To withstand the challenges of this world, our life and work together as a congregation has to be tethered to something. That’s why we anchor ourselves to Jesus Christ in everything we do. This is most clearly visible in the only question we ask of someone who wants to join our church: “Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, your Lord and Savior?”

This value of being Firm in our Foundation doesn’t mean immovable or inflexible – locked into one and only one way of being. How we carry out the missions Christ has given us may change, but our why does not. Jesus – our foundation – remains the center of our life and witness. (Matthew 7:24-26, 1 Corinthians 3:11, 2 Thessalonians 2:15)

Our value of being Open in our Communion is about more than just our practice of the Lord’s Supper. This openness shapes our approach to every aspect of church life. Throughout the week, and most especially around the Table of our Lord, we find people who look like us and people who don’t look like us. But instead of drawing lines, we believe our diversity finds unity in Christ. In a world where boundaries are quickly established, we strive to be open – to welcome all as christ has welcomed us – all because we are centered in Christ and have been changed by his compelling love. (John 17:20-21, Luke 14:7-14, 1 Corinthians 11:17-32)

We want every generation to grow up knowing who God is and what God has done for them. Being Generational in our Leadership means we treasure the presence of every age in our leadership. We need the wisdom of our seasoned members. We need the capacity of our middle-aged members. We need the innovation and creativity of our young adults. We need the energy and capability of our youngest members. Our demonstration of this value is not measured by how capably we handle our responsibilities today. Successfully demonstrating this value is measured by leaving our responsibilities in capable hands. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Acts 2:17, 1 Timothy 4:12, Ephesians 3:20-21)