Background

We belong to the federation of Canadian and American Reformed Churches. The name “Reformed” is a reference to the Protestant Reformation that happened in Europe in the 16th century. The Reformation was a powerful movement to bring the church back to its biblical roots and focus once again on the true teachings of the Bible: salvation as a gracious gift of God, through faith in Christ alone.

The Canadian and American Reformed Churches were founded in the 1950s by Dutch immigrants, and have grown to include people of many races and ethnicities. We believe that Jesus Christ is the only real hope for the people of Abbotsford and for the nation of Canada, and it is our desire to share this hope with you.

The Reformed teachings are commonly summarized with these five phrases, sometimes known as the “solas” because of their Latin roots, which outline the main principles of our faith:

• By grace alone (sola gratia): Jesus Christ earned our salvation from sin through his death on the cross. This salvation is given to us only because of God’s grace and incredible love, not because we deserve it.
• By faith alone (sola fide): We receive this salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. We cannot earn salvation by doing good deeds.
• Through Christ alone (solus Christus): Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for us when He died on the cross for our sins, and He is the only mediator who can reconcile us with God.
• By Scripture alone (sola Scriptura): The Bible is the ultimate authority in our church and in our lives. It is the basis for all of our beliefs, teachings, and practices.
• Glory to God alone (soli Deo gloria): God deserves all glory and praise, and we worship Him only.