to you for the forgiveness of your sins. Our preaching is centered in this good news, gospel, and it affects all that we do as a Church.
Many people associate the word catholic with the Roman Catholic Church. Gethsemane is not Roman Catholic, but we are catholic in the truest sense of the word. We confess the faith with all true believers in the catholic creeds; The Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. We joyfully share that faith with Christians of all times and places.
We believe that God comes to us in specific ways. He comes to us through the Word rightly preached and the Sacraments offered according to their institution by Christ. We emphasize the importance of Baptism and it's implications for daily life. We celebrate the Lord's Supper every Lord's day and on special feast days. We offer absolution in a general way at the beginning of Divine service and, as often as the Christian feels the need, in a private setting. We believe that God works through these to deliver forgiveness, life, and salvation to His people. Therefore, all that we do as a Church centers around the Word and Sacraments as the instruments of God's grace.
The liturgy is the order of service developed from Biblical times through the Christian era. In it we find something from the Church of all ages. These orders of service have fed Christians through the centuries. In the liturgy we hear God's Word and speak it back to Him. The liturgy is enveloped by the Word of God. We hold to this very traditional form of worship as a teacher of the faith.