Connecting people to Jesus by gathering around the table
WHO WE ARE: We've identified some core values that guide us as we move together in this mission
- Follow Jesus
- ‘I want to get dusty.’
There’s an ancient Jewish blessing that goes something like this: “May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi.” This is our hope – not just that we would follow Jesus – but that we would follow Him so closely that we are covered in the dust of His footsteps. And He is much more than a rabbi. He is our Savior. He is our God. And the dustier we are, the easier it is to embody the rest of our core values.
- ‘I want to get dusty.’
- Gracious
- ‘I want to believe the best and forgive the worst’
When we give someone the benefit of the doubt, we're really the ones who benefit. We see the potential good in people, even people who annoy us. Our relationships become stronger. It takes a lot less energy and produces a lot less stress to assume that other people's motives are good, or at least benign, until definitively proved otherwise. And if another person does something wrong or wrongs us? We remember the prayer Jesus has taught us: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
- ‘I want to believe the best and forgive the worst’
- Joy Starter
- ‘I am glad to be with you’
1 Thessalonians 2:19 “After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!” Just as Jesus was and is, we want to be glad to be with each other at all times, not just the good times.
- ‘I am glad to be with you’
- Caring
- I want to see the one who needs care and to be the one who cares’
In the times we are in now, many are speaking and too few are listening. Many are looking to their own interests and don’t see the needs of others. To love our neighbor, we must see our neighbor and respond when they need care. Because we have “seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13) and have received His care, our eyes are opened to others. See the one, be the one. (Luke 10:25-37)
- I want to see the one who needs care and to be the one who cares’
- Team Player
- ‘I want to give my all to make all of us better.’
Try playing Silent Night in the key of C without using the note, G. Just leave the space empty. It’s incomplete. It doesn’t sound right. It’s not the same song. All the notes are needed for melody and harmony. Your note is needed for the ministry at Hosanna. Or if you’re not a music person, try to imagine a car engine running when a spark plug is missing or not functioning well. Or a sports team missing a player – you get the idea. But we also want to get the truth – we are the body of Christ together. All of us are needed and blessed to be a blessing. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
- ‘I want to give my all to make all of us better.’
WHAT WE'RE DOING: As a community, we feature three tables which help connect us to Jesus and each other
Meal Table: We create and foster relationships as we slow down to share food and conversation together.
Worship Table: We take a seat at God’s table for Spirit-led worship that speaks to us and connects us to Jesus.
Life Group Table: We join others to experience a place to belong, give and receive care, and grow in our connection to God and each other.
Worship Table: We take a seat at God’s table for Spirit-led worship that speaks to us and connects us to Jesus.
Life Group Table: We join others to experience a place to belong, give and receive care, and grow in our connection to God and each other.
WHERE WE'RE GOING: We trust that God's plans for us are good and will lead us to a bright and hopeful future. It will take all of us to get there - including you.
- We will communicate our vision so that we can best unify our church around where and how Jesus is leading us.
- We will introduce our new Disciple Life Plan in order to increase awareness of all the ways we can gather around the Life Group Table.
- We will grow our volunteer base by 30% so that we can encourage deeper involvement and investment in our ministry.
- We will update our internal discipleship database so that we are better able to care for those we are called to serve.
Our Beliefs
The Foundations of our Faith
We Believe
God is triune (three in one): One God who reveals Himself in three distinct and separate persons
- God the Father, who created and preserves all things. (Genesis 1-2; Hebrews 11:1-3)
- God the Son, who redeemed the world by His perfect life, death, and resurrection. (John 3:16; Romans 3:23-24)
- God the Holy Spirit, who brings people to saving faith in His Son Jesus, and gifts, grows and matures us as disciples (followers) of Jesus to love and serve others as He has loved and served us. (Matthew 28:18-20; 22:36-40)
God desires all people to be saved and experience His grace and truth
- God loves all people and wants them to come to know and love Him and each other. (1 Timothy 2:3-4; 1 John 4:7-11)
- We are sinful from conception, instinctively at odds with God and separated from Him and must be reconciled to God by faith. (Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 1:19-21)
God loves people so much He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue us from our lost condition and restore us to Himself
- Jesus is both God and man (John 1:1-5, 14; Colossians 2:9-10)
- Jesus gave Himself on the cross as the full and perfect sacrifice for our sin, securing for us the forgiveness of our sins, restoring our relationship with God. (Isaiah 53:3-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
- Those who place their faith in Jesus Christ are saved and given eternal life. (Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9)
The Holy Spirit brings us to faith, grows and matures us as followers of Jesus through God's word, baptism, and The Lord's Supper
- We cannot believe in Jesus without the work of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3; Galatians 4:4-6)
- The Holy Spirit uses God’s inspired Word (The Bible: Old and New Testaments) to create faith and equip believers for good works. (2 Timothy 3:14-17; Hebrews 4:12)
- Through the waters of baptism, the Holy Spirit creates new life and connects us to God as His children. (Acts 2:38; Titus 3:5; Romans 6:1-11)
- Through the Lord’s Supper, Jesus offers believers His body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of the sins. (Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17)
Apostles' Creed
For 2,000 years the followers of Jesus have summed up their faith in three short paragraphs known as the Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated on the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated on the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.