our statement of purpose
Just prior to yesterday’s Governing Body meeting I decided that it would be helpful to gather and share the various statements (of faith) that had been generated by our congregation in the past decade. The project turned out to be more complicated than I anticipated, I arrived to the meeting late with a totally unedited handout. Finding these statements on my computer was the first challenge, trying to make a coherent annotated layout was another.
Over the past years we have affirmed our basic Constitutional purpose statement in our Vision Statements of 1998, our Welcome (Open and Affirming) Statement of 2001, and our Shared Ministry definitions of 2006. This purpose was also woven through the statement that emerged from the Not Quite Round Table group that met in 2002-2003. (Now that I’ve gathered them together we’ll put copies in the Narthex information racks - lots of good stuff there!)
I’m really intrigued by the purpose statement because it is simultaneously both dated and timely; callling us in to worship, build community, and move back out into the world. We have alot of words and make alot of proclamations, but always we come back to this three-fold movement.
The avowed purpose of this congregation shall be to worship God, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to celebrate the Sacraments; to realize Christian fellowship and unite within this congregation and the church universal; to render loving service toward humanity; and to strive for righteousness, justice and peace.
What I’ve not yet been able to discern is the source for this statement. A couple of years ago I discovered that Maplewood UCC had the same statement! Since then I have found several other (historically German Evangelical) also sharing our purpose statement. Clearly it is a distinctive part of our tradition, one that has stood the test of time.
Although the way we say it may change, we share this commitment with a long line of saints who have gone before. As we ponder the ways in which we will live out these commitments, I invite you to cherish with me our heritage as we forge new paths ahead.
Gathering to experience the transcendent,
building an educated and inquiring community,
serving in the quest for justice and peace.
