Beliefs and Values

John 15:4–8; John 6:56; Ephesians 5:15–19; 1 John 2:4–6

Through Jesus Christ, God invites all people to enter into a life-transforming relationship with Him. This relationship with God begins as we place our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, and as we continue to grow as followers of Christ. We grow as we learn how to trust in and respond to the ongoing presence and leading of God’s Spirit within us. We learn to live in communion with God by participating intentionally and regularly in personal and corporate worship, including prayer and the study of scripture; the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper; acts of service and other spiritual practices that foster greater intimacy with God.

Colossians 3:15–17; Philippians 4:6–7; 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

We consider thanksgiving an important mark of a maturing follower of Jesus Christ. We give thanks because we know that, through the gift of Christ and the Holy Spirit, God has made Himself known and accessible to us. We can know and live in communion with God and share in His plan of hope and redemption for all of creation. In response to His complete provision, we are called to live lives marked by thanksgiving.

James 1:17; 1 John 4:8–10; Romans 12:13–18; Matthew 25:34–43

We value generous hospitality as a response to the grace of God and as the intentional sharing of our life with others. Hospitality is the deliberate act of making room for people in our lives so that they too may experience the welcome and grace of God. We value generous hospitality because, through it, we extend the gracious welcome of God to others.

Mark 3:33–35; John 17:20–23; Ephesians 4:11–16

We value all members within our faith community. We believe that we need each other to grow as followers of Jesus Christ. We are committed to passing on our faith well to the next generation, and we strive to encourage and strengthen one another in our pursuit of a Christ-like life. We value an intergenerational approach to ministry because we believe in an emphasis on relationships as a context for growing disciples, the intentional passing on of our faith to the next generation, and the empowerment of children and youth to minister and enrich the lives of others.

Ephesians 4:15–16, 25; Psalm 15:1–2; 1 John 3:18

We desire to be known as a church that conducts our work with honesty and integrity. As we value our faith family, we desire to be transparent and inclusive in our decision-making. As they guide us, our leaders will consult and engage the people of the church on matters pertaining to church life and ministry and will promote transparency as essential to our personal growth as followers of Jesus. We believe that transparency defines the mature follower of Jesus, and we value it because it results in a greater degree of trust and ownership among us.