Our Beliefs

OUR MISSION: FOLLOWING JESUS TOGETHER IN ALL OF LIFE

We are a group of ordinary people who gather around some extraordinarily good news. Jesus lived, died, and rose again for us and will return to make all things new. We believe that we are called to follow Jesus together in all of life: where we live, work, play, learn, and serve. Our vision is to do this together – to become a hub where friends and neighbors can find community and experience tangible transformation through the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are committed to pursuing and to promoting fullness of life for ourselves and for the community where God has placed us. We believe that in doing so we not only bear witness to God’s great love for the world, which is poured out in Jesus; we believe that by God’s grace, we can actually make the world a better place.

OUR VISION:

We want to be vital presence and partner in our community that points people to Jesus.

We love the community where God has placed us, and we believe that God calls us to welcome, love, and serve everyone who walks through our doors and everyone that are blessed to meet in our community. That’s what it means to be a vital presence. Being a vital partner means we want to work with others in seeking the good of all. We pray for, give to, and serve alongside others in seeking good for our community and the world. It's our hope that our presence and partnership will help others encounter the One who makes all things new.

OUR CORE VALUES

1. Jesus is the center

We gather around the story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and we are committed to sharing and embodying this good news in word and deed without dividing over lesser things.
– Colossians 1:15-20, Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:2-6

This is demonstrated by worship gatherings that tell the gospel story each week, practices that promote grace and unity (not uniformity), and missional work that serves bodies and souls.

2. We are committed to spiritual formation

We gather for worship and community, engage with scripture and in prayer, and serve together so that God might make us more like Christ and, by his Spirit, use us to bless the world.
– John 15:1-8, Romans 12:1-8, Hebrews 10:23-25

This is demonstrated by our 1+1 rhythm (one place to grow + one place to serve), our practice of sharing stories of God at work, and our provision of resources that promote spiritual formation.

3. We embrace the messiness of life and the journey of faith

We invite seekers, skeptics, and followers of Jesus to join us every time we gather; we welcome questions; and we encourage people to participate in community even while exploring faith.
– Matthew 22:36-40, Acts 17:16-31, Galatians 3:28

This is demonstrated by worship that is historically-rich and yet accessible to all, teaching that addresses belief and unbelief, and active initiatives to welcome and enfold everyone.

4. We seek the good of all

We desire to use our resources, gifts, and connections for the good of others, and we are committed to partnering with others in seeking fullness of life (flourishing) for all.
– Jeremiah 29:4-7, Acts 2:42-47, 1 Corinthians 10:31-33

This is demonstrated by our ongoing work to become a hub for community and transformation, support of multiple partnerships, and worship that sends us out to serve the world each week.

OUR MINISTRY STRATEGY

We are committed to pursuing spiritual formation that equips us for mission. We invite everyone to seek God through regular corporate worship, shared faith formation (small groups, classes, and missional service), and personal spiritual practices.

We encourage everyone to embrace a 1+1 rhythm. That is, we invite everyone to choose one opportunity where you can be “poured into” (a Bible study, class, or small group) and one opportunity where you can be “poured out” (a place to serve).

People are, of course, welcome to participate in multiple opportunities; however, because both life and “church life” can be busy, we invite everyone to start with 1+1.

OUR SHARED BELIEFS

We affirm three historic creeds: the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. Each affirms the divinity of the Trinity and essential gospel truths regarding Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross and ultimate resurrection. Our denomination, CRCNA, also affirms a number of other creeds and confessions; however, our congregation most often uses the Heidelberg Catechism and Our World Belongs to God: A Contemporary Testimony in our worship services.